The Battle of Midway: The Naval Institute Guide to the U.S. Navy's Greatest Victory

I actually ordered the book by mistake and when it was delivered, I considered sending it back. I let it lay around for a few days then I thought I would give it a try. It turns out it is an outstanding book. My service time was with the U.S. Army so I am not a Navy guy but I enjoyed the book immensely. Comparing notes from the U.S. Navy personnel and the Japanese really made the book more interesting.

the battle of midway is one of my favorite historical subjects. My stepfather served in the navy his whole life and now he is retired and in his mid 70s and he enjoys reading navy stuff and so I thought I would get this for Christmas and I also got a book on Leyte gulf to give him on his birthday which is in February. this book on midway came very fast and was shrink wrapped and was in perfect condition. :)

In the spring of 1942, the Japanese Navy, flushed with "victory disease", was seeking a decisive fleet engagement with the hopes of destroying the remaining elements of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. After the daring Doolittle Raid, Admiral Yamamoto accelerated his planning for the invasion of Midway.Yamamoto's plan was complex. A diversionary raid on the Aleutians was meant to draw the Americans northward, away from Midway. However, the Americans, having broken the Japanese codes, knew that the real target was Midway. At the end of May, 1942, the American carriers Hornet and Enterprise sailed to a point 350 miles northeast of Midway. They were followed by the hastily repaired Yorktown a few days later. The Americans hoped to ambush the Japanese and deal a fatal blow to their fleet. This is exactly what happened, for on June 4, 1942, American dive-bombers smashed the four heavy Japanese carriers in what was the turning point in the Pacific War. Despite losing the Yorktown, the Americans seized the offensive and never gave it back.This book is a collection of essays, chapters, and articles written about the Battle of Midway. All aspects of the battle are covered, from Stanhope Ring's infamous "flight to nowhere" to pilot Wade McClusky's decision to follow the Japanese destroyer Arashi.I thought editor Thomas C. Hone did a good job of selecting items for this book. He relies heavily on the book "Black Shoe Admiral", a work about Admiral Frank J. Fletcher along with Mitsuo Fuchida's "Midway: The Battle That Doomed Japan". I especially enjoyed chapter 29, "Lost Letter of Midway", which deals with Stanhope Ring's infamous "flight to nowhere".I enjoyed reading this account of the Battle of Midway. A word of caution: this book is a collection of other works; it is not a stand-alone book in its own right. If you are looking for a thorough covering of the battle, I would recommend something else, such as Jonathan Parshall's fine "Shattered Sword" or Craig Symond's "The Battle of Midway". This book is good because it contains several short chapters dealing with specific aspects of the battle. This is a good book for a general overview of the Battle of Midway. Recommended.

This, in addition to "Shattered Sword" are must haves for those interested in the real story of the Battle of Midway. The new "Silver Waterfall" book is another good choice, though it is heavy on the SBD Dauntless history, which most books don't cover as well. The Naval Institute should be proud of this book, which stands with the best of its competitors.

Fantastic story, thats get experiences and opinions of combat officer from both sides of war because they played an important rolle in this war. Because of that is more realistic.best regardsRaul Bamonte

Midway was to the War in the Pacific what Stalingrad was to the War in Europe this volume examines the extraordinary victory of the allies in turning the war around and unlike many of the books written this come straight from the source the Navy itself. A must read for any military history enthusiast

An excellent beginner's guide to the Battle Of Midway. I've been a member of the Naval Institute for over thirty years and have purchased many fine books from them over the years. This is one of them. The editor tells you right off in the beginning that some of the information in this book is inaccurate because of it's age, but it's an excellent introduction to many fine pieces of writing on the subject. He relies a little too much on the work of John Lundstrom (author of 'Black Shoe Carrier Admiral'), who is trying to bolster the reputation of Admiral Fletcher, but all in all a very good beginner's guide to the literature of Midway.

This book takes information from various books ,articles and symposium on the Battle. It weaves the information into a coherent tale and gives many varied voices. It exposed me to other books I was not familiar with and gave good accounts of the different commanders American and from Japan. Well worth the reading.

Informative book. Arrived sooner than I thought

The Battle of Midway is certainly one of the most written of battles of WW II and one can wonder why a new account. But this book isn't an account of the battle, but a "mise en perspective", quite complete. It enables the reader to build his own point of view, relying on the best information available today, and on the statements of the best specialists of the topic. Thank you to the Naval Institute for having released this guide.

TRES BIEN

Pour ceux qui lisent l'anglais évidemment. Lecture aisée et je dois dire que je n'ai pas trouvé mieux en français !