Ghost Soldiers facts for kids
First edition
|
|
| Author | Hampton Sides |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | history |
| Publisher | Anchor Books |
|
Publication date
|
2001 |
| Pages | 343 |
| ISBN | 9781299076518 |
| OCLC | 842990576 |
Ghost Soldiers: The Epic Account of World War II's Greatest Rescue Mission is a true story book by Hampton Sides. It tells about an amazing rescue mission during World War II. This mission saved many prisoners of war (POWs) from a Japanese camp in the Philippines.
Contents
The Amazing Rescue Mission
In January 1945, a special group of 121 Rangers went on a very risky mission. Their goal was to rescue over 513 Allied prisoners of war. These prisoners were held in a Japanese camp near Cabanatuan in the Philippines.
The prisoners had been through a lot, including surviving the Bataan Death March. They lived in very difficult conditions for three years. They faced hunger, sickness, and harsh treatment from the soldiers guarding them.
Ghost Soldiers shares the stories of these brave prisoners. It also tells about the Ranger unit that carried out the rescue. Plus, it highlights the help given by Filipino guerrilla fighters.
American commanders learned that prisoners were in great danger as the Japanese army retreated. Because of this, they planned a daring mission. Their goal was to save the POWs from the Cabanatuan prison camp.
The book gives important background on the events leading up to the raid. It describes the tough camp conditions and the prisoners' strong will to survive. It also details how the rescue was planned and successfully carried out.
The Book on Screen
The exciting story of Ghost Soldiers was also used for a movie.
- The film The Great Raid was partly based on Ghost Soldiers. It also used information from another book, The Great Raid on Cabanatuan by William Breuer.
- Another movie, I Was an American Spy, tells the story of Claire Phillips. She was an American spy who worked undercover in Manila.
Awards and Recognition
Ghost Soldiers received several important awards and honors:
- In 2001, it became a New York Times bestseller. It reached number 7 on the Nonfiction list.
- In 2001, Amazon.com named it one of their Best Books. It was number 4 on the Top 25 Editors' Favorites list.
- In 2002, it won the Research Nonfiction award from the PEN Center USA Literary Awards.
What People Thought
- The New York Times called it "A Heroic Military Rescue After the Hell of Bataan."
- Kirkus Reviews described it as "An extraordinary tale of bravery under fire and the will to endure…"
See also
