Drawing upon personal testimonies from veterans, official reports, and
never-before published photographs, this superbly detailed title
explores the duels between the USMC M4A2 and the Japanese Type 95 Ha-Go,
which often proved to be epic and unique.
The different national tank doctrines of the United States and Imperial
Japan resulted in a terrible mismatch of the predominant tank types in
the crucial Central Pacific campaign. A flawed Japanese doctrine
emphasized light infantry support tanks, often used in small numbers.
Tactically, tanks were often frittered away in armored versions of the
familiar banzai attacks. Meanwhile, the Americans saw the tank as an
infantry support weapon, but developed a more systematic tactical
doctrine. They settled upon a larger medium tank--in the case of most
Marine Corps tank battalions, the diesel-powered M4A2 (unwanted by the
US Army).
This superbly detailed title reveals how both the two sides' tactical
and technical differences in the approach to armored warfare soon became
apparent over a series of deadly engagements, from the first tank fight
at the battle of Tarawa in November 1943, through to engagements on
Parry Island, Saipan, and Guam, before ending with Peleliu in September
1944.