Underdogs: The Making of the Modern Marine Corps by Aaron B. O’Connell (review)

Since its founding at Tun Tavern in 1775, the US Marine Corps has transformed itself from an unpopular military service into an elite force in US national defense and international affairs. What led to the Marine Corps’ splendid achievements? How do the Marines think and act differently than the other US military services? The answers to these critical questions are ignored by the academia to some extent. In Underdogs, Aaron B. O’Connell provides good answers to these questions from the perspective of Marine culture.

O’Connell’s arguments differ from much of the existing work on the Marines. Because he holds the position of history professor at the US Naval Academy, as well as the rank of senior Marine reserve lieutenant colonel, O’Connell attributes the Marine Corps’ growth to a unique organizational culture, and identifies the period from World War II to the Vietnam War as that of the most dynamic growth in Marine culture.

In the opinion of O’Connell, Marine culture is symbolized by “exceptionalism,” which could be deconstructed into three components. The first of these components is the Marine Corps’ successful opposition to “institutional abolition” (e.g., unification of the military services or more civilian control over the Corps). Historically, this opposition promoted the institutional expansion of the Marine Corps for decades. To gain more legitimacy, the Corps tried to cultivate sustainable partnerships with civilians (e.g. academics, statesmen, journalists, historians and filmmakers) during wartime and peacetime. The most attractive example of this that O’Connell provides is the elite group nicknamed the “Chowder Society” within the Marine Corps, which successfully stopped the Truman government from carrying out plans for budget cutbacks in the Corps. Second, the Marine Corps personalized public relations infrastructure and strengthened internal cohesion through the discourse of “American family life” (85), which prioritized the experience of privates (the youngest members in the Marine Corps) and integrated their families and communities into the Marines’ preexisting narratives. Third, the U.S. Marine Corps favored “toughness and ability to prevail in the most violent situations” (255). As a result, the Marines suffered high casualty rates in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, and endured the most difficult operations.

As O’Connell highlights, Marine culture does have its negative attributes. For instance, the cultural indoctrination that served Marines well in the Corps could possibly lead to disastrous tragedy in civilian society (e.g., using violence to resolve disputes). On the other hand, the Marines’ internal cohesion reinforced “the Corps itself” (277), rarely being simply about concepts of country or patriotism.

Marine culture faces contemporary challenges. During the past decade, many former US Marines have become private security contractors, who work for the lucrative private security industry rather than the military. This development does not exclude the possibility that some former US Marines will fight for anti-government forces, disreputable governments, or controversial figures in the world. Does this challenge the cultural perception that Marines are loyal only to the Corps?

Underdogs provides invaluable contributions to the study of US Marine culture. It’s a must read, and will prove an oft-cited book for scholars, academics, and students who are interested in the study of US military culture and history. Moreover, this well-researched book is a highly recommended purchase for university libraries and other research libraries.