The Transformation of Pearl Harbor: From Infamy to Greatness

A. Nagle: Nelson does a great job giving a full picture of the attack on Pearl Harbor. His brief history of Japan and the Japanese-US relationship gave a nice back story and helped show how Japan ended up deciding to attack the US. The story is very interesting but it moves along quickly. Highly recommend!

United States on Oct 06, 2023

Blu: A broad comprehensive compendium of the background, origin, and consequent formal inquiries, concerning Hawaii which provoked President Roosevelt to famously describe December 07, 1941, as "... a date which will live in infamy" (p. 345). Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, the architect for the surprise attack upon Pearl Harbor, noted its success: "That we could defeat the enemy at the outbreak of the war was because they were unguarded and also they made light of us" (pp. 443-444). Not only Pearl Harbor where the sitting Pacific Fleet moored side-by-side, but also, the Japanese decimated the Kaneohe Bay Air Station's 36 parked reconnaissance planes, as well as, the U.S. Marines Mooring Mast Field's 25 parked planes, along with strafing the island. The racial stereotype of the inept small frail Japanese contributed to the tragic unpreparedness defending against the possibility of a Japanese strike. Further, there existed a myriad of portent indicators forewarning of the potential regarding Japanese hostilities, e.g., memoranda, orders, media, and, on November 27, 1941, an official "war warning" was announced by Chief Naval Officer Harold Stark to all commanders: "This dispatch is to be...

United States on Jun 15, 2023

Michael J. Boswell: Best book I’ve ever read!

United Kingdom on Aug 24, 2019

Jack Lee: It’s a very good read, thrilling at times, but it’s a bit too patriotic to get a clear and unbiased narrative which lets it down.

United Kingdom on May 11, 2019

3ampsam: Fascinating recollections from the veterans. Not a 100% historically correct but don't let that spoil your enjoyment. Well worth a read.

United Kingdom on Dec 11, 2018

H F S-ENG: some small technical blunders but overall a thoroughly interesting and informative read.

United Kingdom on Jan 28, 2018

Argyris Periferakis: The book is very detailed and very thoroughly researched, with a lot of detail on facts and personal accounts. However, only one third of the book is dedicated to the description of the actual attack at Pearl Harbor. Although both the prelude to Japanses entry into WWII and the aftermath of the attack are equally interesting the take up a disproportionate part of the book. More appropriately the book should have a more general title.
Also, I find it a bit irritating that the author chooses to extol the virtues of the USA quite many times. It is, after all, a historical account and not a pro-USA pamphlet.

United Kingdom on Mar 30, 2017

Jack Sparacino: For anyone searching for the definitive story of America’s dreadful plunge into WWII, this is probably it. Nelson spares little detail as he guides the reader through the labyrinth of political and economic machinations, bogus negotiations, trade war bombast, arms buildup (Japan in spades, the U.S. only after we were already in the fight), generally endless politicking, and scorching mutual ignorance of what each side was ultimately confronting. No, Japanese pilots weren’t nearsighted and inferior opponents. And no, Americans weren’t a bunch of lazy miscreants. Could rampant racism have ever been more threatening to world peace?

Nelson is a master at integrating historical narration with eyewitness accounts of the carnage and aftermath, right through to the Medal of Honor awards at the end of the book. Representative quotes are to be found on virtually every page. As a sample,

“Moored at Pearl’s submarine base, the eighteen ships of Lieutenant Commander William Specht’s Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron were still in working order, and their crews began rescue operations. Seventeen-year-old Mal Garcia was working dock detail during the attack when an officer...

United States on Jan 21, 2017