This book is the second book in a 3-part series on WW II’s Pacific War. The first book (Pacific Crucible) was excellent. This second book is also excellent. It covers the period from Guadalcanal to the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot. (I have not yet read the third and final book, Twilight of the Gods.)
This book, like the first book, writes about the war from a fairly high level and with a broad perspective. So, in addition to covering the battles themselves, there are discussions on the war planning, the island spotters reporting from Japanese-held islands, the impact of logistics, the use of radar, the superiority of Japanese torpedoes (and the huge inferiority of American torpedoes), the death of Yamamoto, the wartime expansion of Pearl Harbor facilities, American-Australian relations, the island-hopping strategy (e.g., avoiding well defended islands such as Rabaul), America sending experienced flyers back home to train newer flyers, American submarine warfare against Japan’s maritime supply line, Japan’s propaganda machine, etc. And, of course, the book presents both American and Japanese perspectives (though there is more information presented from the American perspective).
War planning might sound like a boring topic to some readers, but it wasn’t (to me, anyway). For example, the “Germany first” policy was discussed, as it impacted decisions regarding the allocation of resources for the Pacific War campaign. Though prioritizing Germany, most leaders understood that the less resources the USA allocated to the Pacific War early in the war, the more time Japan would have to prepare the defenses of their conquered island territories (in anticipation of eventual American attack). Also, the longer it took ground forces to re-capture an island, the longer naval support forces had to stay nearby, thus increasing the threat of attack by enemy submarines. And tactical planning changed as well since the many American ground force casualties at Tarawa meant tactics had to change if future Tarawa’s were to be avoided.
Guadalcanal was initially fought from a position of rough parity between military forces. But by the time the American advance reached the Marianas, America’s armed forces were mostly dominating the seas and controlling the air over the battlefields because of the greatly increased number of ships and the newer and more capable naval aircraft. The USA as an “arsenal of democracy” was clearly responsible for such a massive fleet expansion, though the book mostly just mentions it in passing (perhaps because that would better be the subject for a book on economics).
Bottom Line: Interesting, important, well written history.
Note: I’m 78 years old; so by now, I’ve read many WW II history books. Initially, I was concerned these books might simply repeat what I already knew. Turned out, no concern. These books did an excellent job presenting a lot of material and showing how decisions and events combined together to result in initial Japanese successes and, later, a faltering Japanese situation.
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Popular Highlights in this book
With fewer than 2 percent of all naval personnel, the submariners could claim credit for more than half of all Japanese ships sunk during the war, and 60 percent of the aggregate tonnage.Highlighted by 578 Kindle readers- THOUGH AMERICANS WERE SLOW TO APPRECIATE IT, they had just won the decisive victory of the Pacific War. Capture of the Marianas and the accompanying ruin of Japanese carrier airpower were final and irreversible blows to the hopes of the Japanese imperial project.Highlighted by 539 Kindle readers
- The fanaticism of the Japanese was unnerving, but it prompted them, again and again, to fight in tactically idiotic ways.Highlighted by 519 Kindle readers
- Raymond Spruance, when discussing the war after it was over, often returned to the point that tactical decisions in major battles were less important than the superior logistics of American forces.Highlighted by 509 Kindle readers
- Admiral Spruance, when interviewed by historians after the war, often remarked that strategy and tactics never approached the importance of logistics in the transpacific campaign.Highlighted by 479 Kindle readers
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A "must read" for students of the war in the Pacific
This, and "Pacific Crucible" are right up there with Hornfischer's stuff. Very comprehensive yet readable.
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2024
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Top reviews from other countries
- GeraltReviewed in the United Kingdom on September 19, 2024
The best Pacific theatre book around.
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- Dr. Kurt JogunReviewed in Germany on November 22, 2020
A rather balanced account of WW2 in the Pacific. US history writing at its best.
