quote:

ORIGINAL: Jorm


Ive just read,

The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors: The Extraordinary World War II Story of the U.S. Navy's Finest Hour by J. D. Hornfischer
From Publishers Weekly
One of the finest WWII naval action narratives in recent years, this book follows in the footsteps of Flags of Our Fathers, creating a microcosm of the war's American Navy destroyers. Hornfischer, a writer and literary agent in Austin, Tex., covers the battle off Samar, the Philippines, in October 1944, in which a force of American escort carriers and destroyers fought off a Japanese force many times its strength, and the larger battle of Leyte Gulf, the opening of the American liberation of the Philippines, which might have suffered a major setback if the Japanese had attacked the transports. He presents the men who crewed the destroyer Taffy 3, most of whom had never seen salt water before the war but who fought, flew, kept the crippled ship afloat, and doomed ships fighting almost literally to the last shell. Finally, Hornfischer provides a perspective on the Japanese approach to the battle, somewhat (and justifiably) modifying the traditional view of the Japanese Admiral Kurita as a fumbler or even a coward-while exalting American sailors and pilots as they richly deserve. (American admirals don't get off so easily.) Not entirely free of glitches in research, the book still reads like a very good action novel, indicated by its selection as a dual split main selection of the BOMC and History Book Club alternate.

It was very good, actually listend to it on audio book. I wonder if witp-AE is capable of generateing similar outcomes as the actual battle, i imagine there would be too many arm chair admirals screaming at such an outcome and how unrealistic is was <chuckle>

quote:

ORIGINAL: LargeSlowTarget

Morison, of course.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Knavey

quote:

ORIGINAL: Jorm


Ive just read,

The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors: The Extraordinary World War II Story of the U.S. Navy's Finest Hour by J. D. Hornfischer
From Publishers Weekly
One of the finest WWII naval action narratives in recent years, this book follows in the footsteps of Flags of Our Fathers, creating a microcosm of the war's American Navy destroyers. Hornfischer, a writer and literary agent in Austin, Tex., covers the battle off Samar, the Philippines, in October 1944, in which a force of American escort carriers and destroyers fought off a Japanese force many times its strength, and the larger battle of Leyte Gulf, the opening of the American liberation of the Philippines, which might have suffered a major setback if the Japanese had attacked the transports. He presents the men who crewed the destroyer Taffy 3, most of whom had never seen salt water before the war but who fought, flew, kept the crippled ship afloat, and doomed ships fighting almost literally to the last shell. Finally, Hornfischer provides a perspective on the Japanese approach to the battle, somewhat (and justifiably) modifying the traditional view of the Japanese Admiral Kurita as a fumbler or even a coward-while exalting American sailors and pilots as they richly deserve. (American admirals don't get off so easily.) Not entirely free of glitches in research, the book still reads like a very good action novel, indicated by its selection as a dual split main selection of the BOMC and History Book Club alternate.

It was very good, actually listend to it on audio book. I wonder if witp-AE is capable of generateing similar outcomes as the actual battle, i imagine there would be too many arm chair admirals screaming at such an outcome and how unrealistic is was <chuckle>

+1 for Last Stand! Excellent book. Not saying that it is the only one, just saying it was a rivetting read.

quote:

ORIGINAL: bssybeep

To get into the AE mood, anybody have some recommendations for good pac war books? Any topic related to the pac war is acceptable.

quote:

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.

quote:

ORIGINAL: TheElf

Must reads for the Air War:

Shattered Sword - Parshall, Tully
Fire in the Sky - Bergerud
1st Team series - Lundstrom
Bloody Shambles series - Shores
The Black Sheep: the Real Story (not to be confused with BAA BAA Black Sheep) - Gamble
The Fleet Carriers - Reynolds
Carrier Clash - Hammel
Carrier Strike - Hammel
SAMURAI! - Sakai (with Caidin & Saito)


Others:
Anything by Barret Tillman
Fist From the Sky - Smith
Destroyer Squadron 23 - Jones
Burma: the longest War 1941-1945 - Allen