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The Raider: The Untold Story of a Renegade Marine and the Birth of U.S. Special Forces in World War II

Description:

The extraordinary life of forgotten World War II hero Evans Carlson, commander of America’s first special forces, secret confidant of FDR, and one of the most controversial officers in the history of the Marine Corps, who dedicated his life to bridging the cultural divide between the United States and China

“He was a gutsy old man.” “A corker,” said another. “You couldn’t find anyone better.” They talked about him in hushed tones. “This Major Carlson,” wrote one of the officers in a letter home, “is one of the finest men I have ever known.”

These were the words of the young Marines training to be among the first U.S. troops to enter the Second World War—and the Major Carlson they spoke of was Evans Carlson, a man of mythical status even before the war that would make him a military legend.

By December of 1941, at the age of forty-five, Carlson had already faced off against Sandinistas in the jungles of Nicaragua and served multiple tours in China, where he embedded with Mao’s Communist forces during the Sino-Japanese War. Inspired by their guerilla tactics and their collaborative spirit—which he’d call “gung ho,” introducing the term to the English language—and driven by his own Emersonian ideals of self-reliance, Carlson would go on to form his renowned Marine Raiders, the progenitors of today’s special operations forces, who fought behind Japanese lines on Makin Island and Guadalcanal, showing Americans a new way to do battle.

In The Raider, Cundill Prize–winning historian Stephen R. Platt gives us the first authoritative account of Carlson’s larger-than-life exploits: the real story, based on years of research including newly discovered diaries and correspondence in English and Chinese, with deep insight into the conflicted idealism about the Chinese Communists that would prove Carlson’s undoing in the McCarthy era.

Tracing the rise and fall of an unlikely American war hero, The Raider is a story of exploration, of cultural (mis)understanding, and of one man’s awakening to the sheer breadth of the world.
Read more

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A life well-lived is a work of art. The life of Marine Corps legend Evans Carlson was certainly that, and so too is Stephen R. Platt’s biography, The Raider. This compelling story is meticulously researched and told on a canvas that spans hemispheres, revolutions, and world wars. What a life! What a book!” —Elliot Ackerman, author of Places and Names and 2034

"Evans Carlson's legacy is both legendary and mythical. Dr. Stephen Platt, an expert in modern Chinese history, cuts through the fabulism to provide an accurate and insightful portrait of Carlson, both as a Marine and as a man. Carefully researched and thoughtfully written, The Raider is highly recommended." —Frank Kalesnik, former Command Historian, United States Marine Forces, Special Operations Command and Chief Historian, Marine Corps History Division

“Through the life of one man caught, in a way, between the U.S. and China, Stephen R. Platt tells a larger tale about the two countries whose relationship helped shape the last century and which may define this one. A fascinating, moving, and unexpected story.” —Adam Hochschild, author of American Midnight: The Great War, a Violent Peace, and Democracy’s Forgotten Crisis

“This is a gripping and beautifully written history of the controversial life of General Evans Carlson and his tumultuous times. The book vividly shows Chinese Communist armies fighting against the Imperial Japanese invaders, U.S. Marines launching a daring raid from submarines against a remote Japanese island stronghold in the Pacific Ocean, as well as the delusions of Americans who swooned for Chinese revolutionaries. Stephen Platt gives deep insights into the Pacific theater in World War II, the Chinese Civil War, the forging of the modern U.S. military, and the tangled American encounter with China. Drawing deeply from primary sources, he has produced a rip-roaring tale of battlefield courage and postwar scandal that happens to be all true.” —Gary Bass, author of Judgment at Tokyo: World War II on Trial and the Making of Modern Asia

"When he was stationed in China in the 1930s as its modern state was emerging, Marine Corps icon Evans Carlson saw the genuine possibility of US-China allyship—for which he bravely advocated while critiquing the military-industrial complex, fascist dictators, and drawing the ire of J. Edgar Hoover. This riveting and nuanced biography resurrects a once-beloved American hero whose stalwart moral compass stands out as an example—and exception—to today’s ruling polity." —Helen Zia, author of Last Boat Out of Shanghai: The Epic Story of the Chinese Who Fled Mao's Revolution

"[A] masterful storyteller . . . the depth and complexity of Platt’s book mirror the depth and complexity of the historical actors portrayed in its pages." —Kelly Hammond, Los Angeles Review of Books

“A remarkable hybrid of traditional soldier’s biography, rousing Special Forces history, and thoughtful, Tuchmanesque exploration of the tangled ‘American experience in China' . . . [Platt's] narratives of the Raiders’ melees in the Pacific—namely, Makin Island and Guadalcanal—are excellent, clear, vivid and informative . . . A top-grade [book].” —Alexander Rose, Wall Street Journal

“The Raider by Stephen R. Platt is more than a military biography; it’s a resurrection. . . . Platt doesn’t romanticize Carlson, but gives him his due. This is military biography as political and cultural history, rich with insight into a man who tried to remake the armed forces from within. In an age of renewed U.S.-China tension, The Raider reminds us that history is shaped not just by wars, but by the people who imagine different ways to fight them” —Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat Gazette

“Carlson’s career is not a historical footnote—it is an instructive case study for the Marine Corps and the joint force . . . More than a combat biography, Platt’s book serves as a case study on partner force development and the challenges of overcoming institutional inertia in order to innovate. As the Marine Corps again prepares for distributed operations across the Pacific, Carlson’s example offers lessons on innovating, partnering, and fighting in the Pacific . . . Platt’s background as a Chinese historian is ideal for telling Carlson’s story.” —Benjamin Van Horrick, RealClear Defense

“An engaging story.” —Steve Pfarrer, Daily Hampshire Gazette

“Offers an outstanding history not only of the birth of modern American special forces but also of the conflict between communists and nationalists in pre- and post-war China . . . A masterful account of mid-twentieth-century Chinese geopolitics and its profound influence on the emergence of modern American unconventional warfare tactics.” —Tom Hines, QuarterDeck Reviews

“A riveting read. . . . Vivid and deeply researched. . . . The Raider holds many timely lessons for today’s general readers and scholars alike about the origins of current U.S. military tactics and force culture, military and civilian leadership, ideological ambiguity, and navigating alliances in a shifting global landscape. . . . Platt’s account of how Carlson negotiated these changes humanizes the sweeping military and political changes of the era.” —Sara Bush Castro, The Journal of America’s Military Past

“Thoroughly researched and rich in detail of a fascinating life.” —Seapower Magazine

"Platt traces [Carlson's] character arc brilliantly, presenting him as a courageous and innovative military leader." —Lawrence D. Freedman, Foreign Affairs

“Rousing . . . Platt’s narrative delivers plenty of blood and guts action while serving as a revealing exploration of the ardent attraction many Westerners felt toward Chinese communism. The result is a gripping, complex study of a military romantic who mixed ruthlessness with idealism.” —Publishers Weekly

“Details the incredible story of Carlson’s life [and] highlights an important period in U.S. relations with China.” —Library Journal (starred review)

“The Raider is more than a biography; it’s a tale of adventure, cultural exchanges gone awry, and one man’s realization of the vast opportunities the world has to offer. This groundbreaking book fills a significant gap in historical literature and is an essential read for casual history enthusiasts and professional historians alike.” —Booklist

About the Author

STEPHEN R. PLATT is an award-winning historian of China and the West whose books include Imperial Twilight (Knopf, 2018) and Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom (Knopf, 2012), the latter of which won the Cundill History Prize. He is a professor at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and holds a Ph.D from Yale. He lives with his family in Northampton, Massachusetts.

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The Raider: The Untold Story of a Renegade Marine and the Birth of U.S. Special Forces in World War II

Product ID: U0525658017
Condition: New

AED16666

Price includes VAT & Import Duties
Type: Hardcover
Availability: In Stock

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Order today to get by 7-14 business days

Delivery fee of AED 20. Free for orders above AED 200.

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Imported From: United States

At BOLO, we work hard to ensure the products you receive are new, genuine, and sourced from reputable suppliers.

Every product in the BOLO catalogue is sourced through our Verified Global Supply Network of verified sellers, authorized distributors or directly from the manufacturer.

Each product undergoes thorough inspection and verification at our consolidation and fulfilment centers to ensure it meets our strict authenticity and quality standards before being shipped and delivered to you.

If you ever have concerns regarding the authenticity of a product purchased from us, please contact Bolo Support. We will review your inquiry promptly and, if necessary, provide documentation verifying authenticity or offer a suitable resolution.

Your trust is our top priority, and we are committed to maintaining transparency and integrity in every transaction.

While we strive to display accurate information, variations in packaging, labeling, instructions, or formulation may occasionally occur due to regional differences or supplier updates. For detailed or manufacturer-specific information, please contact the brand directly or reach out to BOLO Support for assistance.

Unless otherwise stated, all prices displayed on the product page include applicable taxes and import duties.

BOLO operates in accordance with the laws and regulations of United Arab Emirates. Any items found to be restricted or prohibited for sale within the United Arab Emirates will be cancelled prior to shipment. We take proactive measures to ensure that only products permitted for sale in United Arab Emirates are listed on our website.

All items are shipped by air, and any products classified as “Dangerous Goods (DG)” under IATA regulations will be removed from the order and cancelled.

All orders are processed manually, and we make every effort to process them promptly once confirmed. Products cancelled due to the above reasons will be permanently removed from listings across the website.

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Visit the Knopf Store

The Raider: The Untold Story of a Renegade Marine and the Birth of U.S. Special Forces in World War II

Product ID: U0525658017
Condition: New
The Raider: The Untold Story of a Renegade Marine and the Birth of U.S. Special Forces in World War II-0
Type: Hardcover

AED16666

Price includes VAT & Import Duties
Availability: In Stock

Quantity:

|

Order today to get by 7-14 business days

Delivery fee of AED 20. Free for orders above AED 200.

Returns & Warranty policies

Imported From: United States

At BOLO, we work hard to ensure the products you receive are new, genuine, and sourced from reputable suppliers.

Every product in the BOLO catalogue is sourced through our Verified Global Supply Network of verified sellers, authorized distributors or directly from the manufacturer.

Each product undergoes thorough inspection and verification at our consolidation and fulfilment centers to ensure it meets our strict authenticity and quality standards before being shipped and delivered to you.

If you ever have concerns regarding the authenticity of a product purchased from us, please contact Bolo Support. We will review your inquiry promptly and, if necessary, provide documentation verifying authenticity or offer a suitable resolution.

Your trust is our top priority, and we are committed to maintaining transparency and integrity in every transaction.

While we strive to display accurate information, variations in packaging, labeling, instructions, or formulation may occasionally occur due to regional differences or supplier updates. For detailed or manufacturer-specific information, please contact the brand directly or reach out to BOLO Support for assistance.

Unless otherwise stated, all prices displayed on the product page include applicable taxes and import duties.

BOLO operates in accordance with the laws and regulations of United Arab Emirates. Any items found to be restricted or prohibited for sale within the United Arab Emirates will be cancelled prior to shipment. We take proactive measures to ensure that only products permitted for sale in United Arab Emirates are listed on our website.

All items are shipped by air, and any products classified as “Dangerous Goods (DG)” under IATA regulations will be removed from the order and cancelled.

All orders are processed manually, and we make every effort to process them promptly once confirmed. Products cancelled due to the above reasons will be permanently removed from listings across the website.

Description:

The extraordinary life of forgotten World War II hero Evans Carlson, commander of America’s first special forces, secret confidant of FDR, and one of the most controversial officers in the history of the Marine Corps, who dedicated his life to bridging the cultural divide between the United States and China

“He was a gutsy old man.” “A corker,” said another. “You couldn’t find anyone better.” They talked about him in hushed tones. “This Major Carlson,” wrote one of the officers in a letter home, “is one of the finest men I have ever known.”

These were the words of the young Marines training to be among the first U.S. troops to enter the Second World War—and the Major Carlson they spoke of was Evans Carlson, a man of mythical status even before the war that would make him a military legend.

By December of 1941, at the age of forty-five, Carlson had already faced off against Sandinistas in the jungles of Nicaragua and served multiple tours in China, where he embedded with Mao’s Communist forces during the Sino-Japanese War. Inspired by their guerilla tactics and their collaborative spirit—which he’d call “gung ho,” introducing the term to the English language—and driven by his own Emersonian ideals of self-reliance, Carlson would go on to form his renowned Marine Raiders, the progenitors of today’s special operations forces, who fought behind Japanese lines on Makin Island and Guadalcanal, showing Americans a new way to do battle.

In The Raider, Cundill Prize–winning historian Stephen R. Platt gives us the first authoritative account of Carlson’s larger-than-life exploits: the real story, based on years of research including newly discovered diaries and correspondence in English and Chinese, with deep insight into the conflicted idealism about the Chinese Communists that would prove Carlson’s undoing in the McCarthy era.

Tracing the rise and fall of an unlikely American war hero, The Raider is a story of exploration, of cultural (mis)understanding, and of one man’s awakening to the sheer breadth of the world.
Read more

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A life well-lived is a work of art. The life of Marine Corps legend Evans Carlson was certainly that, and so too is Stephen R. Platt’s biography, The Raider. This compelling story is meticulously researched and told on a canvas that spans hemispheres, revolutions, and world wars. What a life! What a book!” —Elliot Ackerman, author of Places and Names and 2034

"Evans Carlson's legacy is both legendary and mythical. Dr. Stephen Platt, an expert in modern Chinese history, cuts through the fabulism to provide an accurate and insightful portrait of Carlson, both as a Marine and as a man. Carefully researched and thoughtfully written, The Raider is highly recommended." —Frank Kalesnik, former Command Historian, United States Marine Forces, Special Operations Command and Chief Historian, Marine Corps History Division

“Through the life of one man caught, in a way, between the U.S. and China, Stephen R. Platt tells a larger tale about the two countries whose relationship helped shape the last century and which may define this one. A fascinating, moving, and unexpected story.” —Adam Hochschild, author of American Midnight: The Great War, a Violent Peace, and Democracy’s Forgotten Crisis

“This is a gripping and beautifully written history of the controversial life of General Evans Carlson and his tumultuous times. The book vividly shows Chinese Communist armies fighting against the Imperial Japanese invaders, U.S. Marines launching a daring raid from submarines against a remote Japanese island stronghold in the Pacific Ocean, as well as the delusions of Americans who swooned for Chinese revolutionaries. Stephen Platt gives deep insights into the Pacific theater in World War II, the Chinese Civil War, the forging of the modern U.S. military, and the tangled American encounter with China. Drawing deeply from primary sources, he has produced a rip-roaring tale of battlefield courage and postwar scandal that happens to be all true.” —Gary Bass, author of Judgment at Tokyo: World War II on Trial and the Making of Modern Asia

"When he was stationed in China in the 1930s as its modern state was emerging, Marine Corps icon Evans Carlson saw the genuine possibility of US-China allyship—for which he bravely advocated while critiquing the military-industrial complex, fascist dictators, and drawing the ire of J. Edgar Hoover. This riveting and nuanced biography resurrects a once-beloved American hero whose stalwart moral compass stands out as an example—and exception—to today’s ruling polity." —Helen Zia, author of Last Boat Out of Shanghai: The Epic Story of the Chinese Who Fled Mao's Revolution

"[A] masterful storyteller . . . the depth and complexity of Platt’s book mirror the depth and complexity of the historical actors portrayed in its pages." —Kelly Hammond, Los Angeles Review of Books

“A remarkable hybrid of traditional soldier’s biography, rousing Special Forces history, and thoughtful, Tuchmanesque exploration of the tangled ‘American experience in China' . . . [Platt's] narratives of the Raiders’ melees in the Pacific—namely, Makin Island and Guadalcanal—are excellent, clear, vivid and informative . . . A top-grade [book].” —Alexander Rose, Wall Street Journal

“The Raider by Stephen R. Platt is more than a military biography; it’s a resurrection. . . . Platt doesn’t romanticize Carlson, but gives him his due. This is military biography as political and cultural history, rich with insight into a man who tried to remake the armed forces from within. In an age of renewed U.S.-China tension, The Raider reminds us that history is shaped not just by wars, but by the people who imagine different ways to fight them” —Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat Gazette

“Carlson’s career is not a historical footnote—it is an instructive case study for the Marine Corps and the joint force . . . More than a combat biography, Platt’s book serves as a case study on partner force development and the challenges of overcoming institutional inertia in order to innovate. As the Marine Corps again prepares for distributed operations across the Pacific, Carlson’s example offers lessons on innovating, partnering, and fighting in the Pacific . . . Platt’s background as a Chinese historian is ideal for telling Carlson’s story.” —Benjamin Van Horrick, RealClear Defense

“An engaging story.” —Steve Pfarrer, Daily Hampshire Gazette

“Offers an outstanding history not only of the birth of modern American special forces but also of the conflict between communists and nationalists in pre- and post-war China . . . A masterful account of mid-twentieth-century Chinese geopolitics and its profound influence on the emergence of modern American unconventional warfare tactics.” —Tom Hines, QuarterDeck Reviews

“A riveting read. . . . Vivid and deeply researched. . . . The Raider holds many timely lessons for today’s general readers and scholars alike about the origins of current U.S. military tactics and force culture, military and civilian leadership, ideological ambiguity, and navigating alliances in a shifting global landscape. . . . Platt’s account of how Carlson negotiated these changes humanizes the sweeping military and political changes of the era.” —Sara Bush Castro, The Journal of America’s Military Past

“Thoroughly researched and rich in detail of a fascinating life.” —Seapower Magazine

"Platt traces [Carlson's] character arc brilliantly, presenting him as a courageous and innovative military leader." —Lawrence D. Freedman, Foreign Affairs

“Rousing . . . Platt’s narrative delivers plenty of blood and guts action while serving as a revealing exploration of the ardent attraction many Westerners felt toward Chinese communism. The result is a gripping, complex study of a military romantic who mixed ruthlessness with idealism.” —Publishers Weekly

“Details the incredible story of Carlson’s life [and] highlights an important period in U.S. relations with China.” —Library Journal (starred review)

“The Raider is more than a biography; it’s a tale of adventure, cultural exchanges gone awry, and one man’s realization of the vast opportunities the world has to offer. This groundbreaking book fills a significant gap in historical literature and is an essential read for casual history enthusiasts and professional historians alike.” —Booklist

About the Author

STEPHEN R. PLATT is an award-winning historian of China and the West whose books include Imperial Twilight (Knopf, 2018) and Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom (Knopf, 2012), the latter of which won the Cundill History Prize. He is a professor at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and holds a Ph.D from Yale. He lives with his family in Northampton, Massachusetts.

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