Good Pac war books?

[Kull]

ORIGINAL: iaidoka2

I just finished War Plan Orange by Miller - a surprisingly very good read (surprising because who would have thought the development of war plans could be made so interesting) - it is very well written and meticulously researched. Especially good for noobs (like me) because you get to understand why the Pacific war was fought the way it was, that helps in playing WITP and WITP AE.

Yes. I picked up Matrix's WPO during the AE sale specifically in order to play it while reading this book for the 2nd time!

[comte]

Is "Silent Victory: The U.S. Submarine War Against Japan" by Clay Blair Jr. Any good?

[seydlitz_slith]

ORIGINAL: Aces8

Is "Silent Victory: The U.S. Submarine War Against Japan" by Clay Blair Jr. Any good?

Yes, very good. The writing is better than the only other comparable book out there (United States Submarine Operations in World War II by Roscoe and Freeman) although the pictures and maps in the other book are fantastic. The Roscoe book has fold out maps of the Pacific by quarter showing every confirmed kill by sub, aircraft, or surface engagement. It also has many pictures that have never been published anywhere else. However, it was published in the fifties so finding one usually means an internet or ebay search. However, Silent victory you can still buy new.
SV is also heavy enough even in the paperback edition to kill even the nastiest of bugs. Just remember to wipe it off when done.

[seydlitz_slith]

The U.S. Navy Against the Axis: Surface Combat 1941-1945 by Vincent O'Hara, Naval Institute Press

Covers in detail every surface action of world war II involving the U.S. Navy. Very good coverage of the solomans battles among others.

Also, I would be remiss if I didn't tell you about Edward L. Beach's two fiction books:

Run Silent, Run Deep
and

Dust on the Sea

They are fictional works that chronicle the story of a sub commander in world war two that starts prewar in an S-boat and goes deep into 1943-early 1944. The plot lines are believable, the action is dramatic, and you will find yourself unable to put the books down, especially RSRD. This is by far the best work of naval fiction covering the WWII period and is an outstanding read. I have read these book about 8+ times over the years if that tells you how good they are.

Ned Beach was a submarine officer during WWII who went on to command the nuclear submarine Triton which did the first submerged trip around the world during the fifities. He had the first hand knowledge to tell the stories and the writing ability to translate the tale into a fantastic literary work.

You have to read the book to figure out who "Bungo Pete" is and why he is so deadly.

After these books, the best sub campaign books are Dick O'Kanes two books (non-fiction) "Wahoo" and "Clear the Bridge". CTB is about the Tang, and Wahoo is about the Wahoo. O'Kane was an officer on Wahoo and Skipper of Tang. If you don't know about what these two subs did during the war, then you should look them up. You will be hooked on sub warfare books.

Happy reading.

[Pascal_slith]

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.

Definitely Costello's book.

Also, for free check out the HyperWar website. A number of official histories are there, some still excellent after over 50 years.

For pre-war I would read Kaigun (Peattie and Evans) and Sunburst (Peattie), both about the development of the IJN.

Also, another free book that has an interesting twist about pre-war tensions: To Have and Have Not: Southeast Asian Raw Materials and the Origins of the Pacific War available at http://www.escholarship.org/editions/vi ... nd=ucpress

Also, Edward Miller's two books: "Bankrupting the Enemy" and "War Plan Orange"

And Lundstrom's "Black-Shoe Carrier Admiral" on the first 11 months of US Navy carrier operations where the under-rated/over-criticized Frank Jack Fletcher was mostly in command.

[Takeshi]

With the Old Breed by E.B. Sledge is probably the best first first person account of ground combat in WWII.

[Kull]

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.

This is totally your fault! [:@] I had a few hours to kill yesterday, so I was wandering around B&N, spotted Costello's book, remembered the rave reviews, parked myself in a chair to check it out, and wound up buying it. Ouch. Worth it, tho! [:)]