nigelweysom
03-03-2009, 21:28
The Pacific War Companion , from Pearl Harbour to Hiroshima
Editor Daniel Marston
Chapter one Storm over the Pacific by Professor Dennis Showalter
focuses on the development of Japan as a military power starting in the 1800s
Chapter two Pearl Harbour by Dr Ken Kotani
tells the story of the attack on pearl harbour
Chapter three The Rising Sun strikes by Professor Tomoyuki Ishizu and Professor Raymond Callahan
this chapter is about the spread of the Japanese conquest following pearl harbour
Chapter four Coping with Disaster by Professor Raymond Callahan
chapter four concentrates on the allied situation from 1941 to 1942
Chapter five The Height of Folly by Professor Robert Love
tells the story of the battles of the coral sea and midway
Chapter six Learning from Defeat by Dr Daniel Marston
chapter six is about the Burma campaign
Chapter seven General MacArthurs War by Professor David Horner
chapter seven focuses on the South and Southwest Pacific campaigns of 1942-45
Chapter eight The ANZAC Contribution by Professor David Horner
telling of the contribution made by Australia and New Zealand
Chapter nine The Shortest Road to Tokyo by Professor Theodore Gatchel
Nimitz and the Central Pacific War
Chapter ten After Midway by Professor H. P. Willmott
chapter ten is on the Japanese naval strategy from 1942 till 1945
Chapter eleven Across the Reef by Colonel Joseph H. Alexander, USMC (ret)
the story of amphibious warfare in the Pacific
Chapter twelve The Island Experience by Major Bruce Gudmundsson (ret)
the battle for Okinawa April 1-June 21, 1945
Chapter thirteen Ending the Pacific War by Richard B Frank
in this final chapter we read about the defeat of Japan
over all i found this to be a very good book well written and very educational , with lots of photographs and maps , however there was no mention of the British Pacific Fleet , i especially enjoyed chapter eight as it has helped me to understand something of the situation regarding Australia ,and also chapter five because it was able to relate the story of the battles of the coral sea and midway in a way that was griping , and over all i have realized that there were many aspects of the Pacific war that i was not really aware of ,
here are some quotes that i found interesting
from chapter one "a French or German mother who's son was found unfit for military service might entertain private feelings of relief,Her Japanese counterpart might kill herself from shame ,"
from chapter two "revisionists claim that President Roosevelt knew about the Japanese attack on Hawaii beforehand , but deliberately concealed warnings fro the US Pacific fleet and left them exposed as a decoy . his reason for doing this was that he wanted a reason to declare war against the Axis powers "
from chapter seven "The battle of the coral sea and more importantly , the battle of Midway on June 4, changed the whole complexion of the war in the South and Southwest Pacific " and "The battle of Leyte Gulf which began on October 24, was the largest and one of the most decisive naval battles in history"
from chapter eight with reference to the Papuan campaign "in these conditions the 21st Brigade under Brigadier Arnold Potts ,fought one of the crucial battles of Australian history , bravery was commonplace. on August 29, Private Bruce Kingsbury of the 2/14th Battalion won the Victoria cross posthumously when he attacked the Japanese with his Bren gun, at the height of the battle ,30 walking wounded of the 39th who had been evacuated heard of their comrades plight, all but three immediately ,and at their own initiative , returned to the forward area , of the three who did not, one had lost a foot, one a forearm , and the third had been shot in the throat.
i could quote more but i would end up re writing the whole book
Nigel
Editor Daniel Marston
Chapter one Storm over the Pacific by Professor Dennis Showalter
focuses on the development of Japan as a military power starting in the 1800s
Chapter two Pearl Harbour by Dr Ken Kotani
tells the story of the attack on pearl harbour
Chapter three The Rising Sun strikes by Professor Tomoyuki Ishizu and Professor Raymond Callahan
this chapter is about the spread of the Japanese conquest following pearl harbour
Chapter four Coping with Disaster by Professor Raymond Callahan
chapter four concentrates on the allied situation from 1941 to 1942
Chapter five The Height of Folly by Professor Robert Love
tells the story of the battles of the coral sea and midway
Chapter six Learning from Defeat by Dr Daniel Marston
chapter six is about the Burma campaign
Chapter seven General MacArthurs War by Professor David Horner
chapter seven focuses on the South and Southwest Pacific campaigns of 1942-45
Chapter eight The ANZAC Contribution by Professor David Horner
telling of the contribution made by Australia and New Zealand
Chapter nine The Shortest Road to Tokyo by Professor Theodore Gatchel
Nimitz and the Central Pacific War
Chapter ten After Midway by Professor H. P. Willmott
chapter ten is on the Japanese naval strategy from 1942 till 1945
Chapter eleven Across the Reef by Colonel Joseph H. Alexander, USMC (ret)
the story of amphibious warfare in the Pacific
Chapter twelve The Island Experience by Major Bruce Gudmundsson (ret)
the battle for Okinawa April 1-June 21, 1945
Chapter thirteen Ending the Pacific War by Richard B Frank
in this final chapter we read about the defeat of Japan
over all i found this to be a very good book well written and very educational , with lots of photographs and maps , however there was no mention of the British Pacific Fleet , i especially enjoyed chapter eight as it has helped me to understand something of the situation regarding Australia ,and also chapter five because it was able to relate the story of the battles of the coral sea and midway in a way that was griping , and over all i have realized that there were many aspects of the Pacific war that i was not really aware of ,
here are some quotes that i found interesting
from chapter one "a French or German mother who's son was found unfit for military service might entertain private feelings of relief,Her Japanese counterpart might kill herself from shame ,"
from chapter two "revisionists claim that President Roosevelt knew about the Japanese attack on Hawaii beforehand , but deliberately concealed warnings fro the US Pacific fleet and left them exposed as a decoy . his reason for doing this was that he wanted a reason to declare war against the Axis powers "
from chapter seven "The battle of the coral sea and more importantly , the battle of Midway on June 4, changed the whole complexion of the war in the South and Southwest Pacific " and "The battle of Leyte Gulf which began on October 24, was the largest and one of the most decisive naval battles in history"
from chapter eight with reference to the Papuan campaign "in these conditions the 21st Brigade under Brigadier Arnold Potts ,fought one of the crucial battles of Australian history , bravery was commonplace. on August 29, Private Bruce Kingsbury of the 2/14th Battalion won the Victoria cross posthumously when he attacked the Japanese with his Bren gun, at the height of the battle ,30 walking wounded of the 39th who had been evacuated heard of their comrades plight, all but three immediately ,and at their own initiative , returned to the forward area , of the three who did not, one had lost a foot, one a forearm , and the third had been shot in the throat.
i could quote more but i would end up re writing the whole book
Nigel