"Howlin' Mad" vs. The Army- Conflict in Command: Saipan 1944

by Harry A. Gailey

Recounts the events leading up to Marine General Holland M. Smith relieving his subordinate officer, Army General Ralph Smith, of his command at Saipan, and argues that the action was unjustified

Genres: World War II, Military Fiction, History

302 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 1, 1986

About the author

A specialist in the history of Britain's African colonies, Harry Alfred Gailey served in the U.S. Army Air Forces in World War II, after which he worked as a civil and mechanical engineer. After earning a Ph.D. in history at UCLA in 1958, Gailey taught at Northwest Missouri State University for five years before joining the faculty at San Jose State University, where he taught until he assumed emeritus status. In his retirement, Gailey wrote several books about the Pacific campaigns in World War II.

Reviews

[Timothy Gretler · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a former Marine, I've heard plenty of stories of the Army/Marine Corps inability to "get along" in WWII and the Korean War. This book detailed the most famous one, Lt. Gen. Holland Smith's relief of Maj. Gen Ralph Smith during the Battle of Saipan in 1944. I definitely see the situation in a different light now. There was a major personality conflict between the two generals, more on Howlin' Mad's part than the Army's Smith. Howlin' Mad didn't like the Army and what Ralph Smith was doing on Saipan. He actually had had an issue with Ralph Smith since the Makin battle. The two services just had and have a different philosophy in warfighting. Props to the 27th Division, they did the best they could in the toughest part of the line.

[Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

High stars for taking the time to delve into the issues raised by H.M. Smith against R. Smith.

[Patrick · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of my favorite books about World War II. Not a superbly written book but the author did a good job with reasearching the infamous Smith vs. Smith controversy, in which a Marine general relieved an Army commander assigned to him for the Saipan campaign for poor performance. I found it to be a fun read.