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Could Someone recommend a book on history of the Pacific Theatre?

 
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Could Someone recommend a book on history of the Pacifi... - 6/13/2004 2:28:03 AM   
kev_uk

 

Posts: 288
Joined: 6/5/2004
From: South Wales, UK
Status: offline 		Subject says it all, cheers.
I am just after a general history, with politcal/social ramifications on all sides and good military history. Does such a book exist?
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RE: Could Someone recommend a book on history of the Pa... - 6/13/2004 2:38:02 AM   
ColFrost


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Joined: 10/29/2003
From: South St Paul, MN
Status: offline 		Well, my suggestions are not the whole theatre, but only the beginning.

I really enjoyed Gordon Prange's "At Dawn We Slept", which is a good read, and from what I can tell, accurate. It only covers up to and including Pearl Harbor.

I slightly recommend William R. Bartsch's "December 8th, 1941: MacArthur's Pearl Harbor" It has some good bits of history, but Barstch gets weighed down with trying to be Prange and Cornelius Ryan, and fails.

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RE: Could Someone recommend a book on history of the Pa... - 6/13/2004 2:41:45 AM   
Von Rom


Posts: 1705
Joined: 5/12/2000
Status: offline 		Two books by John Toland that I highly recommend:

1) "But Not in Shame" is a highly readable and emotional account of the first six months of the Pacific War (from Pearl Harbour to Midway).

2) "The Rising Sun" is another excellent book covering the entire Pacific War (at about 900 pages). It gives good background information about pre-war Japan and its later involvement in the war.

Abe Books has a wide variety of new and used books that ships anywhere in the world:

http://www.abebooks.com/

< Message edited by Von Rom -- 6/13/2004 12:44:57 AM >

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RE: Could Someone recommend a book on history of the Pa... - 6/13/2004 2:44:51 AM   
kfmiller41


Posts: 1063
Joined: 3/25/2003
From: Saint Marys, Ga
Status: offline 		I have 2 that are really good general histories

The Pacific war, Andrew Wiest and Gregory Mattson Published by MBI
Rise and Fall of Imperial Japan, by The Military Press

I like both of these cause they go through the entire war, have maps and great pictures.

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RE: Could Someone recommend a book on history of the Pa... - 6/13/2004 2:57:07 AM   
kev_uk

 

Posts: 288
Joined: 6/5/2004
From: South Wales, UK
Status: offline 		All look good. Brief look on amazon and The Rising Sun sounds quite interesting.
Does it contain good military histories and such?
Cheers

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RE: Could Someone recommend a book on history of the Pa... - 6/13/2004 2:59:49 AM   
madmickey

 

Posts: 1336
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From: Calgary, Alberta
Status: offline 		If you do not want to read all 14? volumes of Samuel Elliot Morrison offical Naval history. Get the 2 Ocean War which is a shorter history by the same author.
As previously mentioned the Rising Sun was very good.

< Message edited by madmickey -- 6/13/2004 1:01:31 AM >

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RE: Could Someone recommend a book on history of the Pa... - 6/13/2004 3:15:45 AM   
Fallschirmjager


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quote:

ORIGINAL: madmickey

If you do not want to read all 14? volumes of Samuel Elliot Morrison offical Naval history. Get the 2 Ocean War which is a shorter history by the same author.
As previously mentioned the Rising Sun was very good.


Is that 14 volume edition still in print?
I would like to have that...

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RE: Could Someone recommend a book on history of the Pa... - 6/13/2004 3:16:47 AM   
freeboy

 

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Status: offline 		Isn't there a book by a Keagan or something like that, I'll go to the bookstore.. doh. internet and find it...

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RE: Could Someone recommend a book on history of the Pa... - 6/13/2004 3:22:06 AM   
MJLHistory

 

Posts: 6
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From: Orange County,Ca
Status: offline 		Corregidor The Saga Of A Fortesss
James H. & William M. Belote

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RE: Could Someone recommend a book on history of the Pa... - 6/13/2004 3:26:28 AM   
freeboy

 

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Status: offline 		Author John Keegan, Price of Admiralty, anouther on WW2m, on on Normandy..

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RE: Could Someone recommend a book on history of the Pa... - 6/13/2004 3:37:20 AM   
madmickey

 

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From: Calgary, Alberta
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Fallschirmjager

quote:

ORIGINAL: madmickey

If you do not want to read all 14? volumes of Samuel Elliot Morrison offical Naval history. Get the 2 Ocean War which is a shorter history by the same author.
As previously mentioned the Rising Sun was very good.


Is that 14 volume edition still in print?
I would like to have that...


I remember reading it from a Canadian University either McGill University before 1976 or University of Calgary after 1976. I would imagine in most big US cities you can read it. Morrison does cover ground war in a general sense and his analysis puts to shame people who call themselves historians now. I have seen that you can get the first 6 volumes in paperback over the Internet.
http://www.press.uillinois.edu/s01/morison.html
http://www.press.uillinois.edu/f01/morison.html

< Message edited by madmickey -- 6/13/2004 1:40:54 AM >

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RE: Could Someone recommend a book on history of the Pa... - 6/13/2004 3:46:10 AM   
madmickey

 

Posts: 1336
Joined: 2/11/2004
From: Calgary, Alberta
Status: offline 		Actually you can get all 15 volumes. The 15 volume is a supplement and General Index. I may not have read that volume fully.
http://www.press.uillinois.edu/author/m.html
http://www.press.uillinois.edu/s02/morison15.html
For a offical history it is a page turner.

< Message edited by madmickey -- 6/13/2004 1:46:39 AM >

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RE: Could Someone recommend a book on history of the Pa... - 6/13/2004 4:03:37 AM   
Fallschirmjager


Posts: 6793
Joined: 3/18/2002
From: Chattanooga, Tennessee
Status: offline 		I was looking for a website where I could purchase all 14 or 15 volumes together as a boxed set.

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RE: Could Someone recommend a book on history of the Pa... - 6/13/2004 4:06:09 AM   
T Rav

 

Posts: 387
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Status: offline 		Highly recommend Guadalcanal by Richard B. Frank. It covers almost every aspect about the battle and describes why it was Operation Watchtower was often called Operation Shoestring...

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RE: Could Someone recommend a book on history of the Pa... - 6/13/2004 4:13:11 AM   
siRkid


Posts: 6650
Joined: 1/29/2002
From: Orland FL
Status: offline 		Here is a list of the ones I've read and enjoyed.

Japan's War, The Great Pacific Conflict, By Edwin P. Hoyt - Covers the entire war and gives some excellent incite into the various aspects of the war from both sides. A very good read.

Eagle Against the Sun, The American War with Japan, by Ronald H. Spector - Lots of facts an a little dry.

With the Old Breed, by E.B. Sledge - An outstanding must read book. Sledge writes about his personal experiences at Peleliu and Okinawa. View the war from the Grunt's point of view.

The Rape of Nanking, by Iris Chang - A must read. The title says it all.

Flyboys, by James Bradley - I must admit I only bought this because I was on travel and needed a book but once I started reading it I could not put it down. It is a recent book (2003) and has a lot of new information in it.

Samurai!, by Saburo Sakai (one of Japan’s greatest Aces) - I enjoyed this book very much. It was interesting to see the war from the losing side. However, the historical accuracy of the facts contained in the book is questionable.

Hope this helps,
Rick

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RE: Could Someone recommend a book on history of the Pa... - 6/13/2004 4:15:50 AM   
madmickey

 

Posts: 1336
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From: Calgary, Alberta
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Fallschirmjager

I was looking for a website where I could purchase all 14 or 15 volumes together as a boxed set.


Check some some libraries or E-bay they may be willing to sell their old volumes, if not Morrison words are worth getting in paperback. From University of Illinois

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RE: Could Someone recommend a book on history of the Pa... - 6/13/2004 4:18:16 AM   
siRkid


Posts: 6650
Joined: 1/29/2002
From: Orland FL
Status: offline 		There was another book I read years ago written by the Captain of a Japanese Destroyer but I can't remember who wrote it. I think the name of the book was Destroyer Captain or something like that.

< Message edited by Kid -- 6/13/2004 2:18:38 AM >

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RE: Could Someone recommend a book on history of the Pa... - 6/13/2004 4:19:21 AM   
brisd


Posts: 614
Joined: 5/20/2000
From: San Diego, CA
Status: offline 		Two books covering the Pacific War are "Eagle Against The Sun (The American War vs Japan)" (1985) by Ronald H. Spector (1985) and "The Pacific Campaign, the U.S.-Japanese Naval War 1941-1945" (1991) by Dan van der Vat. I found both to be easy reads and under 600 pages. Due to their age I'm sure you can find used copies, like here:

The Pacific Campaign

In searching for this title I found this one and it seems pretty good so I am ordering it:

The Pacific War by John Costello

I can also recommend Toland's "The Rising Sun", especially for the general history rather than military focus.

< Message edited by brisd -- 6/12/2004 7:19:33 PM >

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RE: Could Someone recommend a book on history of the Pa... - 6/13/2004 4:57:40 AM   
dwesolick


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Joined: 6/24/2002
From: Colorado
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Fallschirmjager

I was looking for a website where I could purchase all 14 or 15 volumes together as a boxed set.


I bought the entire set brand new in hardcover at Amazon.com for $149. This was about a year ago, but I think they still have it at the same price.

Oh, and I think shipping is free on orders over $25.




Attachment (1)

< Message edited by dwesolick -- 6/13/2004 2:58:52 AM >

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RE: Could Someone recommend a book on history of the Pa... - 6/13/2004 5:00:09 AM   
emorbius44

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: T Rav

Highly recommend Guadalcanal by Richard B. Frank. It covers almost every aspect about the battle and describes why it was Operation Watchtower was often called Operation Shoestring...



Frank's book is just outstanding. Covers everything about this campaign in great depth and is a good read.

Bob

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RE: Could Someone recommend a book on history of the Pa... - 6/13/2004 5:51:11 AM   
Fallschirmjager


Posts: 6793
Joined: 3/18/2002
From: Chattanooga, Tennessee
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: dwesolick

quote:

ORIGINAL: Fallschirmjager

I was looking for a website where I could purchase all 14 or 15 volumes together as a boxed set.


I bought the entire set brand new in hardcover at Amazon.com for $149. This was about a year ago, but I think they still have it at the same price.

Oh, and I think shipping is free on orders over $25.





Thank you very much.
It was a special order and it will be 5-8 weeks before they are shipped and their is a chance I might never see them. But all the same I ordered them anyways.

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RE: Could Someone recommend a book on history of the Pa... - 6/13/2004 6:06:52 AM   
JamesM

 

Posts: 1017
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From: QLD, Australia
Status: offline
quote:

The Pacific War by John Costello


Brisd

That is a very good one (1) volume history of the Pacifc War.

Highly recommended!

< Message edited by jamesm -- 6/13/2004 1:07:31 PM >

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RE: Could Someone recommend a book on history of the Pa... - 6/13/2004 6:08:39 AM   
Tectororch

 

Posts: 1
Joined: 6/13/2004
Status: offline 		Kev,

Morison's set are the "hard boiled egg" of the Pacific War (can't be beat). I was able to get the whole set, used but in very good condition, for under $100 at Barnes and Noble's used book store, and via Alibris.

"Touched With Fire" by Eric Bergerud is a thorough history of the land campaigns in the South Pacific.

"Day of Infamy" for Pearl Harbor.

Hope this helps.
quote:

ORIGINAL: kev_uk

Subject says it all, cheers.
I am just after a general history, with politcal/social ramifications on all sides and good military history. Does such a book exist?

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Post #: 23
RE: Could Someone recommend a book on history of the Pa... - 6/13/2004 10:25:52 AM   
brisd


Posts: 614
Joined: 5/20/2000
From: San Diego, CA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: jamesm

quote:

The Pacific War by John Costello


Brisd

That is a very good one (1) volume history of the Pacifc War.

Highly recommended!


Thanks for the feedback, I ordered it already and look forward to reading it prior to getting my hands on WITP.

_____________________________

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RE: Could Someone recommend a book on history of the Pa... - 6/13/2004 11:44:58 AM   
TIMJOT

 

Posts: 1822
Joined: 4/30/2001
Status: offline 		For an excellent read on the overall political, Military, Strategic aspects of prewar-earlywar-midwar period and a lot of detail and insite on areas not always covered adequately in other books. I highly reccomend J.P. Wilmont's two Volumes

"Empires in the Balance" & "The Barrier and the Javeline"

Regards

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RE: Could Someone recommend a book on history of the Pa... - 6/13/2004 12:28:22 PM   
Apollo11


Posts: 24082
Joined: 6/7/2001
From: Zagreb, Croatia
Status: offline 		Hi all,

quote:

ORIGINAL: kev_uk

Subject says it all, cheers.
I am just after a general history, with politcal/social ramifications on all sides and good military history. Does such a book exist?


Although I read many books about specific battles in Pacific I read 3 books that cover entire war:


Eagle Against the Sun: The American War With Japan
by Ronald H. Spector
ISBN: 0394741013


The Rising Sun: The Decline and Fall of the Japanese Empire, 1936-1945
by John Toland
ISBN: 0812968581


Samurai!
by Saburo Sakai
ISBN: 0743412834


Toland's book is very good for understanding Japan and it offers unique perspective from Japanese standpoint.

Sakai's book is equally interesting because it offers perhaps the only inside view available in non Japanese language written by Japanese WWII pilot.

Spector's book is a bit different (and perhaps a bit dull) but it list all major campaigns and offers US side of war.



Leo "Apollo11"

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RE: Could Someone recommend a book on history of the Pa... - 6/13/2004 3:03:41 PM   
jhdeerslayer


Posts: 1194
Joined: 5/25/2002
From: Michigan
Status: offline 		I am reading Admiral Ugaki's diary called Fading Victory. His diary ends when he takes a Kamikaze flight at wars end... This book is an often quoted source in other books and a good read. I found at a used book store and not sure it is in print anymore or not. Many excellent reads recommended above.

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RE: Could Someone recommend a book on history of the Pa... - 6/13/2004 3:11:50 PM   
tanjman


Posts: 717
Joined: 1/26/2002
From: Griffin, GA
Status: offline 		Try http://www.cibmedia.com/ $249.00 for all 15 volumes.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Fallschirmjager

I was looking for a website where I could purchase all 14 or 15 volumes together as a boxed set.


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RE: Could Someone recommend a book on history of the Pa... - 6/13/2004 3:21:26 PM   
Reichenberg

 

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From: Frankfurt, Germany
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Apollo11
Sakai's book is equally interesting because it offers perhaps the only inside view available in non Japanese language written by Japanese WWII pilot.

Another really interesting book written from a Japanese combatant is

Hiromichi Yahara, The battle for Okinawa, John Wiley & Sons, Inc, ISBN 0-471-12041-3

Yahara was the highest ranking Japanese officer who survived Okinawa. He was senior staff officer of the 32nd Japanese Army.

Uwe

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RE: Could Someone recommend a book on history of the Pa... - 6/13/2004 3:24:13 PM   
Hartley


Posts: 255
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Status: offline 		The Japanese Colonial Empire 1895-1945

for some broader angles.

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Post #: 30
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