Official Review: War Graves by Rob Atherton

[Kajori Sheryl Paul]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "War Graves" by Rob Atherton.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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The Second World War wreaked havoc across the world. The highly sophisticated weapons developed during this time lead to the loss of countless lives. The Second World War left an undeniable mark on the face of the earth. The wrecks of the mighty battleships, inhumane bombs, and advanced guns are mementos of those turbulent times. These wrecks are found all over the world.

In his book, War Graves, Rob Atherton talks about the wrecks found in Truck Lagoon. Presently, Truck Lagoon is known as The Chuuk State. It was a bastion of the Imperial Japanese Army during The Second World War. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Allied Forces targeted Truck Lagoon. They successfully carried out Operation Hailstone. This led to the sinking of numerous ships and aircraft. This makes the site one of the best diving locations in the world.

After the war ended, Kimio Aisek located a wreck while diving to remove some crown of thorns from coral reefs. This was the beginning of a great chapter in the history of diving. Jacques Costeau and his team came to Truck. He was followed by Sam Redford. Al Giddings arrived to shoot some footage for the National Geography. Together with Aisek, they discovered many wrecks. Aisek even opened the Blue Lagoon Dive Shop. It is still a hotspot for divers.

War Graves is an incredibly well-researched book. Atherton gave a detailed history of all the forty wrecks found at Truck Lagoon. He even portrayed the eight wrecks that could have been located at Truck Lagoon if they did not leave a few days before Operation Hailstone. After each description, he has thoughtfully summarized the statistics in a table. Also, there are some incredible photographs included. My favorite of the lot is the photograph of the infirmary of the Shinkoku Maru.

One of the biggest plus points of the book is the sheer amount of information about the war that was fought on the Pacific front. Atherton thoughtfully includes details about the many battles that were fought. He also portrays the Japanese soldier's mindset. This helps us understand the mind-frame of a kamikaze fighter. It is incredible to note that the last Japanese soldier to surrender was Hiroo Onoda. He surrendered almost thirty years after the war ended. This is my favorite anecdote. The author also talks about the nuclear bombings at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He does not skim through them. He gives us an in-depth view of what happened. We get to know about the scientists and the pilots involved.

Atherton also writes about the culture of Truck Lagoon. He depicts the natural resources of the various small islands in Truck Lagoon. We also get to know that bird-watching is a major tourist activity apart from diving.

I have to mention that there were some errors in the book. It does require a round of professional editing and proofreading.

Keeping in mind the pros and cons, I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. A round of editing would certainly make it a 4 star read. This is a great book for diving enthusiasts. People who are interested in WWII would find this treatise a treat to read.

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War Graves
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[Eutoc]

I've read about Hiroo Onoda in a different book, and seeing it here shows how researched this book is. Thanks for reviewing.

[Ada Ling]

Interesting read. Thank you for the nice review!

[Maconstewart]

This book sounds intriguing. I love looking through my grandfather's photo albums of the war while he was enlisted, and hearing the memories from him and grandma. It is certainly an era worth study. Great review!

[Cynthia Olyy]

I agree with you on the Second World War leaving a mark on the face of Earth. I never experienced it, but it always makes a very interesting topic in my family.

[kdstrack]

Operation Hailstone and the battleship graveyard are an important part of history. I am interested in learning about these events, especially the photographs you mentioned. Thanks for the amazing recommendation!