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Naval operations of WW2

 
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Naval operations of WW2 - 7/14/2007 3:11:45 AM   
GreyFox


Posts: 33
Joined: 7/14/2007
From: Ireland
Status: offline 		Hi all, first post here, hopefully not the last.

Anybody know of any good books about this aspect of WW2? When I walk into a shop there's a glut of books on the land and aerial wars, but the naval war seems to be sadly neglected, at least in the shops, even though it was arguably the most important part, at least in terms of the Western Allies.
Post #: 1
RE: Naval operations of WW2 - 7/14/2007 3:27:20 AM   
mlees


Posts: 2263
Joined: 9/20/2003
From: San Diego
Status: offline 		There are lots. Do you want a general overview, or something more narrow (like the Battle of Midway)?

Browse Amazon.com... you narrow the field by using the links on the left hand side: Books>Nonfiction>History>Military>World war 2>Naval.

Cheers!

(in reply to GreyFox)
Post #: 2
RE: Naval operations of WW2 - 7/14/2007 4:01:54 AM   
GreyFox


Posts: 33
Joined: 7/14/2007
From: Ireland
Status: offline 		Thanks a lot, but I'm looking more for books others recommend. I generally like to open a book and read a few pages before I buy since there's too much crap trying to pass themselves off as 'truthful accounts' out there and I can't do that on Amazon I think.

A general overview of the naval war, similar to Robert Massie's WW1 book "Castles of Steel" would be nice, and so too would be books about the various campaigns and battles.

(in reply to mlees)
Post #: 3
RE: Naval operations of WW2 - 7/14/2007 5:31:24 AM   
sprior


Posts: 8596
Joined: 6/18/2002
From: Portsmouth, UK
Status: offline 		From The RN's point of view one of the best books is "Engage the Enemy More Closely" by Barnett. http://www.amazon.com/Engage-Enemy-More-Closely-Second/dp/0393029182/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-1151245-9528824?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1184379945&sr=8-1

For the U-Boay war look at Blair's 2 part Hitler's U Boat War. Here's part 1: http://www.amazon.com/Hitlers-U-Boat-War-Hunters-1939-1942/dp/0679640320/ref=sr_1_2/002-1151245-9528824?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1184380055&sr=1-2

I'm no expert on the IJN or USN but those 3 tomes will keep you reading for a few weeks.

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(in reply to GreyFox)
Post #: 4
RE: Naval operations of WW2 - 7/14/2007 4:50:26 PM   
GreyFox


Posts: 33
Joined: 7/14/2007
From: Ireland
Status: offline 		Cool, thanks.

(in reply to sprior)
Post #: 5
RE: Naval operations of WW2 - 7/14/2007 6:00:09 PM   
MikeBrough


Posts: 260
Joined: 1/30/2005
From: Scotland
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: sprior

From The RN's point of view one of the best books is "Engage the Enemy More Closely" by Barnett. http://www.amazon.com/Engage-Enemy-More-Closely-Second/dp/0393029182/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-1151245-9528824?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1184379945&sr=8-1

For the U-Boay war look at Blair's 2 part Hitler's U Boat War. Here's part 1: http://www.amazon.com/Hitlers-U-Boat-War-Hunters-1939-1942/dp/0679640320/ref=sr_1_2/002-1151245-9528824?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1184380055&sr=1-2

I'm no expert on the IJN or USN but those 3 tomes will keep you reading for a few weeks.


I second both recommendations. Both can be a little dry if you're looking to immerse yourself in the action but you won't find better coverage of their respective subjects.

I'd add a good overview of the war in the Pacific, John Costello's Pacific War at Pacific War

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Mike Brough
Proud to be an Arab

Be sceptical of the things you believe are false; be very sceptical of the things you believe are true.

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Post #: 6
RE: Naval operations of WW2 - 7/14/2007 10:31:32 PM   
GreyFox


Posts: 33
Joined: 7/14/2007
From: Ireland
Status: offline 		Hmm, a lot of the reviewers there don't like the inaccuracies in The Pacific War, so I might give it a miss. Thanks anyways for the recommendation.

I don't have a problem with dryness - I've read Max Hastings and Antony Beevor so I appreciate a well told story that backs everything up with provable facts and good research. Must be the science student in me.

The biggest problem I find with finding books about WW2 is that there is too much sensationalist stuff such as the recent book about the bombing of Dresden in which the author gives a bodycount of 100,000 but then withdrew it in a letter to the Times, as well as the Stephen Ambrose stuff (what was it... "more interested in erecting pillars to the American fighting man than giving the truth" or something). Entertaining sure, but little more than wishful thinking at best and propaganda at worst.


< Message edited by GreyFox -- 7/14/2007 10:33:00 PM >

(in reply to MikeBrough)
Post #: 7
RE: Naval operations of WW2 - 7/14/2007 11:20:06 PM   
MikeBrough


Posts: 260
Joined: 1/30/2005
From: Scotland
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: GreyFox

Hmm, a lot of the reviewers there don't like the inaccuracies in The Pacific War, so I might give it a miss. Thanks anyways for the recommendation.


Much better ratings at www.amazon.co.uk. You Merikans are sooooo picky. Never let the facts get in the way of a good history.


_____________________________

Mike Brough
Proud to be an Arab

Be sceptical of the things you believe are false; be very sceptical of the things you believe are true.

(in reply to GreyFox)
Post #: 8
RE: Naval operations of WW2 - 7/15/2007 12:32:59 AM   
GreyFox


Posts: 33
Joined: 7/14/2007
From: Ireland
Status: offline 		Actually I'm Irish but that's besides the point.

(in reply to MikeBrough)
Post #: 9
RE: Naval operations of WW2 - 7/15/2007 6:09:37 AM   
m10bob


Posts: 8622
Joined: 11/3/2002
From: Dismal Seepage Indiana
Status: offline 		I like Samuel Elliot Morrison's books.(Two Ocean War specifically)




Attachment (1)

< Message edited by m10bob -- 7/15/2007 6:14:34 AM >

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Post #: 10
RE: Naval operations of WW2 - 7/15/2007 7:08:57 AM   
Brigz


Posts: 1162
Joined: 1/20/2002
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: GreyFox

Actually I'm Irish but that's besides the point.

Gee. I wonder if MikeBrough feels a bit foolish throwing around those "Merikanisms" like that.

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“You're only young once but you can be immature for as long as you want”

(in reply to GreyFox)
Post #: 11
RE: Naval operations of WW2 - 7/15/2007 9:28:21 AM   
Charles2222


Posts: 3993
Joined: 3/12/2001
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: GreyFox

Hmm, a lot of the reviewers there don't like the inaccuracies in The Pacific War, so I might give it a miss. Thanks anyways for the recommendation.

I don't have a problem with dryness - I've read Max Hastings and Antony Beevor so I appreciate a well told story that backs everything up with provable facts and good research. Must be the science student in me.

The biggest problem I find with finding books about WW2 is that there is too much sensationalist stuff such as the recent book about the bombing of Dresden in which the author gives a bodycount of 100,000 but then withdrew it in a letter to the Times, as well as the Stephen Ambrose stuff (what was it... "more interested in erecting pillars to the American fighting man than giving the truth" or something). Entertaining sure, but little more than wishful thinking at best and propaganda at worst.



I apprecaite your attitude towards things historic, as I share them. There's nothing that irritates me more than some clown who thinks they are doing something patriotic by insisting that their country did everything, and continues to do everything, the best. It's fine to hope for that, but to pass it off as history is something else again. To fail to have much of any understanding of history, is to approach it with nationalism.

(in reply to GreyFox)
Post #: 12
RE: Naval operations of WW2 - 7/15/2007 12:43:15 PM   
MikeBrough


Posts: 260
Joined: 1/30/2005
From: Scotland
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Dave Briggs


quote:

ORIGINAL: GreyFox

Actually I'm Irish but that's besides the point.

Gee. I wonder if MikeBrough feels a bit foolish throwing around those "Merikanisms" like that.


Aksherly, I was commenting on the Amazon.com comment. Didn't have the foggiest where the OP came from - his profile was incomplete at the time. I think. OK, OK. I admit it. I've joined the Chicken-club - I was rat-arsed when I posted.


_____________________________

Mike Brough
Proud to be an Arab

Be sceptical of the things you believe are false; be very sceptical of the things you believe are true.

(in reply to Brigz)
Post #: 13
RE: Naval operations of WW2 - 7/15/2007 6:31:25 PM   
Neilster


Posts: 2890
Joined: 10/27/2003
From: Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Status: offline 		A rat-arsed Arab? Wouldn't be the first time.

Cheers, Neilster'

(in reply to MikeBrough)
Post #: 14
RE: Naval operations of WW2 - 7/15/2007 6:48:26 PM   
mikemike

 

Posts: 501
Joined: 6/3/2004
From: a maze of twisty little passages, all different
Status: offline 		For a complete overview:

Rohwer/Hümmelchen Chronology of the War at Sea 1939-1945

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Chronology-War-Sea-1939-1945-History/dp/1861762577/ref=sr_1_5/026-0063860-7186020?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1184514087&sr=1-5

A day-by-day listing of what happened at sea during WW2 - very concise but includes every theatre, including Baltic and Black Sea, both of which are usually neglected by British/US authors.

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DON´T PANIC - IT´S ALL JUST ONES AND ZEROES!

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Post #: 15
RE: Naval operations of WW2 - 7/15/2007 11:09:18 PM   
MikeBrough


Posts: 260
Joined: 1/30/2005
From: Scotland
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Neilster

A rat-arsed Arab? Wouldn't be the first time.

Cheers, Neilster'



Explanation of why Dundee United football fans (soccer to the unenlightened) are called 'Arabs'.

Dundee Utd Arabs

_____________________________

Mike Brough
Proud to be an Arab

Be sceptical of the things you believe are false; be very sceptical of the things you believe are true.

(in reply to Neilster)
Post #: 16
RE: Naval operations of WW2 - 7/16/2007 4:28:02 PM   
mlees


Posts: 2263
Joined: 9/20/2003
From: San Diego
Status: offline 		Shattered Sword by Jonathan Parshall and Anthony Tully was a good read.

Silent Victory: The U.S. submarine war against Japan by Clay Blair Jr.


(in reply to GreyFox)
Post #: 17
RE: Naval operations of WW2 - 7/17/2007 4:32:00 AM   
Brigz


Posts: 1162
Joined: 1/20/2002
Status: offline 		"Destroyer Captain" by Hara. Forget his first name. Excellent book from the Japanese perspective.

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“You're only young once but you can be immature for as long as you want”

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Post #: 18
RE: Naval operations of WW2 - 7/17/2007 6:41:49 AM   
AU Tiger_MatrixForum


Posts: 1606
Joined: 10/9/2006
From: Deepest Dixie
Status: offline 		A book by a Nimitz's intelligence chief, not much on operations, but the behind the scenes look at operations that is very informative.






Attachment (1)

< Message edited by AU Tiger -- 7/17/2007 6:42:27 AM >

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Post #: 19
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