A longtime military history professor at Virginia Military Institute and prolific author; Spencer Tucker examines the important roles played by the Union and Confederate navies during the Civil War. His book makes use of recent scholarship as well as official records and the memoirs of participants to provide a complete perspective for the general reader and enough detail to hold the interest of the specialist. Tucker opens with an overview of the U.S. Navy's history to 1861 and then closely examines the two navies at the beginning of the war; looking at the senior leadership; officers and personnel; organization; recruitment practices; training; facilities; and manufacturing resources. He discusses the acquisition of ships and the design and construction of new types; as well as ship armament and the development of naval ordnance; and North and South naval strategies. The book then takes a close look at the war itself; including the Union blockade of the Confederate Atlantic and Gulf coasts; riverine warfare in the Western theater; Confederate blockade running and commerce raiders; and the Union campaigns against New Orleans; Charleston; Vicksburg; and on the Red River. Tucker covers the major battles and technological innovations; and he evaluates the significance of the Union blockade and the demands it placed on Union resources. Fourteen maps and a glossary of terms help readers follow the text. Extensive endnotes provide additional material.
#833980 in Books Naval Institute Press 2013-09-15Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.24 x 1.53 x 6.24l; 2.30 #File Name: 1591141613622 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Comprehensive look at a complex manBy Schatzi's MomAnyone with an interest in military intelligence will find this a page-turner. While it (wisely!) doesn't get far into the nuts and bolts of code-breaking; it does make clear what kind of individual is needed in the absence of today's computing power: a maverick. Recall that JN-25 was not entirely an encryption; like Enigma; wherein one needed only to find the key. Instead; Rochefort and his team needed to do the equivalent of figuring out who had an encrypted phone number; given a directory (without today's reverse entries); after solving the encryption that overlaid it. That a small group of human brains could do this at all is a gargantuan accomplishment.In a wider context; the Navy after Pearl Harbor was a man awakened by a kick in the groin in strange surroundings. Its crown jewels were sitting in harbor mud; temporarily useless at best; so it couldn't even fight the last war (the one for which it was trained). It had aircraft carriers but no experience in their wartime use. Aircraft were substandard; their crews poorly trained thanks in part to lack of relevant prior experience to reference. Below the surface; the very marginally functional Mark 14 torpedo was a cruel joke compared to the enemy's weapon. Radar was a new toy that hadn't earned a reputation of reliability. And the enemy would surely strike again; soon; somewhere; and with a weapon honed by recent experience.Rochefort's story is part of the wider miracle; that of the ability of Americans to adapt quickly as needed to learn serious lessons; to adapt; and to prevail. Carlson's presentation is engaging and well worth the time.38 of 40 people found the following review helpful. Wonderfully told; meticulously researched story of a remarkable naval personality......By Long-Suffering Technology ConsumerThose already familiar with the Battle of Midway probably know the basics: it was the first major US victory in the Pacific; crucial to both American morale and to turning back the Japanese advances in that theater. Those with this awareness probably also remember that the successes of US Navy codebreakers against the Japanese navy's principal operational code (JN-25); and the value these added in the allowing Nimitz to defeat Yamamoto in blue-water engagement centered on Midway Island in early June; 1942. To be sure; it was the fighting spirit; shiphandling and airmanship of the Pacific Fleet that ultimately won the battle. But it was the intelligence successes against JN-25 that allowed Nimitz to have his forces in the right place at the right time; thus realizing Joe Rochefort's vision of combat intelligence.In "Joe Rochefort's War"; Elliot Carlson presents a wonderfully researched and engagingly narrated history of the events that led Joe Rochefort to the basement spaces at Pearl Harbor that would mine Japanese communications treasure for Nimitz. In doing so; Carlson does a masterful job of illuminating many of the organizational and cultural clashes present in the WWII navy (some of which would still be around when my service began more than 30 years later). Carlson pulls no punches in describing the the politics of the officer corps --especially the mid-20th century gap between Academy and non-Academy educated officers-- and the lack of regard "operational" officers held for intelligence (especially intelligence as unproven as the kind Rochefort was delivering...which was virtually the only intelligence available to fleet decision makers at the time). For those currently serving who are watching organizational battles over missions and resources: you'll be glad to know that nothing has changed since WWII. Carlson also debunks some of the popular Rochefort myths perpetuated by other accounts of Midway (including Hal Holbrook's characterization in the 1976 movie "Midway").Carlson walks a fine line between the rather dry and very arcane discussions of the cryptanalytic techniques that Rochefort's crew developed; and the personal and organizational influences that shaped Rochefort's career. Carlson also adds enough operational details about the Battle of Midway without re-creating what has already been documented in many other works.While Rochefort is presented in a favorable light; "Joe Rochefort's War" is not a hagiography; some of the apparent unfairness in the way he was treated by some of his superiors is appropriately defined by Rochefort's emphasis on mission success over wardroom politics...which; like it are not; are a non-negotiable part of getting the orders you want and continuing to advance as a naval officer (even during wartime; wars end; but wardroom politics have a far longer shelf life!).Equally as interesting as the events surrounding Midway are the details of Rochefort's unconventional ascent from enlisted man to commissioned officer; and his post-Midway naval and civilian pursuits.This is a compelling tale of naval and intelligence successes and a remarkable leader at the intersection of his professional peak and world events; and Joe Rochefort was long overdue for this treatment. Travel through a naval career spanning three wars with Joseph Rochefort; you won't be sorry.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A great story of a very great American horo unknown to most people.By Charles H. StarliperJoe Rochefort is a great American hero but very few have ever heard of him. This book tells a great story of facts that are shockingly unfair to Rochefort; a man who was so badly treated that it remained for President Reagan to award him his medal; posthumously; that he was deprived of by egotistical Naval officer "politicians." In spite of all that; this book gives us a great account of the man. Wish there were more stuff out on Rochefort.
