Ghost soldiers: the epic account of WWII's greatest rescue mission

Ghost Soldiers - The Epic Account of World War II's Greatest Rescue Mission is a saga of extreme valor of American soldiers and Prisoners of War (POW). The dramatic story of the capture of American and British POW, and their rescue attempt by selected U.S. Army 6th Ranger Batallion took place in Cabanatuan, a province in the Philippine Islands.

Ghost Soldiers is a book that depicts the extraordinary skills and virtue of the soldiers of war. Most of all, it is a chronicle of heroism, sacrifices, and triumph dared by the horror WWII had created. Perhaps, we can say that the story presented by Hampton Sides in Ghost Soldiers is a contribution to the journals of WWII. The book is a breathtaking and detailed account of the horrifying experiences of the POW, the rescuing soldiers, and the rest of the soldiers involved in the rescue mission such as the brave Filipino guerillas. As well, the book is an exhibition of the victory of men in uniform and their unspeakable courage to risk their lives for the sake of their soldier-brothers.

The main plot of the story revolves around the rescue operation conducted by selected U.S. armies, the U.S. Army 6th Ranger Batallion, in Cabanatuan. Their objective is to save 513 American and British POW who survived from the Bataan Death March and were held in prison by Japanese troops in a camp 30 miles behind enemy lines. The Ranger Batallion's mission: to pass through the enemy lines and rescue the POW.

The jungle camp of Cabanatuan is a witness to the terror the Japanese soldiers brought, specifically to the POW. While some soldiers survived and faced sufferings from the merciless hands of the Japanese, many were massacred in other camps in the island of Luzon. The exceptional bravery displayed by the POW is inspiring, that despite of the tremendous hardships, executions, tortures, starvations, and illnesses they suffered from the disease ridden camp, they continued to struggle to live, to clung to their life, and to survive from their long ordeals.

The Japanese occupation in the Philippines, with thousands of retreating Japanese soldiers raiding Cabanatuan, made it seem almost impossible for the rescuing soldiers to carry on with their mission. The long path of 30 miles walk to the camp, and the fact that it is enemy-occupied, made the mission almost similar to a mission of combating death. Hampton Sides successfully recreated this event of history in the reader's imagination through the narrated details he carefully wrote and delivered.

The story of Ghost Soldiers brings to life a history of the past, which now is almost forgotten by the Americans, and those nations involved in that war. The heroic story of the War in the Pacific is a reminder of the bravery and triumph of the U.S. Army, the British soldiers, and the Filipino guerillas, that side by side, they fought in the line of fire against the horrible Japanese forces haunting the Philippine territories.

Hampton Sides's account of war in Ghost Soldiers is an informative testimony of how a battle can be won from the horrific acts of the enemies with determination and courage. This was shown by the assigned batallion of U.S. Army, who penetrated the Japanese controlled territory of Cabanatuan camp, for the success of their mission in saving the POW. In the story, the experiences of danger and difficulties did not serve as barriers to the exceptional courage of every rescuing soldier.

Hampton Sides made use of an effective writing style in delivering the story of Ghost Soldiers to its readers. The historical context of Ghost Soldiers provided glimpses and insights of real war experiences. Sides started the story with an immediate introduction of cruelties and brutalities of war. The massacre of prisoners, as a prologue, provided an effective attraction to the book's readers. The start was compelling. Hence, one cannot resist but continue reading the next pages of the book.

The three years of imprisonment of the POW in a camp in Cabanatuan was carefully interpreted by Hampton Sides in the story. Some may find that the story has slow change of events. This, however, was because of the careful details the author tried to deliver about every episode of the war.

The descriptions of the terrible slaughter of prisoners, the sufferings the prisoners went through, and the adversities the 6th Ranger Batallion experienced, only seemed as embellishments of the book. But, such are important and effective parts of Ghost Soldiers that allow the readers to successfully imagine every event, as well as understand the importance of the war's role and contribution in the freedom our present generation currently enjoys.