Return to
Book Reviews
Main Menu

Review by Pat Callahan

I have just finished "MacArthur's Eagle", and I enjoyed it immensely. I gained some important insights about Macarthur' handling of the U.S. defenses in the Philippines around the time of the Pearl Harbor attack and his reluctance to go to the areas where the land, air and sea battles were taking place in the Southwest Pacific until the U.S. Army Air Corps had advanced the bomb line nearer to the Phillipines later in the war.

Having worked with John Henebry in the editing and publishing of his book about the Third Attack Group The Grim Reapers, I became aware of the major campaigns in which they were involved and some of the Bomber and Fighter Groups with whom they worked.

The incredible amount of detail that McAulay have researched and put into context with the time line of the war effort in the Southwest Pacific has provided a tremendous view of the coordination between the Australian and U.S. forces, and the agressive and sometime deceptive tactics employed by General George Kenny to advance the bomb line.

In addition, as his book unfolds the story, the way information gathered from Japanese sources as well as Allied sources about the actual results of the various battles, the impact the was felt by both sides, as well as the dissemination of various proaganda that was put out at the same time let me feel like I was observing the the dynamics of the military events from both sides of the battle line in real time.

Thank to McAulay for his effort and the successful and riviting telling of the sacrifices and successes in the Southwest Pacific by the Austrailian and U.S. forces.

Read interview with author Lex McAulay