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War and Remembrance by Herman Wouk
New York:  Pocket Books, 1971

     War and Remembrance is the sequel to Herman Wouk's epic World War II drama The Winds of War.  It begins where The Winds of War concludes with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and traces the remainder of World War II.  As in the earlier book, the novel centers on the life of Naval Officer Victor (Pug) Henry and his family.  The novel portrays many of the key events of the war, and  it does so in a fashion that makes the reader feel as though they are an eyewitness to the battles and political intrigue that shaped the fate of mankind.  As for the book's historical accuracy, Herman Wouk explains in his historical notes at the conclusion of the novel, "The reliability of detail in the well-known battles, campaigns, and events of the war - Singapore, Midway, Leyte Gulf, the Tehran Conference, the sieges of Imphal and Leningrad, and the like - will, it is hoped, be evident to the informed reader."
     As is the case with the earlier book, Wouk cleverly places Pug Henry and/or his children at the scene of some of the war's most dramatic and important episodes.  Thus, the reader experience first hand through their eyes the terror of war and the political maneuvering of many of the war's key political and military leaders.

Comments
     At 1382 pages, the length of this book may make it difficult to use in the context of a high school history class.  Also, like the earlier book, the novel does deal with some mature themes, including the ongoing adulterous relationships of some of the book's key figures.  Furthermore, the reader will have ideally read The Winds of War prior to beginning War and Remembrance.  However, for teachers and students who have a strong interest in World War II, these two epic novels provide the reader with a dramatic and relatively complete account of World War II and how it impacted the lives of the people who participated in the titanic struggle to determine the destiny of mankind.  It is the sequel to two wonderful books by a Pulitzer prize winning author, and I strongly recommend it for readers willing to carve out the time to read them.

Reading Level:  6.6
Interest Level:  Young adult +
1382 pages

Support the Following Instructional Objectives:

Identify the Causes and Consequences of World War II

Excerpt

     As day broke, Spruance leaned on the bulwark outside, watching the ship come to life.  Captain Browning was nervily ready for battle, his head was full of contingency plans, but this early presence of the placed Spruance was unsettling.  Halsey would be pacing now like a caged cat.  The chief of staff, who wearing a leather windbreaker like Halsey's, did all the pacing, smoking cigarette after cigarette with Halsey gestures, fuming at the lack of news, arguing with the operations officer about where the Jap carriers could be.
     Abruptly he seized a microphone and issued the summons to the pilots that had greeted Warren in the ready room.
     Spruance called in, "Why are we doing this, Captain?"
     "If you'll look here, please, Admiral."
     Spruance amiably came to the chart table.
     "By now, sir, the Japs have certainly launched.  It's broad day.  They probably launched well before dawn. We know the range of their planes.  They must be somewhere along this arc, give or take twenty miles."  He swept a stiff forefinger in a slim circle near Midway.  "They'll be sighted any minute.  I want to be ready to hit them."

The photograph of the Marine Corps War Memorial depicts the raising of the American flag by US Marines on Iwo Jima on February 23, 1945.  It is displayed courtesy of the National Park Service at:
http://www.nps.gov/gwmp/usmc.htm
Accessed July 6, 2002.

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