Good Pac war books?

[Gunner98]

At Dawn We Slept - Prang
Miracle at Midway - Prang
Burma: the longest War 1941-1945 - Allen
Two Ocean war - Morison
Silent Victory - Blair
Guadalcanal - Frank
Okinawa 1945 - Fiefer

B

[whippleofd]

ORIGINAL: Knavey

ORIGINAL: Jorm


Ive just read,

The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors: The Extraordinary World War II Story of the U.S. Navy's Finest Hour by J. D. Hornfischer
From Publishers Weekly
One of the finest WWII naval action narratives in recent years, this book follows in the footsteps of Flags of Our Fathers, creating a microcosm of the war's American Navy destroyers. Hornfischer, a writer and literary agent in Austin, Tex., covers the battle off Samar, the Philippines, in October 1944, in which a force of American escort carriers and destroyers fought off a Japanese force many times its strength, and the larger battle of Leyte Gulf, the opening of the American liberation of the Philippines, which might have suffered a major setback if the Japanese had attacked the transports. He presents the men who crewed the destroyer Taffy 3, most of whom had never seen salt water before the war but who fought, flew, kept the crippled ship afloat, and doomed ships fighting almost literally to the last shell. Finally, Hornfischer provides a perspective on the Japanese approach to the battle, somewhat (and justifiably) modifying the traditional view of the Japanese Admiral Kurita as a fumbler or even a coward-while exalting American sailors and pilots as they richly deserve. (American admirals don't get off so easily.) Not entirely free of glitches in research, the book still reads like a very good action novel, indicated by its selection as a dual split main selection of the BOMC and History Book Club alternate.

It was very good, actually listend to it on audio book. I wonder if witp-AE is capable of generateing similar outcomes as the actual battle, i imagine there would be too many arm chair admirals screaming at such an outcome and how unrealistic is was <chuckle>

+1 for Last Stand! Excellent book. Not saying that it is the only one, just saying it was a rivetting read.

I'll add my praise for "Last stand..."

This book reads as if written by a sailor for a sailor. If I didn't know better I would have figured the first five words of the opening paragraph would be, "No sh1t, this really happened...."

Whipple

[philabos]

For a good read on Burma, Defeat into Victory by FM Slim.
Not only a good historical study, but an excellent leadership guide as well.

[reg113]

Alternate history with lots of historial reference.
"Pearl Harbor: A Novel of December 8th, 1941" Gingrich & Forstchen

[Nikademus]

For a quick (one book) read i'd third the suggestion for Costello's "The Pacific War"

IMO its one of the more under-rated books of the Pacific, mainly because nitpickers like to chortle over minor editorial errors, mainly to due with ship name spelling or a transposing error or two. These small errors mean nothing though for a book on the scale of covering the entire war. IMO, the best and most facinating part was his preface section to the war itself which goes into the history, politics and economics behind Japan and the US's stormy post WWI relationship. It does much to dispell the white hat/black hat simplification one tends to get and allows the reader to begin to understand the complicated dynamics between two powers, their differing goals and viewpoints etc. (Judging of morality is left to the reader as it should be)

The 2nd best part of the book is that it covers the less well known aspects of the PacWar, such as the CBI and China theaters, including their politics and such. Its a good all around read for someone who wants a good primer for the war in one volume.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: bssybeep

To get into the AE mood, anybody have some recommendations for good pac war books? Any topic related to the pac war is acceptable.

"Run Silent, Run Deep."

[Wirraway_Ace]

The first two books I would read are:
Costello's "The Pacific War"
Wilmott"s "Barrier and the Javelin"

[JWE]

ORIGINAL: Nikademus
For a quick (one book) read i'd third the suggestion for Costello's "The Pacific War"

IMO its one of the more under-rated books of the Pacific, mainly because nitpickers like to chortle over minor editorial errors, mainly to due with ship name spelling or a transposing error or two. These small errors mean nothing though for a book on the scale of covering the entire war. IMO, the best and most facinating part was his preface section to the war itself which goes into the history, politics and economics behind Japan and the US's stormy post WWI relationship. It does much to dispell the white hat/black hat simplification one tends to get and allows the reader to begin to understand the complicated dynamics between two powers, their differing goals and viewpoints etc. (Judging of morality is left to the reader as it should be)

The 2nd best part of the book is that it covers the less well known aspects of the PacWar, such as the CBI and China theaters, including their politics and such. Its a good all around read for someone who wants a good primer for the war in one volume.

I'll 4th Niks suggestion, for his same reasons.

Pacific Theater, like anything else, is a pyramid; you start at the top and work your way down. Starting with Costello will help put all the rest of the specific books in context.

[John 3rd]

ORIGINAL: TheElf

Must reads for the Air War:

Shattered Sword - Parshall, Tully
Fire in the Sky - Bergerud
1st Team series - Lundstrom
Bloody Shambles series - Shores
The Black Sheep: the Real Story (not to be confused with BAA BAA Black Sheep) - Gamble
The Fleet Carriers - Reynolds
Carrier Clash - Hammel
Carrier Strike - Hammel
SAMURAI! - Sakai (with Caidin & Saito)


Others:
Anything by Barret Tillman
Fist From the Sky - Smith
Destroyer Squadron 23 - Jones
Burma: the longest War 1941-1945 - Allen

Excellent List!

[Charbroiled]

I always liked "Girls of the Pacific"....September issue.

[Buck Beach]

ORIGINAL: bssybeep

To get into the AE mood, anybody have some recommendations for good pac war books? Any topic related to the pac war is acceptable.

I know you said books and there have been numerous good ones recommend by the group. But don't forget about on-line sites for stories and other information related to the war in the pacific. Check out the thread started by M10bob in the Scenario section called Research site, etc. There are some great sites under that thread placed there by numerous people.

[NightFlyer]

I've just started reading Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway by by Jonathan Parshall and Anthony Tully. It came out in 2006 and has won a bunch of awards. It's ironic how the IJN who first used the doctrine of massed air power (e.g. the attack on Pearl Harbour) suddenly and inexplicably disperse their forces across the entire northern pacific with no mutual support. Too bad [:D] The authors do try to explain Tokyo's vile politics of the time, and their quote from Sun Tzu is very appropriate: Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.

[88l71]

For the late war period I really liked Retribution by Max Hastings. In addition to the US campaign it also covers the Burma offensive, Soviets in Manchuria, and the war in China.

[Balou]

MUST READ: Tameichi Hara, Fred Saito, and Roger Pineau: Japanese Destroyer Captain: Pearl Harbor, Guadalcanal, Midway - The Great Naval Battles As Seen Through Japanese Eyes.
This book takes you - aboard a jap destroyer and alongside of ships such as Yamato - through almost the entire Pacific War at sea.

[spence]

DECISION AT SEA (Eric Hammel) (IIRC) an exploration of the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal (12-15 November, 1942). Companion piece to Starvation Island and Carrier Battles by the same author. Explores surface combat doctrines of both sides and how these surface battles were thus shaped.

[GaryChildress]

I occasionally like to mull over stats and lists for WWII. I don't know if these count as good "reads" but my favorite Pacific War books that I hold essential for gamers are:

Warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy 1869-1945, by Jentschura, Jung and Mickel
Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War, by Francillon
History of United States Naval Operations in WWII: Vol XV Supplement and General Index, by Morison
Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II
Jane's Fighting Ships of World War II

[joey]

ORIGINAL: Balou

MUST READ: Tameichi Hara, Fred Saito, and Roger Pineau: Japanese Destroyer Captain: Pearl Harbor, Guadalcanal, Midway - The Great Naval Battles As Seen Through Japanese Eyes.
This book takes you - aboard a jap destroyer and alongside of ships such as Yamato - through almost the entire Pacific War at sea.

I second that! Excellent book.

[LST Express]

I love reading these book threads,&nbsp; but they've cost me some money the last few years. I keep ordering the dadgum books! "With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa" by E.B.Sledge is a helluva read imo.

[TOMLABEL]

ORIGINAL: LST Express

I love reading these book threads,  but they've cost me some money the last few years. I keep ordering the dadgum books! "With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa" by E.B.Sledge is a helluva read imo.

You're not alone!!!! [:D][:D][:D] Retribution, Battleship Arizona and Resurrection are the titles that have arrived in just the last month. I'm still trying to finish up America's Hundred Thousand, Black Shoe CV ADM and Liberty and Tiranny (not WITP related) so I can get to the new ones. [X(]

[Vladd]

Definately get Japanese Destroyer Captain.

Black Shoe Carrier Admiral by Lundstrom is also every bit as good as his First Team series.