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RE: OT: Pacific WW2 reference books
Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 9:21 pm
by fcooke
Oddly enough, I am reading 'A Magnificent Fight' for maybe the third time. About the invasion of Wake island. Well detailed and researched. I would also suggest anything from Lunstrom or Ben Frank. I can take a look at the library tomorrow depending on how much you want to spend. But I thought the 'Bloody Shambles' trilogy was quite well done.
RE: OT: Pacific WW2 reference books
Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 9:25 pm
by fcooke
Oh - and Shattered Sword is a must in my opinion.
RE: OT: Pacific WW2 reference books
Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 9:40 pm
by Shellshock
Most of the top tier titles have already been mentioned, but I'll throw in Dan van der Valt's
The Pacific Campaign as another general overview of the whole war. Published in 1991.

RE: OT: Pacific WW2 reference books
Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 10:01 pm
by fcooke
That's a good book. And delves into the often somewhat ignored NEI part of things.
RE: OT: Pacific WW2 reference books
Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2020 8:30 am
by Rising-Sun
Bleek, there alot of good books out there to study and learn what happen in the Pacific during WW2. First of all, what side are you playing? Against AI or a player??
For the Japanese point of views, i have the following books...
1)The Pacific War (From Pearl Harbor to Hiroshima) by Daniel Marston
2)The Second World War in the Far East by H.P. Willmott
3)War in the Far East (Japan runs wilds 1942-1943) by Peter Harmsen (new book-2020)
4)The Imperial Japanese Navy in the Pacific War by Mark E. Stille (my personal favorite book)
5)The World War II Desk Reference by Michael E. Haskew and Douglas Brinkley
6)The Historical Atlas of World War II by Alexander Swanston & Malcolm Swanston
Hope that helps, have fun reading

RE: OT: Pacific WW2 reference books
Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2020 9:14 am
by Bleek
Thanks guys, so much here to chew on!
I've grabbed a few Osprey books to start and an old "The Pacific War Atlas, 1941-45" published in 1995.
If I want deeper reading, I'll defer to some of the others here.
Just playing against AI for now and learning as I go. I managed to get my first turn setup done in about 8 hours, so clearly a pro already. [:D]
RE: OT: Pacific WW2 reference books
Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2020 3:13 pm
by Alfred
ORIGINAL: Bleek
Thanks guys, so much here to chew on!
I've grabbed a few Osprey books to start and an old "The Pacific War Atlas, 1941-45" published in 1995.
If I want deeper reading, I'll defer to some of the others here.
Just playing against AI for now and learning as I go. I managed to get my first turn setup done in about 8 hours, so clearly a pro already. [:D]
Nah, 8 hours pfft!![:)]
That's a newbie.
Some around here spend days (yes multiples, not single) on the first turn.
Alfred
RE: OT: Pacific WW2 reference books
Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2020 3:46 pm
by RangerJoe
ORIGINAL: Alfred
ORIGINAL: Bleek
Thanks guys, so much here to chew on!
I've grabbed a few Osprey books to start and an old "The Pacific War Atlas, 1941-45" published in 1995.
If I want deeper reading, I'll defer to some of the others here.
Just playing against AI for now and learning as I go. I managed to get my first turn setup done in about 8 hours, so clearly a pro already. [:D]
Nah, 8 hours pfft!![:)]
That's a newbie.
Some around here spend days (yes multiples, not single) on the first turn.
Alfred
I wonder how much he has missed.
Joe
RE: OT: Pacific WW2 reference books
Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2020 3:48 pm
by BBfanboy
ORIGINAL: RangerJoe
ORIGINAL: Alfred
ORIGINAL: Bleek
Thanks guys, so much here to chew on!
I've grabbed a few Osprey books to start and an old "The Pacific War Atlas, 1941-45" published in 1995.
If I want deeper reading, I'll defer to some of the others here.
Just playing against AI for now and learning as I go. I managed to get my first turn setup done in about 8 hours, so clearly a pro already. [:D]
Nah, 8 hours pfft!![:)]
That's a newbie.
Some around here spend days (yes multiples, not single) on the first turn.
Alfred
I wonder how much he has missed.
Joe
Missing stuff and finding out in the first few turns what you shoulda done is part of the learning curve. No pain, no gain.
RE: OT: Pacific WW2 reference books
Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2020 5:10 pm
by rustysi
Some around here spend days (yes multiples, not single) on the first turn.
IIRC, my last start as Japan took me more than a week.
RE: OT: Pacific WW2 reference books
Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2020 10:32 pm
by CaptBeefheart
ORIGINAL: Anachro
Kaigun is a great book that exhaustively goes into the Japanese development of its naval and naval air forces and the evolution of its strategy heading into the Pacific War. Definitely a must-have for any Japan fanboy.
Yes, this is a fantastic book. Maybe not the first one to read, but if you want to know how the IJN developed and why it developed that way, there's probably no better tome.
I can heartily recommend the Toland series as well. Also, I stumbled upon this Nofi and Dunnigan gem at a used bookstore over 15 years ago and have found it to be a great reference:
The Pacific War Encyclopedia.
Cheers,
CB
RE: OT: Pacific WW2 reference books
Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2020 2:34 am
by Yaab
I am not big into books. I guess it speaks volumes.
RE: OT: Pacific WW2 reference books
Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2020 7:58 am
by Rising-Sun
Gonna take months to master this, wont be in days or even weeks.
He could let AIs fight each others while reading that book, curious did he get the digital download or the box version? The box version is nice, i enjoyed it.
RE: OT: Pacific WW2 reference books
Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2020 9:24 am
by Mundy
I'm chugging through The Barrier and the Javelin by HP Willmott, which covers US and Japanese strategies from February - June 1942.
Bit of a "dry" read, but pretty detailed.
RE: OT: Pacific WW2 reference books
Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2020 5:38 pm
by Chickenboy
ORIGINAL: rustysi
Some around here spend days (yes multiples, not single) on the first turn.
IIRC, my last start as Japan took me more than a week.
Wasn't that because of all the breaks you had to take because of your rheumatoid arthritis and bursitis and naps? [:'(]
RE: OT: Pacific WW2 reference books
Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2020 6:58 pm
by rustysi
ORIGINAL: Chickenboy
ORIGINAL: rustysi
Some around here spend days (yes multiples, not single) on the first turn.
IIRC, my last start as Japan took me more than a week.
Wasn't that because of all the breaks you had to take because of your rheumatoid arthritis and bursitis and naps? [:'(]
Well.....[8|]
RE: OT: Pacific WW2 reference books
Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2020 8:34 pm
by RangerJoe
ORIGINAL: rustysi
ORIGINAL: Chickenboy
ORIGINAL: rustysi
IIRC, my last start as Japan took me more than a week.
Wasn't that because of all the breaks you had to take because of your rheumatoid arthritis and bursitis and naps? [:'(]
Well.....[8|]
Not to mention the medicinal breaks!


RE: OT: Pacific WW2 reference books
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2020 5:57 am
by Bleek
Osprey Pearl Harbour and Java arrived yesterday.
Very good, very insightful and Java in particular really illuminates the first months for me! Now I know the protagonists (ships and officers), it's added a layer of flavour to the reason behind my decisions.
Not stopping there...
I've got both US Destroyer 'New Vanguard' books coming today. The pre-war and 42-45 stuff.
I like the lean and mean format of these books. I read Java last night cover to cover, and found it easy going.
RE: OT: Pacific WW2 reference books
Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2020 1:17 am
by mattj78
There is a very good book by Francis Pike called Hirohito's war from the Japanese prospective one volume all the maps charts and photos are all on line so you will need an i pad or computer its a big work good read to
RE: OT: Pacific WW2 reference books
Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2020 1:46 am
by sstevens06
Having read many of the books cited above, there are always more of interest. Because of this thread I am now $50 poorer.