Admiral Nimitz: The Commander of the Pacific Ocean Theater: The Commander of the Pacific Ocean Theater

by Brayton Harris

Chester Nimitz was an admiral’s Admiral, considered by many to be the greatest naval leader of the last century. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Nimitz assembled the forces, selected the leaders, and - as commander of all U.S. and Allied air, land, and sea forces in the Pacific Ocean - led the charge one island at a time, one battle at a time, toward victory. A brilliant strategist, he astounded contemporaries by achieving military victories against fantastic odds, outpacing more flamboyant luminaries like General Douglas MacArthur and Admiral "Bull" Halsey. And he was there to accept, on behalf of the United States, the surrender of the Japanese aboard the battleship USS Missouri in August 1945. In this first biography in over three decades, Brayton Harris uses long-overlooked files and recently declassified documents to bring to life one of America’s greatest wartime heroes.

Genres: History, Biography, World War II, Military Fiction, Nonfiction, War

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 3, 2012

Reviews

[Darrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Admiral Nimitz is my favorite leader of WWII. His leadership was key to the U.S. success in the defeat of Japan. The area of his command was vast and spread out against a superior naval enemy. He was able to facilitate key victories like Midway and Leyte Gulf. He also had the ability to facilitate his command with other, more boisterous commanders, like MacArthur, Halsey and King to achieve his goals.
After the war, he was also played a key role in the current military structure including helping to save the Marine Corps. Post war he was also one of the first to realize the importance of submarines. He believed that if they could operate more submerged they would be highly effective in positioning nuclear missiles in the new world. He was Chief of Naval Operations and approved the nuclear naval propulsion program. He was the one who started future Admiral Rickover on his path to being the 'father of the nuclear Navy'.
This book provides an excellent review of all these achievements but it is a little on the general side and that is why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5. The book by E.B. Potter is a much more detailed and more fitting biography. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed the book and would recommend it to others.

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book free from the Goodreads give away program. I felt it was an excellent story of an humble man. Admiral Nimitz was not one to seek the lime light. He was a true leader of men. He valued his men and demonstrated that to them. I am a WWII buff and this book had a little different approach to the history of that time. It was more about Naval history, strategies of the pacific war and the huge military egos involved. It addressed the infighting between the men in Washington DC and the men incharge on the front lines. I would recommend this book to everyone.

[Doug · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I have read MANY different books about WWII and specifically the Pacific Theater. None of them have really addresses the man behind the plan. If you are looking for details of the battles and ships, this is not your book. If, however, you would like to learn more about the character of Adm. Nimitz, this book does a VERY good job, by using stories and dialog from his life. An enjoyable read.

[Jungsoo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A general war time biography of the father of the modern Navy

The war produced many heroes. Though Nimitz was generally quiet and humble about his contributions, his role in the Pacific theater stands out.

The book briefly covers Nimitz’s early years and provides insights on how his experience forged his leadership style. Much of the book covers the WWII, particularly the Pacific theater, and his leadership during the period. While the book does a good job covering the wartime without delving into too much details, it could have been better to unravel more on how and what Nimitz thought and felt and his relationships with his contemporaries. However, the book is fast paced and reads well overall. If you’d like to learn about Nimitz’s life, especially during the wartime, without overwhelming amount of details, this book is a great one to start.

[Brayden Battershell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book about the life and leadership of Admiral Nimitz. I enjoyed reading about the Pacific theatre aspect of World War II and Nimitz's relationship with MacArthur specifically. I had never learned about the backlash towards the Navy and Marines after World War II, and this book did a good job of explaining that. My critiques are that the book is a little short and I would have liked more specific details and longer accounts of some of the events and battles in the Pacific. I would recommend this book to anyone who is wanting a not so typical account of World War II and the Pacific Ocean theatre, as well as a good profile on leadership abilities and qualities, which are evident in Admiral Nimitz.

[Uwe Mueller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tolerable lacking content.

A decent read that lacked many details of the Admirals career progression and in-depth discussion of accomplishments and setbacks post Pearl Harbor. Many missed opportunities to describe in more detail Nimitz's thought process and how he overcame adversity. Devoid of maps, charts and most pictures this book missed the mark.

[Bob Spiridigliozzi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good book about ADM Nimitz but it went a little overboard on the adulation for Nimitz. He was a great Admiral who did a lot to ensure our success in the Pacific while at the same time having to deal with MacArthur but I think Mr. Harris was a little too fawning in his analysis.

[Daniel Little · Rating 4 out of 5]

I anticipated the arrival of Brayton Harris’ biography on Admiral Chester Nimitz with excitement and just a little trepidation. The excitement because I had not yet read any of the very limited works on the history of one of the United States Navy’s greatest leaders and the trepidation because that also meant Harris would have found surprisingly little information while researching his book.

It is nothing short of scandalous that such an important military leader has been so completely ignored and yet, Nimitz himself would probably have preferred it that way. Showing the genius of a truly great commander, unlike his army counterpart in the Pacific, he allowed the men on the front lines to acquire the headlines, and therefore, the glory.

In spite of having little available, Harris has managed to assemble an informative and educational history of Fleet Admiral Nimitz from his early life, to his unfortunate passing. We are given a glimpse of the US Navy’s history in the twentieth century along the way and more than a few pieces of information were new to me.

For any military historian or fan of the people who have led and done so successfully, Admiral Nimitz is a must read. Hopefully this book will garner great success, if for no other reason than to educate others as to which commander really orchestrated the battles that mattered during World War II in the Pacific.

www.daniellittle.com

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brayton Harris's biography of Chester Nimitiz is a short (213 pages) and easy read about the man who headed American naval efforts in the Pacific during World War II. Harris has a clean and expressive writing style and favors the anecdote in describing Nimitz's impressive career. Particularly interesting were stories about Nimitz's time as a young officer in the Philippines (where his XO was John S. ("Slew") McCain) and his time, following WWII, as Chief of Naval Operations.[return][return]The book's weakness is a lack of detail about Nimitz's work as Commander in Chief, US Pacific Fleet, during WWII. While this thematically fits with the scope of the rest of the book (a light survey), it is frustrating that this work touches so lightly on Nimitz's major accomplishments. A student of the Pacific War will find little new here, which is a pity, as the author clearly has a gift for the narrative.[return][return]Read it to learn more about Nimitz's origins and temperament, but look elsewhere for a detailed history of his work during the war.

[Andrew · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are better books to put Nimitz in the context of World War II, particularly Borneman's book "The Admirals". Harris does a good job of indicating the internecine battles of the American military during and after the war.

A noteworthy part of the book lists "Nimitz Three Questions" that were hung in the admiral's office:
1. Is the proposed operation likely to succeed?
2. What might be the consequences of failure?
3. Is it in the realm of practicability of materials and supplies?

Nimitz own checklist of what to review on his desktop was: "Objective, Offensive, Surprise, Superiority of Force at Point of Contact, Simplicity, Security, Movement, Economy of Force, Cooperation."

Other historians, including Robert Love, note that Nimitz's ability to choose people -- even fiery leaders like William Halsey, Jr. -- and to craft cooperation, were among his strengths. Says Love, Nimitz had "a sense of inner balance and calm that steadied those around him."

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it was well-written but too short. It seemed Harris was in a hurry with some of the more potentially interesting stories about Nimitz that could have been told with more depth. Nonetheless, I learned more insights into this man that I share a bloodline with and felt that Harris served him well. My only issue is that I think he deserves more coverage but appreciate his story being told once more in these contemporary times. Nimitz is a study in magnanimity and humility with a careful does of humor to offset the troubled times he was in charge of. What is also accomplished during the war is nothing short of miraculous. He is also the antithesis of his rival MacCarthur, but their differences and clashes like competition often does in business quite literally led to innovations that helped win the war and set the course for our future military.

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were times when things were a bit dull, but Admiral Nimitz did not leave the autobiography or notes of his life for the world to know who he was. He was determined people understand that HE didn't win the war - the men on the front lines did. There was no need for a lot of brouhaha about him. It should all go to the soldiers, sailors, marines, pilots, and their teammates. He was a true class act, and I'm glad the author was determined to get that point across.

[Alex McCabe · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book reads a bit like a story of WWII where Nimitz is the main character and commenting on the events. Would have enjoyed more analysis of the events and less mundane details and anecdotes from Nimitz's side. A good read, especially for someone who isn't a hardcore WWII buff, but I'd skip it in favor of the E.B. Potter biography if you get the chance.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

A workmanlike, well-researched portrait of a genuine American naval legend. Harris is a better scholar than writer, but the book moves along nicely in chronological order and gives the reader some insight into the political intrigues that define military life at the highest levels.

Some nice shots at MacArthur, too.

[Preston · Rating 2 out of 5]

A decent book that gave a pretty good insight on the life of Nimitz. It was a little boring at times and the author would sometimes incorrectly use words to try to appear eloquent in his writing so that was somewhat irritating.

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy, quick read. It was strong on personal anecdotes, even winkling out rare occasions in which Nimitz let slip some frustrations with his colleagues in the high command.

There was a running theme of press relations through it, which I have not seen many places.

[Andréa Geleynse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Admiral Nimitz was an excellent book and I really enjoyed learning more about the leader of the Pacific Fleet. Chester Nimitz was an incredible man and may possibly be my favourite allied war leader next to Winston Churchill.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Won a copy through Goodreads' First Reads program.

Superb biography of a down to earth hero who could have been your neighbor.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are a Navy veteran, this book is a must; excellent read!

[Marilyn Willis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book. I don't know much about the Military and I learned a lot by reading this book. Adm. Nimitz was a really good guy and very smart.

[Pei-jean Lu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compelling biography of the naval commander in charge of America's pacific fleet

[Roger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent overview of a strong naval commander, who was very modest about his own contributions throughout his career.

[Patrick Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good book that showed Chester Nimitz as he was under pressure and in the easier days of retirement. This book portrays a master strategist who would forge ahead, with intelligence and not stubbornness, in the face of any enemy, any odds, any resistance. It also portrays a man who was a gentlemen in civilian and military life, who thought highly of his subordinates physical and psychological well being. A man who was a true inspiration to many, a true leader. A man who sat with sailors, ensigns and presidents alike with the same candor and humor. A man who tried to live by a creed of punctuality and civility. Admiral Nimitz led our naval forces around the world and defeated the Japanese Imperial Navy in World War II. A man unequaled in his time who still owned up to his errors.