By Muriel J. Smith
MANALAPAN, August 13 – A standing room only crowd of more than 150 was mesmerized for nearly an hour Tuesday evening when Paul Zigo, associate professor of History at Brookdale Community College, spoke on the strategies to defeat Imperial Japan during World War II in Advance of the 70th anniversary of VJ Day Aug. 15.
Zigo addressed the crowd in the main auditorium of the Monmouth County Library, part of the library’s ongoing series to bring lecturers and speakers on a variety of topics on to the library stage.
And when it was over, and a question and answer period ended, the listeners still crowded around Zigo to purchase autographed copies of his newest book, “The Longest Walk.”
In a straightforward firm-talking manner, often interspersed with more violent outbursts to drive home specific points, Zigo went systematically through the war in Asia following the Dec. 7, 1941 bombing at Pearl Harbor, spelling out the personalities…General Douglas MacArthur and Admiral Chester Nimitz who led the simultaneous actions in the Central and South West Pacific ocean…and how the political ambitions of one impacted the direction the offensive actions would take.
Zigo pointed out on maps handed out to the audience the goals and strategies to achieve those goals first decided at a conference shortly after Pearl Harbor, and later modified at subsequent conferences over the years of World War II in the Trident Conference of 1943 and the Honolulu Conference the following year. The professor, who teaches American history, the history of World War II, recent American history and Human geography at Brookdale, explained new techniques the Allies learned and adopted during the war, including ‘plant hopping’ and ‘leap frogging’, a technique later also used successfully in the Korean War.
He cited the importance of the American victory at the Battles of Leyte Gulf and Phillipine Sea and the impact, on both the allied forces and the Japanese military, when kamikaze pilots were introduced into the war.
After tracing the tactics, procedures, and plans during the four years of war prior to the successful Manhattan project, Zigo launched into the heart wrenching decision of President Harry Truman to drop the atomic bomb not once, but twice, before Japan finally laid down its weapons.
Zigo further explained why both Hiroshima and Nagasaki were the targets of the devastating bombs and the impact each had on that time and the future.
“I love coming to these history talks because you learn so much,” one enthusiastic woman from Manalapan said. Another said he attended because he has heard Zigo speak many times at Brookdale and has followed his reputation as an expert on the Second World War.
But it was 14-year-old Cole Snedeker of Atlantic Highlands who said it best. A graduate of Henry Hudson Regional School’s 8th grade in Highlands, Snedeker will attend the county’s High Tech school as a freshman in September. And while he said it is too early to decide what he wants to do after his education, he knows he will pursue a career either as “a pilot, a scientist, or an architect.”
He and his 12-year-old brother Reed attended Zigo’s program with their father, because, Cole said, “I’ve got a great interest and admiration for World War II.
I’m fascinated by the technology and complexity of the war. I’m fascinated by how so much was advanced during the war.”
He has always believed Truman was right in dropping the atomic bombs, but his opinions were re-enforced by Zigo’s talk and explanations.
Zigo is the founder and former director of the Center for World War II Studies and Conflict Resolution at Brookdale, an educational resource center open to all interested in studying the historical impact and significance of the war.
He earned his undergraduate degree in history from Rutgers University, his master’s degree from Rider University in personnel and guidance and a master’s in recent American diplomatic and military history from Temple University.
He is a 30-year veteran of the US Army Reserve, a graduate of the US Army War College, Carlisle, Pa, and retired as a colonel in 1994.
His book, “The Longest Walk,” is the story of the 116th Infantry Regiment of the 29th Infantry Division, many members of which came from New Jersey and Delaware.
The book tells the story of the landing at Omaha Beach on D Day, 1944, which was featured in the movie, Saving Private Ryan.
