In The Wall Street Journal , Victor Davis Hanson named With the Old Breed one of the top five books on epic twentieth-century battles. Studs Terkel interviewed the author for his definitive oral history, The Good War . Now E. B. Sledge’s acclaimed first-person account of fighting at Peleliu and Okinawa returns to thrill, edify, and inspire a new generation. An Alabama boy steeped in American history and enamored of such heroes as George Washington and Daniel Boone, Eugene B. Sledge became part of the war’s famous 1st Marine Division–3d Battalion, 5th Marines. Even after intense training, he was shocked to be thrown into the battle of Peleliu, where “the world was a nightmare of flashes, explosions, and snapping bullets.” By the time Sledge hit the hell of Okinawa, he was a combat vet, still filled with fear but no longer with panic. Based on notes Sledge secretly kept in a copy of the New Testament, With the Old Breed captures with utter simplicity and searing honesty the experience of a soldier in the fierce Pacific Theater. Here is what saved, threatened, and changed his life. Here, too, is the story of how he learned to hate and kill–and came to love–his fellow man.
Eugene Sledge Book order (chronological)
November 4, 1923 – March 3, 2001
Eugene Sledge chronicled the visceral realities of combat, offering a raw and unflinching look at the experiences of a Marine in World War II. His memoir, later adapted into influential documentaries and dramatic series, serves as a powerful testament to the human cost of conflict. Sledge's writing delves into the psychological and physical tolls of war, revealing profound insights into resilience and the nature of courage. His work is a significant contribution to understanding the realities of historical warfare.
