WWII Aviation Books

[Rich46yo]

Shattered Sword author Jonathan Parshall did a great prez to the National WWII Museum Organization on youtube that discusses his book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23vL8AvqbDc

I really dont remember Fushido saying that attack aircraft were on the decks of the carriers, most of all Akagi. I seem to remember him saying CAP zero's were either being launched or recovered on the decks and the attack planes were being rearmed below decks.

A few things I'd like to say. 1, the Japanese were notorious with hiding facts in order to save face. Some, like me, would call it Lie'ing. They weren't worried in distorting history, in fact to this day they aren't. I have a cousin who teaches in Hiroshima and believe me they have their own version of WW2 thats far different from our own. The Midway attack itself was covered up from the public with a pack of lies for the duration of the war. The survivors were basically prisoners at a remote location for months afterwards and forbidden to speak about Midway for the duration as well. To them anything that saved the Nation Family from disgrace could never be a Lie.

2, For being pioneers of the fast carrier strike group they really wern't very good at it. Their fire fighting and damage control was very poor. The pace of their carrier sorties was not good. For instance the fact they couldnt warm up engines below decks was a serious design flaw.

3, Nagumo was simply the wrong guy to command even a bathtub ship. OTW to Pearl the guy almost had a nervous break down. He didn't like Yamamato and he didnt believe in fast carrier strike force doctrine. Or in Yamamato's plans or strategic vision. Of all the fools to be put in command of Kido Butai he was the biggest they could pick. Maybe someone else can tell me how he got the command, I have no doubt it was a relic of Japans feudalistic past that put him there but he was just a terrible commander.

Anyway I'm reading Target Tokyo by James Scott again. Its always amazed me how 16 two engined bombers with small bomb loads could change the course of human history so much. But again this was Showa era Japan and a air attack on the homeland at that time just shocked the heck out of them.

[Vraciu]

I really dont remember Fushido saying that attack aircraft were on the decks of the carriers, most of all Akagi. I seem to remember him saying CAP zero's were either being launched or recovered on the decks and the attack planes were being rearmed below decks.

I read Fuchida's book decades ago.   The take I got from it was the saving face thing.  "We were moments away from launching a crippling attack when bad luck got us."

The question then arises what he meant by "we" and by "decks".   Hangar decks?  Flight decks?

Parshall and Tully take Fuchida to task.   In the end, it doesn't much matter.  They may or may not be correct about his motive, but their research on this topic has dramatically shifted the view of what took place.

Good comments on your part even though I didn't quote them.

[Golfer]

Devotion. It's Korea but they're flying Corsairs off the USS Leyte and I liked the book.

Forever Flying should be on the list if it's not already mentioned.  Bob Hoover.

[Mister Fork]

I read Fuchida's book decades ago.   The take I got from it was the saving face thing.  "We were moments away from launching a crippling attack when bad luck got us."

The question then arises what he meant by "we" and by "decks".   Hangar decks?  Flight decks?

Parshall and Tully take Fuchida to task.   In the end, it doesn't much matter.  They may or may not be correct about his motive, but their research on this topic has dramatically shifted the view of what took place.

Good comments on your part even though I didn't quote them.

I do find it interesting that overall, the Battle of Midway didn't really matter on the outcome.  Japan woke the sleeping giant - the United States industrial capacity for production was many times that of Japan, and then it just became a war of attrition. Winning Midway gave them more options to change the pace with the sinking of the IJN carrier fleet but it didn't change the outcome of the war. Neither if the USN carrier group had of been in the Pearl Harbour at the time.

[Vraciu]

I do find it interesting that overall, the Battle of Midway didn't really matter on the outcome.  Japan woke the sleeping giant - the United States industrial capacity for production was many times that of Japan, and then it just became a war of attrition. Winning Midway gave them more options to change the pace with the sinking of the IJN carrier fleet but it didn't change the outcome of the war. Neither if the USN carrier group had of been in the Pearl Harbour at the time.

Yep.  In 1943 we,  U.S., built over sixty aircraft carriers of all types.  Japan only two.    Game over right there. 

[Rich46yo]

Shattered Sword arrived today and I'm deeply immersed in it now. Fabulous stuff, the Pacific side.

[Guppy35]

"Nanette" by Edwards Park.  Best dammed WW2 fighter pilot book ever and I've read most of em

[Vraciu]

Shattered Sword arrived today and I'm deeply immersed in it now. Fabulous stuff, the Pacific side.

My brother!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   RIGHT ON!!!   

[Vraciu]

"Nanette" by Edwards Park.  Best dammed WW2 fighter pilot book ever and I've read most of em

Gotta' mark this one down.

Also Clostermann's THE BIG SHOW.   I liked it.

STUKA PILOT may be my fav autobiography though.    The perspective of the war in the East he gives is unmatched.

[Oldman731]

STUKA PILOT may be my fav autobiography though.    The perspective of the war in the East he gives is unmatched.

If you believe it. 

- oldman

[Guppy35]

If you believe it. 

- oldman

Yep.  Not a fan of Rudel

[Vraciu]

If you believe it. 

- oldman

I do believe it.

I don't believe in his Nazism.  But I believe what he wrote in the book is factual.  From the perspective of a warrior it is damned good.

[Rich46yo]

Already Shattered Sword book has shot down a lot about Yamamato from the Japanese movies about him, "not that I believe movies at all". In fact I'm very cynical about war movies. But the movies portrays Yamamato as a good family man who was uninterested in fame and fortune when the actual gacts were he loved 'hoing with Geisha's and boozing a lot and his own kids barely knew him because he was almost never home.

Also he self promoted himself all the time as well as cultivated a personality cult in the IJN to further his idea's. As well he loved the cash and benefits that came with higher rank, the Japanese military at the time was very rank conscious and a lot of perks came with each star sewn on.

So the reality was he was like almost every other general or Admiral in every other nations Military service including Japan. Almost all had mistress's, almost all loved the booze and party's, almost all loved the good stuff that came with rank.

I watch movies to be entertained. I read books to learn. Movies of actual events are notoriously full of beans.

[Gman]

Picked up Shattered Sword myself today, great so far.

A great but not frequently reviewed book is "A Thousand Shall Fall" by Murray Peden, which is strange as many well known authors and critics have lauded it as one of the best books on the night bombing campaign in Europe written.  The Amazon page reviews speak for themselves, as do those who wrote forwards/review clips/etc for the print copies of the book.  Very well written book, a lot of insight into the Sterlings, Fortress, and Lanc bombers, as well as some really specific missions like early ECM stuff which the author did.

Shattered Sword is a somewhat newer book on this subject, probably one of the reasons why I hadn't heard of it until this thread, truly truly excellent so far about 1/4 way through.  I have it in both print and epub, if anyone wants to borrow it PM me, well worth the read IMO, and good timing too, as the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Midway is in a week.

[Vraciu]

Picked up Shattered Sword myself today, great so far.

It only gets better.  Glad you picked it up.

A great but not frequently reviewed book is "A Thousand Shall Fall" by Murray Peden, which is strange as many well known authors and critics have lauded it as one of the best books on the night bombing campaign in Europe written.  The Amazon page reviews speak for themselves, as do those who wrote forwards/review clips/etc for the print copies of the book.  Very well written book, a lot of insight into the Sterlings, Fortress, and Lanc bombers, as well as some really specific missions like early ECM stuff which the author did.

I will try that one.    If you want to read the "Shattered Sword" of the night bomber/fighter war in Europe pick up "THE OTHER BATTLE"--written by a guy who was in Lancs in the RAF.  He did some amazing research and writes on the totality of the night war on both sides--evolution, countermeasure, evolution, countermeasure--from beginning to end with the knowledge of someone who lived through it.   Outstanding all the way.

Shattered Sword is a somewhat newer book on this subject, probably one of the reasons why I hadn't heard of it until this thread, truly truly excellent so far about 1/4 way through.  I have it in both print and epub, if anyone wants to borrow it PM me, well worth the read IMO, and good timing too, as the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Midway is in a week.

Right on brother.