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U.S. Landmark Books #105
The Flying Tigers
During World War II, a group of American fighter pilots roamed the skies over China and Burma, menacing the Japanese war effort without letup. Flamboyant, daring, and courageous, they were called the Flying Tigers. The Tigers, who had been recruited from the Army, Navy, and Marines, first saw action as a volunteer group fighting on the side of the Chiang Kia-shek's China against Japan. Trained in the unconventional air-combat tactics of their maverick leader Claire Lee Chennault, they racked up some of the most impresive air victory records of World War II. This is the story of Chennault and his magnificent Tigers — and how they performed the impossible.
154 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1963
17 people are currently reading
226 people want to read
About the author
John Toland
40 books194 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
John^Toland - 17th century theologian, Philosopher & Satirist
John^^Toland - American writer and historian (WWII & Dillinger)
John^^^Toland - Article: "The Man who Reads Minds"
John Willard Toland (June 29, 1912 in La Crosse, Wisconsin - January 4, 2004 in Danbury, Connecticut) was an American author and historian. He is best known for his biography of Adolf Hitler.[1]
Toland tried to write history as a straightforward narrative, with minimal analysis or judgment. This method may have stemmed from his original goal of becoming a playwright. In the summers between his college years, he travelled with hobos and wrote several plays with hobos as central characters, none of which achieved the stage.[2] At one point he managed to publish an article on dirigibles in Look magazine; it proved extremely popular and led to his career as a historian.
One exception to his general approach is his Infamy: Pearl Harbor and Its Aftermath about the Pearl Harbor attack and the investigations of it, in which he wrote about evidence that President Franklin Roosevelt knew in advance of plans to attack the naval base but remained silent. The book was widely criticized at the time. Since the original publication, Toland added new evidence and rebutted early critics. Also, an anonymous source, known as "Seaman Z" (Robert D. Ogg) has since come forth to publicly tell his story.
Perhaps his most important work, for which he won the Pulitzer Prize in 1971, is The Rising Sun. Based on original and extensive interviews with high Japanese officials who survived the war, the book chronicles Imperial Japan from the military rebellion of February 1936 to the end of World War II. The book won the Pulitzer because it was the first book in English to tell the history of the war in the Pacific from the Japanese point of view, rather than from an American perspective.
The stories of the battles for the stepping stones to Japan, the islands in the Pacific which had come under Japanese domination, are told from the perspective of the commander sitting in his cave rather than from that of the heroic forces engaged in the assault. Most of these commanders committed suicide at the conclusion of the battle, but Toland was able to reconstruct their viewpoint from letters to their wives and from reports they sent to Tokyo. Toland died in 2004 of pneumonia.
While predominantly a non-fiction author, Toland also wrote two historical novels, Gods of War and Occupation. He says in his autobiography that he earned little money from his Pulitzer Prize-winning, The Rising Sun, but was set for life from the earnings of his biography of Hitler, for which he also did original research.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Tol...
John^Toland - 17th century theologian, Philosopher & Satirist
John^^Toland - American writer and historian (WWII & Dillinger)
John^^^Toland - Article: "The Man who Reads Minds"
John Willard Toland (June 29, 1912 in La Crosse, Wisconsin - January 4, 2004 in Danbury, Connecticut) was an American author and historian. He is best known for his biography of Adolf Hitler.[1]
Toland tried to write history as a straightforward narrative, with minimal analysis or judgment. This method may have stemmed from his original goal of becoming a playwright. In the summers between his college years, he travelled with hobos and wrote several plays with hobos as central characters, none of which achieved the stage.[2] At one point he managed to publish an article on dirigibles in Look magazine; it proved extremely popular and led to his career as a historian.
One exception to his general approach is his Infamy: Pearl Harbor and Its Aftermath about the Pearl Harbor attack and the investigations of it, in which he wrote about evidence that President Franklin Roosevelt knew in advance of plans to attack the naval base but remained silent. The book was widely criticized at the time. Since the original publication, Toland added new evidence and rebutted early critics. Also, an anonymous source, known as "Seaman Z" (Robert D. Ogg) has since come forth to publicly tell his story.
Perhaps his most important work, for which he won the Pulitzer Prize in 1971, is The Rising Sun. Based on original and extensive interviews with high Japanese officials who survived the war, the book chronicles Imperial Japan from the military rebellion of February 1936 to the end of World War II. The book won the Pulitzer because it was the first book in English to tell the history of the war in the Pacific from the Japanese point of view, rather than from an American perspective.
The stories of the battles for the stepping stones to Japan, the islands in the Pacific which had come under Japanese domination, are told from the perspective of the commander sitting in his cave rather than from that of the heroic forces engaged in the assault. Most of these commanders committed suicide at the conclusion of the battle, but Toland was able to reconstruct their viewpoint from letters to their wives and from reports they sent to Tokyo. Toland died in 2004 of pneumonia.
While predominantly a non-fiction author, Toland also wrote two historical novels, Gods of War and Occupation. He says in his autobiography that he earned little money from his Pulitzer Prize-winning, The Rising Sun, but was set for life from the earnings of his biography of Hitler, for which he also did original research.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Tol...
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
January 23, 2013
One of my first reads in Elementary School....led to lifelong fascination with the AVG
February 1, 2022
Against impossible odds, the flying tigers were the fate of China and are one of the greatest aviation groups to exist just like the Aztec eagles. John Toland narrates every battle with precision and detail, the battles he narrates make me feel like the planes swooping and shooting down the Japanese targets. If the flying tigers hadn't been stationed in Burma, all of China would be forced to surrender to the Japanese naval blockade, thus concluding that the flying tigers changed the tides of war within the pacific theater.
The author expands upon the theme that bravery and effort can make you a hero. Many of the flying tigers were just inexperienced recruits from the naval aviation groups and claire lee Chenault transformed into seasoned veterans. The veterans had to live in poor conditions, is filled with a lot of mosquitoes and constant bombings. I feel like they have contributed a lot to the fate of China.
The author expands upon the theme that bravery and effort can make you a hero. Many of the flying tigers were just inexperienced recruits from the naval aviation groups and claire lee Chenault transformed into seasoned veterans. The veterans had to live in poor conditions, is filled with a lot of mosquitoes and constant bombings. I feel like they have contributed a lot to the fate of China.
December 29, 2017
AVG - American Volunteer Group, a group of aviators who were trained to fly a specific plane to advantage against the newest and best planes. Chennault had been trained in the US and was recruited by the Chinese to come and help protect China from the Japanese. He had the latest intelligence on what the Japanese were flying and where they were headed. He went to the top and still did not really get the help he needed to do what would eventually prove to be good and bad, good because the men ended up being the best fliers and mechanics in the military and bad because the men were totally worn out from constantly flying and repairing the planes.
This was a really interesting book. I remember one time hearing that the Americans, when shot down over China, had to get back on their own. The Chinese would not help them because of a tradition stating that if they helped a flier they would be responsible for that man for the rest of his life. I kept expecting that to come up in the book, but it wasn't there. I don't remember where I learned this and so that was why I was hoping it would be mentioned there.
The other thing that made this an interesting book for me, is that up at the Wright Patterson Airforce Base, Museum, is a monument dedicated to the AVG and Chennault. It is a very beautiful monument.
The book was very interesting as it talks about the history of the AVG and Chennault and how they protected China and kept them safer than if they hadn't been there at all. I do recommend this book.
This was a really interesting book. I remember one time hearing that the Americans, when shot down over China, had to get back on their own. The Chinese would not help them because of a tradition stating that if they helped a flier they would be responsible for that man for the rest of his life. I kept expecting that to come up in the book, but it wasn't there. I don't remember where I learned this and so that was why I was hoping it would be mentioned there.
The other thing that made this an interesting book for me, is that up at the Wright Patterson Airforce Base, Museum, is a monument dedicated to the AVG and Chennault. It is a very beautiful monument.
The book was very interesting as it talks about the history of the AVG and Chennault and how they protected China and kept them safer than if they hadn't been there at all. I do recommend this book.
April 7, 2019
Reads like a Novel. Well researched a great insight into the war in Asia and how a few men and a leader with a vision could achieve so much. As an amateur historian I was wrapped in this story. A must read.
August 31, 2021
There is so little written about the Chinese World War II story. Here Americans flew and won victory after victory against the Japanese. Without their involvement, China would have fallen and Japanese looting of raw materials would have been unabated which would have given them the necessary war needs to build their fighting capabilities. Chennault would lead the Flying Tigers in a desperate situation and beat back the advancing Japanese with his advanced flying tactics. This is a must read for any WWII buff.
December 8, 2020
I liked it. It's pretty short, but its a great introduction to WWII in China and US aid to Chiang Kai Shek. There are lots of big personalities and sounds like and amazing place and organization to be part of. I don't think anything like it would be built today. The American Volunteer Group (AVG) were American Airmen who were allowed to leave the service to become mercenaries for the Chinese, then reabsorbed into the US military when the war was in full swing. There are plenty of modern mercenaries, many of them former Soldiers, but I don't think they would get the kind of free wheeling support that went to the ACG and they definitely wouldn't be as readily reabsorbed in the the US military.
October 3, 2020
My father-in-law served in the Army Air Corps in the China-Burma-India theater and flew “over the hump”, so when I found this old paperback in the house I read it. Although it is non-fiction it read like an action adventure story. Well done. It makes me want to find that old movie about the Flying Tigers with John Wayne.
December 10, 2022
Short, interesting historical account of the American Volunteer Group (AVG) in China during World War 2.
This group was often referred to has "The Flying Tigers" because of the nose art on their P-40 fighters.
Some exciting short excerpts of encounters with the Japanese and the characters involved. Some read like a history book.
This group was often referred to has "The Flying Tigers" because of the nose art on their P-40 fighters.
Some exciting short excerpts of encounters with the Japanese and the characters involved. Some read like a history book.
May 16, 2020
It is how a man went to America to beg for planes to fly in China. The Japanese were attacking that country. He started air bases and shaped the noses of the planes like sharks. They were called tigers. HIs first two pilots were Christians and one came from Korea
July 29, 2017
This was a very good book. I felt it was better than the John Wayne movie. I actually wish the movie had been like this book. It was very easy to read and follow.
September 16, 2017
This is a great story of Claire Lee Chennault, and his magnificent Tigers, a group of pilots in WWII who accomplished the impossible and whose heroics helped to win the war.
December 29, 2019
Read in elementary school, very good.
March 14, 2020
Read several times as a child obsessed with aviation and military history.
June 12, 2020
3.75. amazing story but a little too easy-peasey
June 6, 2021
This is a great story. Or stories of great air battles. Well written for any aged reader.
July 17, 2022
A great introduction to the exploits of the Flying Tigers of WWII.
January 19, 2023
Quick read but good info. If I finish a book and plan to read again, I usually give a 5.
May 2, 2024
A rip-roaring ride of patriotism and pure American grit! This was a clean and inspiring read.
December 31, 2025
very exciting. China totally owes America. depressing at parts
June 29, 2022
WWII History Amazing
Over the years, I have heard many stories about the second world war and The Flying Tigers. I really enjoyed this very explicit book about them. I have been reading quite a lot recently about the war in Europe and the concentration camps, it was great to read about the war in the Pacific.
Over the years, I have heard many stories about the second world war and The Flying Tigers. I really enjoyed this very explicit book about them. I have been reading quite a lot recently about the war in Europe and the concentration camps, it was great to read about the war in the Pacific.
October 30, 2020
Volunteer American pilots in China, paid extra because of the conditions and danger, fought an air battle against superior numbers and advanced planes to stem the Japanese in their domination of China. Called the Flying Tigers, they used unconventional tactics to maximize the strengths of their aged planes against the new Japanese Zero.
Why I started this book: This month I started way to many books, and couldn't get into them... so I would then start another. This was one of the another books.
Why I finished it: Short audio, but good introduction to the fliers that worked on a shoestring to preserve Chinese forces in their fight against the Japanese. Impressive statistics and story and I'm very surprised that this hasn't been made into a WWII big action movie.
Why I started this book: This month I started way to many books, and couldn't get into them... so I would then start another. This was one of the another books.
Why I finished it: Short audio, but good introduction to the fliers that worked on a shoestring to preserve Chinese forces in their fight against the Japanese. Impressive statistics and story and I'm very surprised that this hasn't been made into a WWII big action movie.
March 28, 2016
I had a half-dozen of the Random House "Landmark" series of history books masquerading as biographies when I was a kid. I didn't have this one, and reading it today was just as enjoyable as reading the ones I had in the 70s. While the patriotic message is more than obvious, the personal sacrifice made by the pilots of the Flying Tigers is told in a very straightforward, factual way with enough personality of the individual men to give that "being there" feeling.
August 24, 2011
History of the American fifgter pilots who flew for the Chinese against the Japanese as mercanaries prior to the US entry into World War II. Most survivors would re-enter the US military following Pearl Harbor.
May 31, 2014
One of the first books I ever read was John Toland's "The Flying Tigers"; and I know I read it while in kindergarten, because I finger-painted my version of the same Book-of-the-Month Club cover above, with a glorious shark mouth on a P-40 zooming over the Burmese Jungle.
August 20, 2009
Very informative, great pacing, and had lots of primary sources among the secondary narration :)
September 16, 2012
Awesome.
June 25, 2023
An incredible story of some of the greatest pilots of WW2. It was able to capture the emotions of everyone involved very well.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews