ePub Incredible Victory: The Battle of Midway (Classics of War) by Walter Lord in History

Review

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. A good read.By Pepe WolfI really enjoyed this book. Of course I like military history so I expected to enjoy it. One thing though...I don't think I much expanded my understanding of the battle or how the command structure operated. Most of the key events I already knew from other reading. I also did not feel that the characters of the two admirals...Fletcher and Spruance...who were key came through at all. History turns on the individual actions of individual people who find themselves in extraordinary circumstance...I particularly wanted to know more about Spruance; but nothing comes through. It's a great read; well researched and understandable; but still left me a bit unsatisfied. Perhaps I am comparing it too much to something like "Killer Angels" where the role of Colonel Chamberlain and the 20th Maine at Little Round Top demonstrate how one man; leading determined and valiant troops will alter the course of history.I knew much of the battle; having researched it a bit for an add I wrote once about the value of early warning....situational awareness...in the military context. In this case; we found them before they found us. We got in the first blows..albeit with little damage...and the resulting disruption to the Japanese plans meant they never really recovered. That and the fact our commanders made the right decisions at the key moments...hit them; and then hit them again. Don't wait...don't hesitate.4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. The US could read enough of their content to get a good grasp of the Japanese battle planBy Robert A KeownThis book is outstanding in the way it examines the assumptions each side made about the other and how those assumptions affected the way they each prepared for the encounter. On the Japanese side they assumed that their encrypted radio communications were secure when they were not. The US could read enough of their content to get a good grasp of the Japanese battle plan. The next obvious flaw in the Japanese preparation came when they 'gamed' their plan. The Red team (US) suddenly gained an advantage and the referees over-ruled it. A better approach when gaming is to allow everything to run to its conclusion then go back and see why that advantage was gained; then replan to avert the possibility of being bested in those circumstances. On the US side once they were in engagement with the enemy they made a very bad decision in commiting torpedo bombers to attack the Japanese carriers. Torpedoes which could attain 33 knots versus carriers which could attain 29 knots when the carriers possessed a withering low level air defence system was never a viable attack option which the US discovered to their detriment when few if any attacking aircraft returned. The Japanese meantime had made a decision to re-role their air defence fighters to an attack role so left their fleet without air defence. At that point the US dive bombers arrived and within a very short period dispatched all 4 Japanese carriers to 'Davy Jones locker' .This book contains enough lesson in tactics;planning; and execution; that it should be in the library of every military training school and staff college. A well written analysis of a unique battle.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Great read of courageous men and an incredible victoryBy CustomerThis book really brought home to me the war in the pacific and the naval men and marines who fought in the early days after pearl harbor. I applaud the author for bringing the varied stories of the men and officers of both navies; US and Japanese. The most remarkable part of the book for me was the courage of the men who fought this battle. Early in the war the Japanese had the advantage of being the better trained and professional carrier trained. But as you read this book you see how the American tenacity; adaptability; do what it takes; and especially the courage of the sailors; pilots and marines to get the job done. The book is written in a very easy to read and effective style. For me it was a page turner that I read in same number of days as the battle raged. The book is aptly titled an incredible and courageous victory.