Suicide Squads: The Men and Machines of World War II Special Operations

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Number of Pages: 272

Sixty years ago, both Allied and Axis soldiers went to war in suicidal or near-suicidal machines. The men’s bravery cannot be overestimated, nor can the ingenuity and desperation that led to the development of such hazardous crafts. Richard O’Neill’s “Suicide Squads” tells the story of these special attack forces, focusing on the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy.O’Neill offers a detailed exploration (evolution, types, effect) of explosive motorboats (which offered “the prospect of spectacular gain at little cost”), midget submarines (Japanese, Italian, German, and British), manned as well as human torpedoes, human bullets, and kamikaze aircraft. He also describes the actions themselves — the attack on Pearl Harbor, the raid on Sydney Harbour, special forces missions at Guadalcanal, Midway, and Okinawa, among others. And he provides insights into the samurai and bushido codes of conduct that inspired ritual suicide.