With the Old Breed by Eugene Sledge Summary
Overview of With the Old Breed
Eugene Sledge's raw WWII memoir, scribbled in a pocket Bible during combat, haunted military historian John Keegan and inspired HBO's "The Pacific." The Marines use it for training - what nightmares made this enlisted man's account "the finest memoir from any war"?
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Key takeaways
Through Hell's Gates: A Marine's Journey
In 1981, HBO aired "The Pacific," featuring Eugene Sledge, whose memoir captured the brutal reality of Pacific combat with unflinching honesty. Tom Hanks later called it "the most honest and horrifying account of what combat is actually like." This unassuming Alabama professor's book became required reading at military academies worldwide. What makes this account extraordinary is how it documents the transformation of a sheltered young man from the American South into part of "the old breed" - Marines who endured some of history's most savage fighting on remote Pacific islands. Against his family's wishes, Sledge abandoned college in December 1942 to enlist as a Marine private. "I wanted to be a Marine because I knew they had the most discipline and were the best trained." Boot camp in San Diego was a deliberate shock designed to break down individuality and rebuild men as Marines. Days began at 0400 hours with endless drilling in deep sand, meticulous rifle care, and constant harassment. "The discipline and esprit de corps we had: that's what saved me in combat," Sledge reflected. Their greatest fear wasn't death but appearing cowardly under fire - until veterans assured them: "Listen, mate, everybody gets scared, and anybody says he don't is a damn liar."
Training and Preparation for War
Baptism by Fire: The Battle of Peleliu
The Respite Between Battles
The Invasion of Okinawa
The Hell of Shuri Ridge
Victory and Reflection
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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