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Newbie, books needed. - 12/19/2009 12:51:04 PM

british exil

Posts: 1686
Joined: 5/4/2006
From: Lower Saxony Germany
Status: offline

Right, I've gotten my WitPAE ordered as physical shipment, so it'll be a few(?)days till I get my written manual.
I know I can download the manual and game, but I've got to wait till christmas,before I can see what problems I've gotten myself in.

Now coming from the European side of the world, I have more info, books about the European WWII.

I've read Shattered Sword, very interesting but deep reading. I'm looking for books to read, easy fast reading, where I can find out what really happened out there in the Far East. But nothing outrageous when it comes to the price.
The who is who. What happened where. That is the kind of stuff I need. I have the basics, but not really much.
I mean it might help me understand a little bit more of the game. It will, right??

I'll probably have to post a few more questions as to game play, but I think there is always someone who'll help a newbie.

_____________________________

"It is not enough to expect a man to pay for the best, you must also give him what he pays for." Alfred Dunhill

WitE,UV,AT,ATG,FoF,FPCRS

Post #: 1

RE: Newbie, books needed. - 12/19/2009 1:02:05 PM

bristolduke

Posts: 109
Joined: 12/7/2007
Status: offline

The Pacific War - by John Costello $20-$25

Comprehensive. Nice place to start.

(in reply to british exil)

Post #: 2

RE: Newbie, books needed. - 12/19/2009 1:03:40 PM

HMSWarspite

Posts: 1401
Joined: 4/13/2002
From: Bristol, UK
Status: offline

Dont have any book recommendations, but they are very helpful to newbies here. Just dont be surprised if occasionally you spark a row over what seemed like an innocent question ;) . My favourite was the quiery as to why all British sub commanders were so average when the US have some real heros :)

_____________________________

I have a cunning plan, My Lord

(in reply to british exil)

Post #: 3

RE: Newbie, books needed. - 12/19/2009 1:19:03 PM

John Lansford

Posts: 2662
Joined: 4/29/2002
Status: offline

Eagle against the Sun is a good comprehensive book on the Pacific War.

(in reply to HMSWarspite)

Post #: 4

RE: Newbie, books needed. - 12/19/2009 1:54:43 PM

AW1Steve

Posts: 14507
Joined: 3/10/2007
From: Mordor Illlinois
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I agree that both Eagle against the Sun and the Pacific War are excellent , good general and easy to read studies. Another from the USN's point of view is The Two Ocean war by Samuel Elliott Morrison (skip to the Pacific parts if in a hurry). Edwin P. Hoyt wrote a bunch of easy to read histories of individual Pacific battle.

(in reply to John Lansford)

Post #: 5

RE: Newbie, books needed. - 12/19/2009 2:00:07 PM

Sardaukar

Posts: 9847
Joined: 11/28/2001
From: Finland/Israel
Status: offline

Fire in the Sky: The Air War in the South Pacific by Eric M. Bergerud

Touched with Fire: The Land War in the South Pacific by Eric M. Bergerud

Both are easy to read, but with deep insight why and how things were shaped that way in South Pacific.

< Message edited by Sardaukar -- 12/19/2009 2:03:08 PM >

_____________________________

"To meaningless French Idealism, Liberty, Fraternity and Equality...we answer with German Realism, Infantry, Cavalry and Artillery" -Prince von B�lov, 1870-

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Post #: 6

RE: Newbie, books needed. - 12/19/2009 2:01:23 PM

warspite1

Posts: 41353
Joined: 2/2/2008
From: England
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: british exil

Right, I've gotten my WitPAE ordered as physical shipment, so it'll be a few(?)days till I get my written manual.
I know I can download the manual and game, but I've got to wait till christmas,before I can see what problems I've gotten myself in.

Now coming from the European side of the world, I have more info, books about the European WWII.

I've read Shattered Sword, very interesting but deep reading. I'm looking for books to read, easy fast reading, where I can find out what really happened out there in the Far East. But nothing outrageous when it comes to the price.
The who is who. What happened where. That is the kind of stuff I need. I have the basics, but not really much.
I mean it might help me understand a little bit more of the game. It will, right??

I'll probably have to post a few more questions as to game play, but I think there is always someone who'll help a newbie.

Warspite1

I would recommend the Osprey Campaign series, although if you get all the Pacific titles it starts to get a bit pricey. They do Pearl Harbor, Doolittle Raid, Coral Sea, Midway, Guadalcanal and then a lot of the island hopping campaigns. They are by no means a difficult read.

_____________________________

England expects that every man will do his duty. Horatio Nelson October 1805

(in reply to british exil)

Post #: 7

RE: Newbie, books needed. - 12/19/2009 4:44:11 PM

cassius44

Posts: 42
Joined: 1/6/2005
Status: offline

Does anyone have a book recommendation for the Aleutians Campaign?

Background: one of my work colleagues is an Army brat and married to a Marine, and I had recommended both Shattered Sword and the Bergerud books to her as gift ideas for her family. However, her husband's grandfather was in the IJN (go figure) and died off the Aleutians. She has asked if I know of any books on the Aleutians Campaign that discuss the Japanese side. Must admit that stumped me, so thought I would come to the experts. Any ideas out there?

Happy Hols, cassius

(in reply to warspite1)

Post #: 8

RE: Newbie, books needed. - 12/19/2009 5:45:44 PM

LoBaron

Posts: 4776
Joined: 1/26/2003
From: Vienna, Austria
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Sardaukar

Fire in the Sky: The Air War in the South Pacific by Eric M. Bergerud

Touched with Fire: The Land War in the South Pacific by Eric M. Bergerud

Both are easy to read, but with deep insight why and how things were shaped that way in South Pacific.

This.

_____________________________

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Post #: 9

RE: Newbie, books needed. - 12/19/2009 6:41:41 PM

pad152

Posts: 2871
Joined: 4/23/2000
Status: offline

The Pacific Campaign

http://www.amazon.com/Pacific-Campaign-U-S-Japanese-Naval-1941-1945/dp/0671792172/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261247921&sr=8-1

The Rising Sun: The Decline and Fall of the Japanese Empire

http://www.amazon.com/Rising-Sun-Decline-Japanese-1936-1945/dp/0812968581/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261248004&sr=8-15

(in reply to LoBaron)

Post #: 10

RE: Newbie, books needed. - 12/19/2009 6:43:36 PM

Buck Beach

Posts: 1973
Joined: 6/25/2000
From: Upland,CA,USA
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: british exil

Right, I've gotten my WitPAE ordered as physical shipment, so it'll be a few(?)days till I get my written manual.
I know I can download the manual and game, but I've got to wait till christmas,before I can see what problems I've gotten myself in.

Now coming from the European side of the world, I have more info, books about the European WWII.

I've read Shattered Sword, very interesting but deep reading. I'm looking for books to read, easy fast reading, where I can find out what really happened out there in the Far East. But nothing outrageous when it comes to the price.
The who is who. What happened where. That is the kind of stuff I need. I have the basics, but not really much.
I mean it might help me understand a little bit more of the game. It will, right??

I'll probably have to post a few more questions as to game play, but I think there is always someone who'll help a newbie.

First Team, First Team II and Guadelcanal (Franks I think).

(in reply to british exil)

Post #: 11

RE: Newbie, books needed. - 12/19/2009 7:57:52 PM

Pascal_slith

Posts: 1651
Joined: 8/20/2003
From: back in Commiefornia
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Buck Beach

quote:

ORIGINAL: british exil

Right, I've gotten my WitPAE ordered as physical shipment, so it'll be a few(?)days till I get my written manual.
I know I can download the manual and game, but I've got to wait till christmas,before I can see what problems I've gotten myself in.

Now coming from the European side of the world, I have more info, books about the European WWII.

I've read Shattered Sword, very interesting but deep reading. I'm looking for books to read, easy fast reading, where I can find out what really happened out there in the Far East. But nothing outrageous when it comes to the price.
The who is who. What happened where. That is the kind of stuff I need. I have the basics, but not really much.
I mean it might help me understand a little bit more of the game. It will, right??

I'll probably have to post a few more questions as to game play, but I think there is always someone who'll help a newbie.

First Team, First Team II and Guadelcanal (Franks I think).

The First Team books are by Lundstrom, the Guadalcanal book is by Franks. All three excellent but not about the whole Pacific War.

You should also look at the HyperWar website. A number of official histories are there. These were very well done. The only missing set is Morison's official/unofficial History of US Navy Operations in WWII.

The Costello book, the Pacific War, is, in my personal opinion, one of the best single volume works on the origins and the war itself. As an aside I've read about 150 university-level books on the Pacific Campaign alone (and hundreds of scholarly journal articles and papers).

For the early part of the war you should also look at H.P. Wilmott's 'Barrier and the Javelin' and 'Empires in the Balance', both very good too.

The final work I'd recommend for the early US carrier operations is Lundstrom's 'Black-Shoe Carrier Admiral'.

_____________________________

So much WitP and so little time to play.... :-(

(in reply to Buck Beach)

Post #: 12

RE: Newbie, books needed. - 12/20/2009 4:47:18 AM

sfbaytf

Posts: 1122
Joined: 4/13/2005
Status: offline

In addition to what others have posted, I would reccomend DVD's.

I've seen and have quite a DVD collection and yesterday got a very interesting set for $6. Its called "This Film is Confidential". I didn't know what to expect for such a low price, but I was happily surprised. Its a bunch of short story films shot by US military film crews.

It was geared towards training and intelligence. They were classified for years. What I like best is its to the point and specific. The narrator will tell you the specific units involved and give specific info. For instance the short films on Rabaul will tell you the date, units involved, losses and specific altitude the raid was made at. You'll also learn the various different airfields around Rabaul.

It covers Europe as well. Some of the short films such as the headhunters in Burma/China being rewarded for helping a C-47 crew are pretty cute as is the Fiji scouts being evacuated after a mission in the Solomons.

Its pretty unique. Its from Timeless Media Group. I'm definately going back to where I got this from and will scrounge up the rest of the DVD's I saw.

(in reply to british exil)

Post #: 13

RE: Newbie, books needed. - 12/20/2009 6:06:17 AM

Pascal_slith

Posts: 1651
Joined: 8/20/2003
From: back in Commiefornia
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: cassius44

Does anyone have a book recommendation for�the Aleutians Campaign?

Background: one of my work colleagues is an Army brat and married to a Marine, and I had recommended both Shattered Sword and the Bergerud books to her as gift ideas for her family.� However, her husband's�grandfather was in the IJN (go figure) and died off the Aleutians.� She has asked�if I know of any books on the Aleutians Campaign that discuss the Japanese side.� Must admit that stumped me, so�thought I would come to the experts.� Any ideas out there?

Happy Hols, cassius��

A good place to start is Wikipedia. There is a list of books at the bottom of the article and a number of links.

Here's the URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleutian_Islands_Campaign#Books

For the Japanese perspective, I'm not sure Saburo Ienaga's book Pacific War has some of what you may be looking for (don't have it handy just now).

_____________________________

So much WitP and so little time to play.... :-(

(in reply to cassius44)

Post #: 14

RE: Newbie, books needed. - 12/20/2009 4:40:58 PM

british exil

Posts: 1686
Joined: 5/4/2006
From: Lower Saxony Germany
Status: offline

Thanks for all the info.

Will order a few books for the christmas period. No way to play the game over the festive season. PC doesn't like to travel.

Can't wait to see the depth of the game. AAR's only give a glimpse of the game.

_____________________________

"It is not enough to expect a man to pay for the best, you must also give him what he pays for." Alfred Dunhill

WitE,UV,AT,ATG,FoF,FPCRS

(in reply to Pascal_slith)

Post #: 15

RE: Newbie, books needed. - 12/20/2009 5:07:54 PM

warspite1

Posts: 41353
Joined: 2/2/2008
From: England
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: british exil

Thanks for all the info.

Will order a few books for the christmas period. No way to play the game over the festive season. PC doesn't like to travel.

Can't wait to see the depth of the game. AAR's only give a glimpse of the game.

Warspite1

One book I should have mentioned is The Forgotten Fleet. This centres on the story of the British Pacific Fleet, from their operations against Sumatra, through the assistance given to Spruance off Okinawa, and ultimately operations off Japan.

The book also contains much information on the Eastern / East Indies Fleet and their operations in the Indian Ocean.

In terms of the Pacific War as a whole, obviously only a relatively small part was played by the Royal and Commonwealth navies, but this book is no less interesting for that. If you get a chance to read this I would thoroughly recommend it.

_____________________________

England expects that every man will do his duty. Horatio Nelson October 1805

(in reply to british exil)

Post #: 16

RE: Newbie, books needed. - 12/21/2009 5:15:11 AM

jazman

Posts: 369
Joined: 1/20/2007
From: Crush Depth
Status: offline

For the China-Burma-India theater, here's a thread:

http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=2296548

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BS, MS, PhD, WitP:AE, WitE, WitW

(in reply to warspite1)

Post #: 17

RE: Newbie, books needed. - 12/21/2009 6:01:48 AM

Central Blue

Posts: 695
Joined: 8/20/2004
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: british exil

Right, I've gotten my WitPAE ordered as physical shipment, so it'll be a few(?)days till I get my written manual.
I know I can download the manual and game, but I've got to wait till christmas,before I can see what problems I've gotten myself in.

Now coming from the European side of the world, I have more info, books about the European WWII.

I've read Shattered Sword, very interesting but deep reading. I'm looking for books to read, easy fast reading, where I can find out what really happened out there in the Far East. But nothing outrageous when it comes to the price.
The who is who. What happened where. That is the kind of stuff I need. I have the basics, but not really much.
I mean it might help me understand a little bit more of the game. It will, right??

I'll probably have to post a few more questions as to game play, but I think there is always someone who'll help a newbie.

Before you spend any money, read all of the free stuff at Ibiblio:

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/PTO/index.html

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/index.html#pto

New Zealand and Australia have quite a bit on line as well. http://www.awm.gov.au/histories/ and http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2Paci.html

_____________________________

USS St. Louis firing on Guam, July 1944. The Cardinals and Browns faced each other in the World Series that year

(in reply to british exil)

Post #: 18

RE: Newbie, books needed. - 12/21/2009 6:41:27 AM

JeffroK

Posts: 6391
Joined: 1/26/2005
Status: offline

I've read Shattered Sword, very interesting but deep reading. I'm looking for books to read, easy fast reading, where I can find out what really happened out there in the Far East. But nothing outrageous when it comes to the price.

From the above offerings you are trying to kill the guy

Look at the 2nd hand book shops, especially around the ex- Brit Army bases.

In addition, Bill Slim's Defeat into Victory, Jack Masters' Bugles and a Tiger & The Road Past Mandalay or Henry Maule's Spearhead General for the Burma Theatre.

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Interdum feror cupidine partium magnarum Europae vincendarum

(in reply to Central Blue)

Post #: 19