Fading Victory: The Diary of Admiral Matome Ugaki, 1941-1945

by Gordon W. Prange (Foreword), Donald M. Goldstein (Editor), Katherine V. Dillon (Editor)

Long out of print, theses wartime diaries of a key admiral of the Imperial Japanese Navy, provide a revealing inside look into the Japanese view of the Pacific War. Matome Ugaki was chief of staff of the Combined Fleet under Admiral Isoroki Yamamoto until both were shot down over Bougainville in April 1943, resulting in Yamamoto's death. He later served as commander of battleship and air fleets, finally directing the kamikaze attacks off Okinawa. Invaluable for its details of the Japanese navy at war, the diaries offer a running appraisal of the fighting and are augmented by editorial commentary that proves especially useful to American readers eager to see the war from the other side. When first published in 1991, this dairy was hailed as a major contribution to World War II literature as the only firsthand account of strategic planning for the entire war by a Japanese commander.

Genres: History, Japan, Naval History, World War II

750 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1991

About the author

A graduate of the University of Iowa, from where he received his Ph.D. in 1937, Gordon Prange began his teaching career as a professor of history at the University of Maryland. In 1942, he was granted a leave of absence from the University to embark on a wartime career as an officer in the United States Navy. Sent to Japan in 1945 as a member of the American Occupation Forces, after completing his Navy service he continued in Japan as a civilian from 1946 to 1951 as chief of General Douglas MacArthur's 100-person historical staff. When censorship of the Japanese media by Allied Forces was lifted in 1949 and the Civil Censorship Detachment disestablished, Professor Prange, recognizing the historical significance of the CCD material, arranged for its shipment to the University of Maryland. The materials arrived at the University in 1950. On September 15, 1978, the Board of Regents of the University of Maryland passed a motion to name the collection the 'Gordon W. Prange Collection: The Allied Presence in Japan, 1945-1952.' Professor Prange continued to teach at the University of Maryland until several months before his death on May 15, 1980. He is still remembered by alumni as one of the University's truly great teachers, and is well known today for major works on the war in the Pacific, particularly Tora! Tora! Tora!" The Terrapin, the University of Maryland's yearbook, said of his World War I and World War II history lectures in 1964: "Students flock to his class and sit enraptured as he animates the pages of twentieth century European history through his goosesteps, 'Seig Heils', 'Achtungs', machine gun retorts and frantic gestures.

Dr. Prange's manuscript about the attack on Pearl Harbor is credited as the basis for the screenplay Tora! Tora! Tora!, filmed in 1970 while Prange took a leave of absence from the University of Maryland to serve as technical consultant during its filming. His extensive research into the attack on Pearl Harbor was the subject of a PBS television program in 2000, "Prange and Pearl Harbor: A Magnificent Obsession", and was acclaimed "a definitive book on the event" by The Washington Post.

Reviews

[Mark Merritt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent history, written at the time by a major participant. It’s not an easy book to read, the author was an Admiral and his diary is mainly concerned with issues he’s dealing with to win the war. It’s evident through the diary he was a sincere patriot, loyal to his country and the Emperor, and would go to any lengths to secure victory. He was the principal officer in charge of the Navy’s effort to attack Allied forces with the deadly kamikaze attacks from late 1944 through the end of the war, costing thousands of American and British lives, and sinking dozens of ships in the process.

But this isn’t a narrative history. Many passages have been truncated by the editors, the period from January through March 1943 is missing (this section was lost right after war) and he didn’t write a great deal about every day. So, in those ares like strategy and fleet tactics Ugaki waxes in great detail. He liked to hunt, fished sometimes, and was a real person with faults and feelings. It’s these passages that make him human to me, and crosses the great void that would otherwise exist in a narrative history.

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting look into the thoughts of a high ranking Japanese naval officer. Even though Ugaki thought of himself as realistic, he wasn't. And many details of the war that you might expect are not present, he is forever attending "exercises" (wargames) either as player or judge but only once or twice does he mention the subject or purpose of the exercise. In fact the diary seems like more of a release for the author at the end of the day rather than any kind of account of events. Still there are tidbits: IJN communications and knowledge of US operations seem poor at best. Their scouting reports were often hilariously wrong and the number of false alarms incredible. This wasn't a big problem as long as they were attacking but once they were thrown on the defensive (August 1942), it greatly hindered both planning and response.

[James S · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're a WWII in the Pacific Naval war buff, and you're already generally familiar with the campaign timelines and battles, and you're itching for more info, especially that from the Japanese perspective, then you're going to LOVE this book. If not, then it's probably a tedious slog.

This is a nearly day by day account of Ugaki's participation in WWII from before Pearl Harbor to the very last day of the war, and he was in the thick of the action. As is the case in war, most days were not that eventful. And his war diary is full of small operational details of ship movements, plans, weather, supply problems, and other such stuff. If you like micro-histories, and want to know what the war looked and felt like to a Japanese naval officer with a great view of it, then THIS IS YOUR BOOK.

But there's no way I'd recommend it to an entry-level WWII in the Pacific reader.

[Johns · Rating 5 out of 5]

An invaluable diary for any student of naval history in WWII. Do not get bogged down trying to absorb all the ships or dates of battles noted throughout this valuable 666-page book. Read the work with a wider vision and look for the interesting and valuable personal commentary this IJN leader records.

Admiral Matome Ugaki, though an enemy of the USA in the early 1940s, displayed admirable military traits of tenaciousness, discipline and loyalty.

He also reveals touching personal traits as several sweet remembrances on the anniversaries of the death of his wife who succumbed in 1940. Late in the war when he was stationed on land, he notes the freshness of the spring flowers and tweeting birds whenever he emerges from an all-night stay in a bunker.

The admiral is to be faulted however for his final mission on 15 August 1945. He needlessly and reflectively led several Kamikaze aircraft toward the U.S. fleet in a completely futile last gasp. This final air mission led eleven aircraft and their occupants to a needless waste of their lives after his emperor had announced a complete surrender earlier on the same day via a nationwide radio broadcast.

The irony of the last line in this diary is the admiral's strict instruction that his massive war diary should never fall into the hands of the enemy. We are all historically enriched by having access to this compelling and readable war diary.

[Mike Glaser · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first became acquainted with this book back in the early 1990’s when I was at the Naval War College and I used it as a reference for a paper on the use of surprise as a primary tactic at the operational and strategic level of operations by the IJN. In the 21st century it is an interesting read about a naval force battling with a peer competitor and finding itself dropping farther and farther behind its opponent. It has pertinent lessons in other areas as well including BDA. Highly recommended for the naval professional.