Great books on the IJN

Christof · Post by **Christof** » Sat May 31, 2003 1:39 pm

I would like to recommend Saburo Sakais book "Samurai" to everybody interested in the IJN aviation.

It's a great read and offers some insight into japanese society and naval aviation during WW2. Reading the book will also introduce you to many of those pilots appearing in the F1/Tainan Daitai squadron in UV.

Spectors book "Eagle against the sun" is OK, but does not rank that high on my "recommended" list.

Chris

Spooky · Post by **Spooky** » Sat May 31, 2003 2:33 pm

There is already in the UV fansite a list of books covering many aspects of the Pacific War : http://uncommon-valor.chez.tiscali.fr/books.htm

BTW, If you want to comment one of these books, please feel free to send my your comments by e-mail

Don Bowen · Post by **Don Bowen** » Sat May 31, 2003 3:30 pm

Originally posted by Raverdave
Sunburst however did not not get a good review.....has anyone here read it? Amazon is bundleing the two books for $76.

I have a copy of Sunburst and was disappointed. I would not recommend it.

Raverdave · Post by **Raverdave** » Sun Jun 01, 2003 5:04 am

Thanks Don, yeah I got that impresion from the review.

Luskan · Post by **Luskan** » Sun Jun 01, 2003 8:15 am

Most pacific campaign books come with a centre section of black and white photos - now several of thse photos we've all seen before, over and over.

However one of the things I liked most about Eagle against the Sun was that the photos weren't the same old photos (although not as many of them as usual).

I don't suppose anyone remembers the exact name of the book that was basically just WW2 naval photos (always with a quick paragraph explaining the circumstances prior to the photo and another paragraph about what was in the photo and why it was interesting etc - we're not talking a complete picture book here).

Was a fantastically thick book, filled with naval/marine action shots that I haven't seen anywhere else or since - and most importantly, lots of them.

There was the usual famous photos (Hood and Bismarck, Graf Spee at montivedo - Exeter's peppered hull after montevido, Courageous going down, Depth charging whatever U boat it was, that later surfaced and had guys jumping out before it sank, Bunker hill's kamikaze, west virginia on fire at Pearl, St-Lo taking a shell hit at Leyte, Enterprise during the battle of Santa Cruz (favourite - the air is literally black with flak bursts).

But there were also not so famour action photos - the IJN minisub during practise trials, the photo where a Kamikaze's plane is caught in the photo about a meter before it hits the hull, interior shots of the damage that Exeter and Pope suffered after the first battle of the Java sea, a bunch of IJN pilots posing for a photo on the wreckage of an allied transport somewhere in the Pacific that had sunk and turned turtle.

So many great photos that I remember seeing, and would much prefer to own. Lots of diagrams too. Was called something like WW2 naval photo diary of 1940-1944 or something ???

Anyone?

juliet7bravo · Post by **juliet7bravo** » Sun Jun 01, 2003 9:49 am

"Dreadnought: Britain, Germany and the Coming of the Great War" by Robert Massie"

EXCELLENT book! Thanks for the heads up on his new book coming out...I'll be putting in a pre-order.

dwesolick · Post by **dwesolick** » Sun Jun 01, 2003 7:22 pm

The new Massie book is called "Castles of Steel: Britain, Germany and the winning of the Great War at Sea." It comes out (according to Amazon) in November.

The list of Pacific War books was great...with one glaring omission: "American Caesar" by William Manchester. By far the best biography of MacArthur.

Spooky · Post by **Spooky** » Sun Jun 01, 2003 7:34 pm

Originally posted by dwesolick
The new Massie book is called "Castles of Steel: Britain, Germany and the winning of the Great War at Sea." It comes out (according to Amazon) in November.

The list of Pacific War books was great...with one glaring omission: "American Caesar" by William Manchester. By far the best biography of MacArthur.

Thanks for the tip

, I will add this book to the list.

Edit : "American Caesar" is now in the list (with a direct link to Amazon)

panda124c · Post by **panda124c** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 10:01 pm

'Destroyer Captian' Don't remeber the author's name (I am at work). The author commanded the Lt Crusier that accompaned the Yamato on it's final mission. Covers the entire war startng with Malasia through the Solomons campain to the end of the war.

NAVMAN · Post by **NAVMAN** » Tue Jun 03, 2003 3:57 am

pbear:I read this book some years ago. The edition I read was titled, "Japanese Destroyer Captain." I think the author's last name was Hara. Believe it was originally published by USNI, sometime in the '50s

NAVMAN · Post by **NAVMAN** » Wed Jun 04, 2003 3:45 am

Luskan:Could the book you are talking about be,"The War At Sea"
by Potter?

crsutton · Post by **crsutton** » Wed Jun 04, 2003 11:26 pm

I recently read "The battle of Okinawa; The Blood and the Bomb. I have been reading military history for over 40 years now and would rate this as one of the top five best books that I have ever read on war. Certainly the best account of a battle. I recommend the book to all. George Feifer is the author.

The book covers the battle in detail and while the author's account of the battle is first rate, the book is more than just an account of the fighting. The author goes into a detailed exploration of the effect of the battle on Okinawian society and culture as well as exploring the relationship of the outcome of the battle and the use of the atomic bomb.

Most important are the extensive use of Japanese and Okinawian personal accounts. (This was the first battle where significant number of Japanese soldiers were captured or surrendered-thus allowing personal memiors). Much space is devoted to the fight from the Japanses side and the book does much to go beyond the standard "myths" of the Japanese soldiers. Except for possibly Stalingrad-no battle exceeds this one for total horror,not just for the soldiers but for the Okinawian civilians as well, and Feifer does a great job of putting it out.

Read it and let me know what you think.

panda124c · Post by **panda124c** » Fri Jun 06, 2003 9:31 pm

Originally posted by NAVMAN
pbear:I read this book some years ago. The edition I read was titled, "Japanese Destroyer Captain." I think the author's last name was Hara. Believe it was originally published by USNI, sometime in the '50s

That's the one; I found it very interesting because it gives an insight into the other side. We tend to overlook the problems faced by the Japanese due to their training, philosophy, and culture. After all they were fighting a people who they had practically nothing in common with in these areas. I would have liked to see more books like this one, but now it is to late, for both sides.

NAVMAN · Post by **NAVMAN** » Sat Jun 07, 2003 3:27 am

pbear:There are a couple of other books in this "series" that might interest you if uou have not already read them:
1)"Midway:The Battle That Doomed Japan".I think Fuchida was a
co-author
2)"The Divine Wind"Do not recall the author.

jnoory · Post by **jnoory** » Mon Jun 09, 2003 7:59 pm

Two other lesser known books that are available:

"I-Boat Captain"

and

"Sink the Haguro!"

Another book I started reading but found uninteresting is "The End of the Imperial Japanese Navy" by Ito. Despite the title, it begins with Pearl Harbor.

John Noory

panda124c · Post by **panda124c** » Mon Jun 09, 2003 11:13 pm

Originally posted by NAVMAN
pbear:There are a couple of other books in this "series" that might interest you if uou have not already read them:
1)"Midway:The Battle That Doomed Japan".I think Fuchida was a
co-author
2)"The Divine Wind"Do not recall the author.

Thanks I'll check them out.

jnoory · Post by **jnoory** » Tue Jun 10, 2003 2:10 am

There is one other I forgot to mention: "Shinano!" by Capt. Joseph F. Enright, USN.

"Sink the Haguro!" is by John Winton and "I-Boat Captain" is by Zenji Orita. The latter was written in 1976 and includes a photo I'd never before seen of the damage to the USS Shaw at Pearl Harbor.

John

Great books on the IJN

SAKAI