The Battle of Midway

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Craig L. Symonds (Professor of History, Professor of History, U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD, United States)

The Battle of Midway

Craig L. Symonds (Professor of History, Professor of History, U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD, United States)

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English

Oxford University Press Inc
01 January 2012

History; Asian history; History of the Americas; 20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000; Second World War

Series: Pivotal Moments in American History

There are few moments in American history in which the course of events tipped so suddenly and so dramatically as at the Battle of Midway. At dawn of June 4, 1942, a rampaging Japanese navy ruled the Pacific. By sunset, their vaunted carrier force (the Kido Butai) had been sunk and their grip on the Pacific had been loosened forever. In this absolutely riveting account of a key moment in the history of World War II, one of America's leading naval historians, Craig L. Symonds paints an unforgettable portrait of ingenuity, courage, and sacrifice. Symonds begins with the arrival of Admiral Chester A. Nimitz at Pearl Harbor after the devastating Japanese attack, and describes the key events leading to the climactic battle, including both Coral Sea--the first battle in history against opposing carrier forces--and Jimmy Doolittle's daring raid of Tokyo. He focuses throughout on the people involved, offering telling portraits of Admirals Nimitz, Halsey, Spruance and numerous other Americans, as well as the leading Japanese figures, including the poker-loving Admiral Yamamoto. Indeed, Symonds sheds much light on the aspects of Japanese culture--such as their single-minded devotion to combat, which led to poorly armored planes and inadequate fire-safety measures on their ships--that contributed to their defeat. The author's account of the battle itself is masterful, weaving together the many disparate threads of attack--attacks which failed in the early going--that ultimately created a five-minute window in which three of the four Japanese carriers were mortally wounded, changing the course of the Pacific war in an eye-blink. Symonds is the first historian to argue that the victory at Midway was not simply a matter of luck, pointing out that Nimitz had equal forces, superior intelligence, and the element of surprise. Nimitz had a strong hand, Symonds concludes, and he rightly expected to win.

By: Craig L. Symonds (Professor of History Professor of History U.S. Naval Academy Annapolis MD United States)
Imprint: Oxford University Press Inc
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 163mm, Width: 236mm, Spine: 36mm
Weight: 816g
ISBN: 9780195397932
ISBN 10: 0195397932
Series: Pivotal Moments in American History
Pages: 400
Publication Date: 01 January 2012
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Reviews for The Battle of Midway

<br> [W]holly satisfying . . . a lucid, intensely researched, mildly revisionist account of a significant moment in American military history. --Kirkus Reviews, starred review <br><p><br>