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Pearl Harbor: From Infamy to Greatness
“A valuable reexamination” (Booklist, starred review) of the event that changed twentieth-century America—Pearl Harbor—based on years of research and new information uncovered by a New York Times bestselling author.The America we live in today was born, not on July 4, 1776, but on December 7, 1941, when an armada of 354 Japanese warplanes supported by aircraft carriers, destroyers, and midget submarines suddenly and savagely attacked the United States, killing 2,403 men—and forced America’s entry into World War II. Pearl From Infamy to Greatness follows the sailors, soldiers, pilots, diplomats, admirals, generals, emperor, and president as they engineer, fight, and react to this stunningly dramatic moment in world history. Beginning in 1914, bestselling author Craig Nelson maps the road to war, when Franklin D. Roosevelt, then the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, attended the laying of the keel of the USS Arizona at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Writing with vivid intimacy, Nelson traces Japan’s leaders as they lurch into ultranationalist fascism, which culminates in their scheme to terrify America with one of the boldest attacks ever waged. Within seconds, the country would never be the same. Backed by a research team’s five years of work, as well as Nelson’s thorough re-examination of the original evidence assembled by federal investigators, this page-turning and definitive work “weaves archival research, interviews, and personal experiences from both sides into a blow-by-blow narrative of destruction liberally sprinkled with individual heroism, bizarre escapes, and equally bizarre tragedies” (Kirkus Reviews). Nelson delivers all the terror, chaos, violence, tragedy, and heroism of the attack in stunning detail, and offers surprising conclusions about the tragedy’s unforeseen and resonant consequences that linger even today.
545 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 20, 2016
157 people are currently reading
1250 people want to read
About the author
Craig Nelson
13 books20 followersCRAIG NELSON is the author of the New York Times bestseller, Rocket Men, as well as several previous books, including V is for Victory, Pearl Harbor, The Age of Radiance (a finalist for the PEN Award), The First Heroes, Thomas Paine (winner of the Henry Adams Prize), and Let’s Get Lost (short-listed for W.H. Smith’s Book of the Year).
His writing has appeared in Vanity Fair, The Wall Street Journal, Soldier of Fortune, Salon, National Geographic, The New England Review, Popular Science, California Quarterly, Blender, Semiotext(e), Reader’s Digest, and a host of other publications; he has been profiled in Variety, Interview, Publishers Weekly, and Time Out.
Before turning to writing, Nelson was vice president and executive editor of Harper & Row, Hyperion, and Random House, where he oversaw the publishing of twenty national bestsellers and worked with such authors as John Lennon, Andy Warhol, Lily Tomlin, Philip Glass, Rita Mae Brown, Steve Wozniak, Talking Heads, Laurie Anderson, Alex Trebek, William Shatner, the Rolling Stones, Orson Welles, Robert Evans, David Lynch, Roseanne Barr, and Barry Williams.
He is a graduate of UT Austin, and attended the USC Film School, the UCLA writing program, and the Harvard-Radcliffe publishing course. He turned to writing full-time in 2002.
As a historian he is known for epic moments in the American experience — Pearl Harbor; the race to the Moon; the nation’s founding; and the nuclear era — that are both engrossingly page-turning and distinguished for their scholarship. Massively researched from scratch, his books are eye-opening and definitive accounts of the profound moments that made us who we are today.
Craig lives in an 1867 department store in Greenwich Village.
His writing has appeared in Vanity Fair, The Wall Street Journal, Soldier of Fortune, Salon, National Geographic, The New England Review, Popular Science, California Quarterly, Blender, Semiotext(e), Reader’s Digest, and a host of other publications; he has been profiled in Variety, Interview, Publishers Weekly, and Time Out.
Before turning to writing, Nelson was vice president and executive editor of Harper & Row, Hyperion, and Random House, where he oversaw the publishing of twenty national bestsellers and worked with such authors as John Lennon, Andy Warhol, Lily Tomlin, Philip Glass, Rita Mae Brown, Steve Wozniak, Talking Heads, Laurie Anderson, Alex Trebek, William Shatner, the Rolling Stones, Orson Welles, Robert Evans, David Lynch, Roseanne Barr, and Barry Williams.
He is a graduate of UT Austin, and attended the USC Film School, the UCLA writing program, and the Harvard-Radcliffe publishing course. He turned to writing full-time in 2002.
As a historian he is known for epic moments in the American experience — Pearl Harbor; the race to the Moon; the nation’s founding; and the nuclear era — that are both engrossingly page-turning and distinguished for their scholarship. Massively researched from scratch, his books are eye-opening and definitive accounts of the profound moments that made us who we are today.
Craig lives in an 1867 department store in Greenwich Village.
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October 17, 2016
The problem with reading about Pearl Harbor isn’t the number of books available, of which there are many. It’s finding the right one. It’s tough to sift between titles to find the one that tells you what you want, with both skill and credibility. I wanted a comprehensive history, one that covered the lead-up to Pearl Harbor (including the intelligence failures that allowed the Japanese to land such a devastating surprise blow) and a narrative of the battle itself. In other words, I wanted a book that encompassed both Gordon Prange’s monumental At Dawn We Slept and Walter Lord’s near-masterpiece Day of Infamy. I’m a simple man, you see, and all I want is a single book that perfectly captures the essence of two all-time classics.
Thus, I picked up Craig Nelson’s new Pearl Harbor: From Infamy to Greatness with impossible expectations. Was this reasonable? No. Is it fair? Again, no. Did this give me a moment’s pause? Of course not. Am I drunk right now? Not yet.
In terms of comprehensiveness, at least, Nelson’s Pearl Harbor fits my specifications. It is divided into three parts. Part one goes over the territory mined by Prange and discusses Japanese-U.S. relations, the growing tension in the Pacific, and Japanese war planning. Part two is devoted to the attack itself, which came from carrier-launched Japanese fighters, bombers, torpedo planes, and midget submarines. Part three covers the aftermath of the attacks, from rescue efforts, to salvage efforts, to the dropping of the atomic bomb.
This is a book that I generally disliked. There aren’t any huge problems here. It’s just a bunch of little things that irritated me. Combine the little things together and it formed a frustration I just couldn’t shake. I hasten to add that I recognize the arbitrariness of this statement. There are books that I absolutely adore that I would hesitate recommending. Likewise, this is a book I didn’t love, but would probably recommend to someone looking for a volume on Pearl Harbor.
Things start out well enough. Nelson cannot be faulted for the scope of his ambition. He begins all the way back in 1853, with Commodore Perry forcing Japan to be “friends” at the point of a gun. He then traces the outline of the Meiji Restoration and Japan’s entrance onto the world stage as a regional power with imperial aspirations.
Japan’s goals soon came into conflict with those of the United States, which had a newfound Pacific presence following the Spanish-American War. As Japan expanded into China (in oft brutal fashion), the U.S. tried to temper Japanese designs with economic sanctions that culminated in an oil embargo. The Japanese pursued diplomatic rapprochement with the U.S. while simultaneously developing a plan (pushed by Isoroku Yamamoto) to strike the U.S. Fleet at Pearl Harbor.
This is a lot to cover in a section less than 200 pages long, but Nelson does a credible job. It’s hard to keep all the characters straight (and a dramatis personae would’ve been helpful) but that’s to be expected. I also think Nelson could’ve done a better job highlighting the extreme importance of the oil embargo to the failure of diplomatic relations (it is mentioned almost offhand). For the most part, though, he does a good job at explaining the context in which the Japanese and U.S. were acting.
The problem is the writing. Describing good or bad writing is hard; it’s like describing love. You know it when you see and feel it. I struggled with Pearl Harbor mainly because of Nelson’s style. This is a book with strange authorial interjections (early in the book, after a paragraph raving of Hawaii’s natural beauty, Nelson blurts “In case you can’t tell, I love her like Christmas”), odd phrases (he refers to one naval ship as the "USS destroyer Greer"; at two different points, a fighter plane “piles” bullets into a target), and paragraphs that simply don’t flow. There were too many times when I had to stop and read a sentence twice or more to gain its meaning. Typically, this is the kind of book I’d tear through. Instead, I plodded.
Part two of Pearl Harbor, covering the attack itself, flat-out disappointed me. To be sure, Nelson is extremely thorough in covering all aspects of the attack. I just didn't like the presentation. He writes this section almost as an oral history. His technique is to give a name followed by a colon, and then to quote the witness at length. The result is big chunks of uncut primary recollections. (Maddeningly, Nelson does not use block-quotes in excerpting these statements. This makes for an aesthetic nightmare. There are quotations that go on for pages, and I was constantly having to stop to figure out who was speaking: author or witness. Seriously. Use block-quotes).
At this point, you’re probably like, This sounds great! But hear me out. A true oral history attempts to put recollections into a logical framework. There has to be some explanation as to who the witness is, where he/she is located, what he/she is describing, etc. Nelson doesn’t do this. For long stretches, he simply segues between various eyewitnesses. This leads to incidences of repetition, chronological confusion, and factual misstatements.
One example of why this didn't work for me: some of the witness statements that Nelson quotes embody the entirety of that witness’s daylong experience on December 7, 1941 at one time. Thus, these uncut accounts sometimes span minutes, other times hours. This makes it really difficult to establish a timeline of events. The result can be chaotic, which might be true to the experiential spirit, but is not what I'm looking for in a narrative history. By the time Nelson gets around to describing the sinking of the USS Arizona, the Arizona has already sunk two or three times as mentioned in earlier accounts.
Moreover, these accounts come with very little or no introduction. People you don’t know are suddenly talking, and often times they are mentioning other people you don’t know. Nelson also tends to quote inaccuracies without correction. For example, he has one man mourning the loss of 500 men who went down on the USS Utah; 64 officers and men actually died in the attack. What is the point of including this mistake?
This method took me out of the story. I prefer it when an author weaves the primary sources into a coherent narrative. Yes, it’s nice to have some actual quotations to emphasize particular points. It is equally as important to excise mistakes, non sequiturs, and nonessential phrasings. (I think it’s entirely understandable that a lot of eyewitnesses fall back on clichés in attempting to describe the indescribable. I also think it’s unnecessary to continually repeat them). In other words, I prefer Walter Lord’s style to Stephen Ambrose. If you like Ambrose (I don’t, but let’s not fight about it), you will very likely enjoy this a hell of a lot more than me.
Nelson closes by defining what he sees as Pearl Harbor’s legacy. This takes him three chapters, much of it spent on delineating the entire course of the Pacific War. (With a heavy emphasis on the Doolittle Raid). I could have done without these chapters, since it adds absolutely nothing to our understanding of Pearl Harbor in particular, or World War II in general. This book would have been better served had Nelson integrated his first appendix (about who’s to blame for the surprise nature of the raid) into the main body of the text.
Part three seems to exist solely for Nelson to propound upon the theme of vengeance. At one point, he even calls it “sweet vengeance,” which is… I don’t even know. He is all over the place on these pages. In one paragraph he might be extolling the reconciliation between Japanese and American participants. In the very next paragraph he might be implying that the Japanese have no moral right to complain about Hiroshima.
After spending so much time itemizing American revenge post-12/7, it’s not surprising that he draws a muscular conclusion as to Pearl Harbor’s meaning. Nelson believes that Pearl Harbor jolted America into flexing her great and terrible might, heretofore untapped. He subscribes to the belief that the American Century began on December 7, 1941. That it took a sneak attack by the Imperial Army and Navy of Japan to turn America into a world power – a more-benevolent version of the international titan that Germany and Japan had tried to become.
I prefer to view Pearl Harbor differently.
We are not our best selves as a nation, right now. This is an ugly, fractional time, and it is frankly hard to stomach. Pearl Harbor is clearly a massive national failure on many levels. But Pearl Harbor also shows us at our finest. Unified and dogged and dedicated to a common purpose. I don’t claim that thriving in the face of adversity is a uniquely American trait. But America does have a way of being utterly unprepared for trouble; of getting walloped in the face; and yet somehow managing to rise after the blow. That was demonstrated time and again that long-ago Sunday morning. Failed by their government, failed by their leaders, thousands of young American men and women managed to be their absolute best in the direst of circumstances. They pulled together to save each other, and they did this for each other. They built a monument to humanity amidst the hell of flame and saltwater.
That is the Pearl Harbor worth remembering.
Thus, I picked up Craig Nelson’s new Pearl Harbor: From Infamy to Greatness with impossible expectations. Was this reasonable? No. Is it fair? Again, no. Did this give me a moment’s pause? Of course not. Am I drunk right now? Not yet.
In terms of comprehensiveness, at least, Nelson’s Pearl Harbor fits my specifications. It is divided into three parts. Part one goes over the territory mined by Prange and discusses Japanese-U.S. relations, the growing tension in the Pacific, and Japanese war planning. Part two is devoted to the attack itself, which came from carrier-launched Japanese fighters, bombers, torpedo planes, and midget submarines. Part three covers the aftermath of the attacks, from rescue efforts, to salvage efforts, to the dropping of the atomic bomb.
This is a book that I generally disliked. There aren’t any huge problems here. It’s just a bunch of little things that irritated me. Combine the little things together and it formed a frustration I just couldn’t shake. I hasten to add that I recognize the arbitrariness of this statement. There are books that I absolutely adore that I would hesitate recommending. Likewise, this is a book I didn’t love, but would probably recommend to someone looking for a volume on Pearl Harbor.
Things start out well enough. Nelson cannot be faulted for the scope of his ambition. He begins all the way back in 1853, with Commodore Perry forcing Japan to be “friends” at the point of a gun. He then traces the outline of the Meiji Restoration and Japan’s entrance onto the world stage as a regional power with imperial aspirations.
Japan’s goals soon came into conflict with those of the United States, which had a newfound Pacific presence following the Spanish-American War. As Japan expanded into China (in oft brutal fashion), the U.S. tried to temper Japanese designs with economic sanctions that culminated in an oil embargo. The Japanese pursued diplomatic rapprochement with the U.S. while simultaneously developing a plan (pushed by Isoroku Yamamoto) to strike the U.S. Fleet at Pearl Harbor.
This is a lot to cover in a section less than 200 pages long, but Nelson does a credible job. It’s hard to keep all the characters straight (and a dramatis personae would’ve been helpful) but that’s to be expected. I also think Nelson could’ve done a better job highlighting the extreme importance of the oil embargo to the failure of diplomatic relations (it is mentioned almost offhand). For the most part, though, he does a good job at explaining the context in which the Japanese and U.S. were acting.
The problem is the writing. Describing good or bad writing is hard; it’s like describing love. You know it when you see and feel it. I struggled with Pearl Harbor mainly because of Nelson’s style. This is a book with strange authorial interjections (early in the book, after a paragraph raving of Hawaii’s natural beauty, Nelson blurts “In case you can’t tell, I love her like Christmas”), odd phrases (he refers to one naval ship as the "USS destroyer Greer"; at two different points, a fighter plane “piles” bullets into a target), and paragraphs that simply don’t flow. There were too many times when I had to stop and read a sentence twice or more to gain its meaning. Typically, this is the kind of book I’d tear through. Instead, I plodded.
Part two of Pearl Harbor, covering the attack itself, flat-out disappointed me. To be sure, Nelson is extremely thorough in covering all aspects of the attack. I just didn't like the presentation. He writes this section almost as an oral history. His technique is to give a name followed by a colon, and then to quote the witness at length. The result is big chunks of uncut primary recollections. (Maddeningly, Nelson does not use block-quotes in excerpting these statements. This makes for an aesthetic nightmare. There are quotations that go on for pages, and I was constantly having to stop to figure out who was speaking: author or witness. Seriously. Use block-quotes).
At this point, you’re probably like, This sounds great! But hear me out. A true oral history attempts to put recollections into a logical framework. There has to be some explanation as to who the witness is, where he/she is located, what he/she is describing, etc. Nelson doesn’t do this. For long stretches, he simply segues between various eyewitnesses. This leads to incidences of repetition, chronological confusion, and factual misstatements.
One example of why this didn't work for me: some of the witness statements that Nelson quotes embody the entirety of that witness’s daylong experience on December 7, 1941 at one time. Thus, these uncut accounts sometimes span minutes, other times hours. This makes it really difficult to establish a timeline of events. The result can be chaotic, which might be true to the experiential spirit, but is not what I'm looking for in a narrative history. By the time Nelson gets around to describing the sinking of the USS Arizona, the Arizona has already sunk two or three times as mentioned in earlier accounts.
Moreover, these accounts come with very little or no introduction. People you don’t know are suddenly talking, and often times they are mentioning other people you don’t know. Nelson also tends to quote inaccuracies without correction. For example, he has one man mourning the loss of 500 men who went down on the USS Utah; 64 officers and men actually died in the attack. What is the point of including this mistake?
This method took me out of the story. I prefer it when an author weaves the primary sources into a coherent narrative. Yes, it’s nice to have some actual quotations to emphasize particular points. It is equally as important to excise mistakes, non sequiturs, and nonessential phrasings. (I think it’s entirely understandable that a lot of eyewitnesses fall back on clichés in attempting to describe the indescribable. I also think it’s unnecessary to continually repeat them). In other words, I prefer Walter Lord’s style to Stephen Ambrose. If you like Ambrose (I don’t, but let’s not fight about it), you will very likely enjoy this a hell of a lot more than me.
Nelson closes by defining what he sees as Pearl Harbor’s legacy. This takes him three chapters, much of it spent on delineating the entire course of the Pacific War. (With a heavy emphasis on the Doolittle Raid). I could have done without these chapters, since it adds absolutely nothing to our understanding of Pearl Harbor in particular, or World War II in general. This book would have been better served had Nelson integrated his first appendix (about who’s to blame for the surprise nature of the raid) into the main body of the text.
Part three seems to exist solely for Nelson to propound upon the theme of vengeance. At one point, he even calls it “sweet vengeance,” which is… I don’t even know. He is all over the place on these pages. In one paragraph he might be extolling the reconciliation between Japanese and American participants. In the very next paragraph he might be implying that the Japanese have no moral right to complain about Hiroshima.
After spending so much time itemizing American revenge post-12/7, it’s not surprising that he draws a muscular conclusion as to Pearl Harbor’s meaning. Nelson believes that Pearl Harbor jolted America into flexing her great and terrible might, heretofore untapped. He subscribes to the belief that the American Century began on December 7, 1941. That it took a sneak attack by the Imperial Army and Navy of Japan to turn America into a world power – a more-benevolent version of the international titan that Germany and Japan had tried to become.
I prefer to view Pearl Harbor differently.
We are not our best selves as a nation, right now. This is an ugly, fractional time, and it is frankly hard to stomach. Pearl Harbor is clearly a massive national failure on many levels. But Pearl Harbor also shows us at our finest. Unified and dogged and dedicated to a common purpose. I don’t claim that thriving in the face of adversity is a uniquely American trait. But America does have a way of being utterly unprepared for trouble; of getting walloped in the face; and yet somehow managing to rise after the blow. That was demonstrated time and again that long-ago Sunday morning. Failed by their government, failed by their leaders, thousands of young American men and women managed to be their absolute best in the direst of circumstances. They pulled together to save each other, and they did this for each other. They built a monument to humanity amidst the hell of flame and saltwater.
That is the Pearl Harbor worth remembering.
Read
January 10, 2021Did not finish. (I do not rate books I don't complete)
I just started this today, and already the writing and organization of this text are bothering me. Has this dude ever heard of a transition between paragraphs? Or of finishing a thought before moving on to another?
The author also inserts himself in the most nonsensical of places, without it seems, a point.
So...I come to see what Goodreads friends thought of it. Their reviews made me stop. There seem to be better texts out there. My Goodreads friend Matt recommends Steve Twomey's "Countdown to Pearl Harbor" followed by Walter Lord's "Day of Infamy".
I will pursue those instead.
I just started this today, and already the writing and organization of this text are bothering me. Has this dude ever heard of a transition between paragraphs? Or of finishing a thought before moving on to another?
The author also inserts himself in the most nonsensical of places, without it seems, a point.
So...I come to see what Goodreads friends thought of it. Their reviews made me stop. There seem to be better texts out there. My Goodreads friend Matt recommends Steve Twomey's "Countdown to Pearl Harbor" followed by Walter Lord's "Day of Infamy".
I will pursue those instead.
December 8, 2023
Pearl Harbor, written by Craig Nelson, is a wonderful addition to the collection if anyone interested in the events of December 7, 1941. This book is a source of information, both about the individuals involved in the attacks and the politics surrounding this event. Important historical information.
March 9, 2025
I don't think I could have found a better book to read about this infamous historical event.
It contains information about pre-attack negotiations between the U.S. and Japan, pre-attack preparations for the assault by Japan, firsthand accounts during the attack, post-attack investigations and much, much more.
Very well-done Mr. Nelson.
It contains information about pre-attack negotiations between the U.S. and Japan, pre-attack preparations for the assault by Japan, firsthand accounts during the attack, post-attack investigations and much, much more.
Very well-done Mr. Nelson.
November 27, 2016
Fast flowing new account of the attack on Pearl Harbor
Craig Nelson provides an expansive book that tells the often told story of the Pearl Harbor attack. It’s been a while since I’ve read Prange’s standard on this subject “At Dawn We Slept” so I have little to compare, however I found this a comprehensive account with some interesting later chapters covering how some of the characters fared in later life and the modern day Japanese and American perspective.
Divided into three parts it’s a substantial read at 500 plus pages but does flow at quite a pace. Part one covers Japanese-U.S. relations, the growing tension in the Pacific, and Japanese war planning. Part two covers the attack itself including midget submarines. Part three covers the aftermath of the attacks, rescue efforts, salvage efforts, as well as a whistle stop tour of the Pacific campaign to the dropping of the atomic bomb.
I’d recommend this for anyone looking for a present day view of the attack it’s ramifications both at the time and also to the present day.
I received this book free from Netgalley and was not required to write a positive review.
Craig Nelson provides an expansive book that tells the often told story of the Pearl Harbor attack. It’s been a while since I’ve read Prange’s standard on this subject “At Dawn We Slept” so I have little to compare, however I found this a comprehensive account with some interesting later chapters covering how some of the characters fared in later life and the modern day Japanese and American perspective.
Divided into three parts it’s a substantial read at 500 plus pages but does flow at quite a pace. Part one covers Japanese-U.S. relations, the growing tension in the Pacific, and Japanese war planning. Part two covers the attack itself including midget submarines. Part three covers the aftermath of the attacks, rescue efforts, salvage efforts, as well as a whistle stop tour of the Pacific campaign to the dropping of the atomic bomb.
I’d recommend this for anyone looking for a present day view of the attack it’s ramifications both at the time and also to the present day.
I received this book free from Netgalley and was not required to write a positive review.
December 19, 2017
Well this is gonna be a bit hard to review because there were so many good and also some bad points.
I have to say though in all sincerity and fairness, this is my FIRST book about Pearl Harbor that I’m reading. So my views might not be as accurate as I haven’t read any other books to compare it with.
The first thing though, I learnt loads from this book. ESPECIALLY the pre-Pearl harbor incidents that lead to this historical incident and about the events after the attack. I also liked that the reader gets to see both the American and Japanese point of views from civilians, soldiers and the politicians at the time.
It’s astonishing how this attack which the Japanese thought would be their first victory in many to come, would be the ONE attack that woke up the US and propelled them to a position of power in the world stage.
Both sides were to blame. Japanese in their unbelievably naive attitude in going through with the attack and the US with their incomprehensible lack of preparation for the attacks. The power struggle for the pacific waters was properly started as the US entered the war, fighting on two ocean fronts, against Hitlers Germany and Tojos Japan.
One of the things that shook me to the core was the unbelievable number of deaths and casualties in the war of the pacific waters, where civilians and soldiers alike, who bore the brunt of the war was buried in the earth, with unmarked graves.
Also many forget about the fire bombing campaigns carried out by the US on Japanese civilians which killed almost 600,000 or the chemical warfare which killed almost 8 million Japanese civilians altogether. Far greater a number than the two, much more famous, nuclear bombs could achieve.
One also has to appreciate how the US handled a war torn japan after the war, where Gen. McArthur and co. Built the steps to a more productive, healthy minded Japan that can contribute to the world rather than become a weight to it.
I wish that the author would have given a more in deapth view for some points or incidents, which I thought were rushed a bit and not well explained. I was also not that in love with his writing style, but still it was not bad at any point.
But overall, this book taught me a lot of things. I’m still at the very early stages of learning more about this incident/period but After this book, I find myself left more excited to do further reading into it.
Hopefully I can continue learning more..:)
I have to say though in all sincerity and fairness, this is my FIRST book about Pearl Harbor that I’m reading. So my views might not be as accurate as I haven’t read any other books to compare it with.
The first thing though, I learnt loads from this book. ESPECIALLY the pre-Pearl harbor incidents that lead to this historical incident and about the events after the attack. I also liked that the reader gets to see both the American and Japanese point of views from civilians, soldiers and the politicians at the time.
It’s astonishing how this attack which the Japanese thought would be their first victory in many to come, would be the ONE attack that woke up the US and propelled them to a position of power in the world stage.
Both sides were to blame. Japanese in their unbelievably naive attitude in going through with the attack and the US with their incomprehensible lack of preparation for the attacks. The power struggle for the pacific waters was properly started as the US entered the war, fighting on two ocean fronts, against Hitlers Germany and Tojos Japan.
One of the things that shook me to the core was the unbelievable number of deaths and casualties in the war of the pacific waters, where civilians and soldiers alike, who bore the brunt of the war was buried in the earth, with unmarked graves.
Also many forget about the fire bombing campaigns carried out by the US on Japanese civilians which killed almost 600,000 or the chemical warfare which killed almost 8 million Japanese civilians altogether. Far greater a number than the two, much more famous, nuclear bombs could achieve.
One also has to appreciate how the US handled a war torn japan after the war, where Gen. McArthur and co. Built the steps to a more productive, healthy minded Japan that can contribute to the world rather than become a weight to it.
I wish that the author would have given a more in deapth view for some points or incidents, which I thought were rushed a bit and not well explained. I was also not that in love with his writing style, but still it was not bad at any point.
But overall, this book taught me a lot of things. I’m still at the very early stages of learning more about this incident/period but After this book, I find myself left more excited to do further reading into it.
Hopefully I can continue learning more..:)
June 29, 2024
There are events in our history which changed the world forever. Pearl Harbor is no exception to this list of events. In this meticulously crafted book, Craig Nelson examines the background, attacks, and aftermath of Pearl Harbor in a strikingly captivating way.
Why did the Japanese attack? Why were the US forces unprepared? Was there a secret conspiracy driving this event? All important questions are addressed carefully and cited with historical integrity.
One of the greatest history books I have read. It will be difficult to write a better book on Pearl Harbor than this one.
Why did the Japanese attack? Why were the US forces unprepared? Was there a secret conspiracy driving this event? All important questions are addressed carefully and cited with historical integrity.
One of the greatest history books I have read. It will be difficult to write a better book on Pearl Harbor than this one.
October 1, 2016
All too often, books written about interesting historical subjects are dry and hard to read. The same cannot be said about "Pearl Harbor: From Infamy to Greatness" by Craig Nelson. In this book the author combines properly sourced scholarship with a novelist's flair, making this tragic, infuriating, heroic, and thought-provoking subject seem real and immediate to a twenty-first century reader.
The book is divided into three parts; a thorough discussion of the years and events leading to Pearl Harbor, an almost minute-by-minute discussion of the attack itself, and then a somewhat truncated but adequate discussion of the years of war between the attack and the surrender of the Japanese after Hiroshima and Nagasaki. There are two appendices; one about the various investigations into how the Japanese were able to conduct their sneak attack and a shorter, but poignant appendix detailing the awards of the Medal of Honor to servicemen who were at Pearl Harbor, both to those living and the posthumous awards.
Nelson makes individuals on both sides come alive by quoting them in their own words. We see the plotting and scheming of the Japanese military, as well as their political disarray; and we see the fecklessness of the American commanders in Hawaii, who, although warned that war was likely, did nothing to prepare for it.
One of the most valuable parts of the book concerns the long-time rumors that Washington knew that the attack was coming and allowed it to proceed, costing so many American lives, in order to force isolationist America into the war. Nelson shows conclusively that the Japanese intended to attack Pearl Harbor without warning; that their diplomats in Washington did not know about the coming attack, and that the president and his cabinet were taken by surprise. Yes, there were disputes of a serious nature between Japan and the United States, and yes, Hawaii was an obvious target, but there was no declaration of war of any kind, and Japan is entirely at fault for the war in the Pacific.
I cannot say that this was an easy book to read. Because it is so well written, the suffering and deaths at Pearl Harbor are vivid and real. We see named individuals go through tremendous ordeals, and many of them die before our eyes. It is heart-rending, tragic, and infuriating. Nelson does not hold back, nor does he make excuses for anyone. We see many acts of extreme heroism, and ordinary men rise to extraordinary heights of selflessness and bravery. At the same time, in their own words, we see the gloating of the Japanese pilots, about which the less said by me the better.
I am very glad that I read this book, and I recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone interested in the topic. I learned a great deal, and thought even more. Five enthusiastic stars.
I received an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley for my honest opinion.
The book is divided into three parts; a thorough discussion of the years and events leading to Pearl Harbor, an almost minute-by-minute discussion of the attack itself, and then a somewhat truncated but adequate discussion of the years of war between the attack and the surrender of the Japanese after Hiroshima and Nagasaki. There are two appendices; one about the various investigations into how the Japanese were able to conduct their sneak attack and a shorter, but poignant appendix detailing the awards of the Medal of Honor to servicemen who were at Pearl Harbor, both to those living and the posthumous awards.
Nelson makes individuals on both sides come alive by quoting them in their own words. We see the plotting and scheming of the Japanese military, as well as their political disarray; and we see the fecklessness of the American commanders in Hawaii, who, although warned that war was likely, did nothing to prepare for it.
One of the most valuable parts of the book concerns the long-time rumors that Washington knew that the attack was coming and allowed it to proceed, costing so many American lives, in order to force isolationist America into the war. Nelson shows conclusively that the Japanese intended to attack Pearl Harbor without warning; that their diplomats in Washington did not know about the coming attack, and that the president and his cabinet were taken by surprise. Yes, there were disputes of a serious nature between Japan and the United States, and yes, Hawaii was an obvious target, but there was no declaration of war of any kind, and Japan is entirely at fault for the war in the Pacific.
I cannot say that this was an easy book to read. Because it is so well written, the suffering and deaths at Pearl Harbor are vivid and real. We see named individuals go through tremendous ordeals, and many of them die before our eyes. It is heart-rending, tragic, and infuriating. Nelson does not hold back, nor does he make excuses for anyone. We see many acts of extreme heroism, and ordinary men rise to extraordinary heights of selflessness and bravery. At the same time, in their own words, we see the gloating of the Japanese pilots, about which the less said by me the better.
I am very glad that I read this book, and I recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone interested in the topic. I learned a great deal, and thought even more. Five enthusiastic stars.
I received an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley for my honest opinion.
October 11, 2016
Any detailed retrospective dealing with Pearl Harbor must cover a great deal of ground - both literally and figuratively. Nelson's work, while somewhat disjointed for my taste, does a fine job of setting the stage for before, during, and the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, and its rallying point for United States to enter the war.
The book is filled with interesting facts that I had never previously read. Without giving too many away, the nugget about Tojo's dental work being etched with "Remember Pearl Harbor" in braille by an American dentist is just one of many fascinating details that don't often appear in mainstream accounts of this event that is the "9/11" type event of the "greatest generation".
Often, the book veers from its logical timeline, and readers are informed about other Pacific Theater operations. In fact, the meaty middle of this book really crescendos at almost exactly 50% of the way through the pages. The remaining chapters cover the aftermath and a fairly detailed overview of the various finger-pointing and attempts to find someone to blame for the disaster.
If you have any passing interest in the history of this turning point in the 20th century, I encourage you to read this book. As we approach the 75th anniversary of the attack, it's a very good way to bring those harrowing times back to mind.
The book is filled with interesting facts that I had never previously read. Without giving too many away, the nugget about Tojo's dental work being etched with "Remember Pearl Harbor" in braille by an American dentist is just one of many fascinating details that don't often appear in mainstream accounts of this event that is the "9/11" type event of the "greatest generation".
Often, the book veers from its logical timeline, and readers are informed about other Pacific Theater operations. In fact, the meaty middle of this book really crescendos at almost exactly 50% of the way through the pages. The remaining chapters cover the aftermath and a fairly detailed overview of the various finger-pointing and attempts to find someone to blame for the disaster.
If you have any passing interest in the history of this turning point in the 20th century, I encourage you to read this book. As we approach the 75th anniversary of the attack, it's a very good way to bring those harrowing times back to mind.
December 23, 2024
This is one of those great historical books that teaches you more about the subject than you could ever anticipate. Prior to reading this, I thought I knew a lot about the attack on Pearl Harbor, but I was in for quite the history lesson. This book talks about not only the American lives lost that day, but the unsung heroes of that morning. It explains all of the events leading up to December 7, 1941, and dives into the impact of the aftermath. If you enjoy history, especially World War II, I highly recommend this book.
December 26, 2018
Atrocious writing and editing. Poor fact-checking resulting in egregious errors (who is General George McArthur? Midway as AH, not AF?). No serious scholar could commit such basic mistakes. Hard pass.
December 5, 2016
Valuable for its extended narratives of actual survivors and participants, but nothing really new.
October 19, 2017
Last year was the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, and I fully intended to read this book around that anniversary. Eleven months later, here I am...
Nelson's book is divided into three sections, giving us a comprehensive look at the lead-up, the attack, and the aftermath of the attack.
While I'm a self-proclaimed "WWII buff," my knowledge of what led to us being attacked by Japan was lacking--despite the fact that I've actually visited Pearl Harbor and been to the Memorial. I knew Japan was running out of oil, and I guess I thought that they'd attacked us to gain oil we had in the region. Or something. See? Lacking.
The truth is that the US had stopped exporting oil to Japan (and we were their largest source of oil), because of Japan's aggression in China, a country we were much friendlier with then. I'd heard about "The rape of Nanking," but I didn't know what it was, really. What it was is one of the most horrible things I've ever read. The Japanese army did nightmarish things to men, women, and children. The word rape is appropriate, horrifically so. So, because of Japan's deeds in China, the US cut off their oil, and Japan was strangling. They'd be done in a couple of years--unless they could defeat America.
So while they were negotiating for a peaceful lifting of the oil embargoes with the US, they were simultaneously planning to attack us. It's amazing the mental gymnastics a culture so focused on honor and face must have had to do to justify this cowardly tactic. They figured they'd hit us hard, and we'd roll over and hand over oil again. Instead, we got PISSED. Japan completely misjudged our resolve, and Nelson contends that this is a watershed moment in US history. Maybe THE watershed moment.
The book goes into detail about hints, clues, and actions that might have given us a heads-up about the attacks. But the truth is that our military wasn't set up to work together. The branches didn't really talk, and each thought the other was patrolling/guarding/etc. We had radar on the island, but it was such a new technology that people didn't even know what they were looking at. Our codebreakers were overwhelmed with information, and with no way to prioritize what messages got "cracked," there was no way to separate the wheat from the chaff. And they were under strict orders to not let the enemy know we'd cracked their codes, so they were trying to figure out how to warn of possible dangers while still keeping it a secret that we knew the codes. We were unprepared to be at war, but this attack forced the US to focus, and shore up deficiencies.
Nelson even addresses the claims that the higher-ups in the military--right up to FDR himself--actually knew about the attacks and allowed them to happen so the country would allow itself to be dragged in the War in both Europe and Asia. Two of the military leaders who were in charge of Pearl Harbor even claimed to believe this and wrote about it in books and memoirs years later. I fear this was just an attempt to clear their names, because while they weren't ever charged, they were removed from power. Scapegoats, but not as bad as it could have been. While bringing up these claims, Nelson also does a good job of arguing why they're ultimately ridiculous. I don't think FDR or anyone else knew about the attacks beforehand.
There were some missteps in the book. First, Nelson occasionally inserts himself into the book, and it's distracting and unnecessary. Second, he has a long appendix section that details the congressional and military inquiries into who was to blame for the attack. I don't know why he didn't just make that part of the third section. It fit perfectly. Finally, the second section of the book, which details the actual attack, feels disjointed and cobbled together. It's not so much a narrative as numerous recollections that jump all over ships and time.
I haven't read any other histories of Pearl Harbor, so I can't compare them, but I thought Nelson did a good job with this. It was readable, and gave me new insights into the three aspects of the attack.
Nelson's book is divided into three sections, giving us a comprehensive look at the lead-up, the attack, and the aftermath of the attack.
While I'm a self-proclaimed "WWII buff," my knowledge of what led to us being attacked by Japan was lacking--despite the fact that I've actually visited Pearl Harbor and been to the Memorial. I knew Japan was running out of oil, and I guess I thought that they'd attacked us to gain oil we had in the region. Or something. See? Lacking.
The truth is that the US had stopped exporting oil to Japan (and we were their largest source of oil), because of Japan's aggression in China, a country we were much friendlier with then. I'd heard about "The rape of Nanking," but I didn't know what it was, really. What it was is one of the most horrible things I've ever read. The Japanese army did nightmarish things to men, women, and children. The word rape is appropriate, horrifically so. So, because of Japan's deeds in China, the US cut off their oil, and Japan was strangling. They'd be done in a couple of years--unless they could defeat America.
So while they were negotiating for a peaceful lifting of the oil embargoes with the US, they were simultaneously planning to attack us. It's amazing the mental gymnastics a culture so focused on honor and face must have had to do to justify this cowardly tactic. They figured they'd hit us hard, and we'd roll over and hand over oil again. Instead, we got PISSED. Japan completely misjudged our resolve, and Nelson contends that this is a watershed moment in US history. Maybe THE watershed moment.
The book goes into detail about hints, clues, and actions that might have given us a heads-up about the attacks. But the truth is that our military wasn't set up to work together. The branches didn't really talk, and each thought the other was patrolling/guarding/etc. We had radar on the island, but it was such a new technology that people didn't even know what they were looking at. Our codebreakers were overwhelmed with information, and with no way to prioritize what messages got "cracked," there was no way to separate the wheat from the chaff. And they were under strict orders to not let the enemy know we'd cracked their codes, so they were trying to figure out how to warn of possible dangers while still keeping it a secret that we knew the codes. We were unprepared to be at war, but this attack forced the US to focus, and shore up deficiencies.
Nelson even addresses the claims that the higher-ups in the military--right up to FDR himself--actually knew about the attacks and allowed them to happen so the country would allow itself to be dragged in the War in both Europe and Asia. Two of the military leaders who were in charge of Pearl Harbor even claimed to believe this and wrote about it in books and memoirs years later. I fear this was just an attempt to clear their names, because while they weren't ever charged, they were removed from power. Scapegoats, but not as bad as it could have been. While bringing up these claims, Nelson also does a good job of arguing why they're ultimately ridiculous. I don't think FDR or anyone else knew about the attacks beforehand.
There were some missteps in the book. First, Nelson occasionally inserts himself into the book, and it's distracting and unnecessary. Second, he has a long appendix section that details the congressional and military inquiries into who was to blame for the attack. I don't know why he didn't just make that part of the third section. It fit perfectly. Finally, the second section of the book, which details the actual attack, feels disjointed and cobbled together. It's not so much a narrative as numerous recollections that jump all over ships and time.
I haven't read any other histories of Pearl Harbor, so I can't compare them, but I thought Nelson did a good job with this. It was readable, and gave me new insights into the three aspects of the attack.
March 26, 2017
This is almost 4 stars for me but not quite. Perhaps because it is so sad for an American to read. It would also be very sad to read for a Japanese, but there aren't any who are going to read it.
The first third of the book deals with the stupidity in Japan that led to war and the even greater stupidity in the U.S. of complete failure to prepare for a war that any educated adult had to realize was surely imminent.
At he end of the war there were court marshal hearings into the total incompetence of the admiral in charge of the naval forces on Hawaii and the general in charge of the army forces. They were convicted, but claimed in their defense that President Roosevelt wanted the Japanese to attack so that the U.S. could enter the war. This was nonsense of course because U boats were sinking U.S. ships and FDR war terrified to respond by entering the war. He had no need of further excuses to avoid getting into the fight. He was a sick weak president.
The bottom line was the whole incompetent U.S. government and military were to blame.
The tremendous irony is that the Japanese did us a huge favor by attacking and forcing us into the war. If they had not FDR would not have come to Britain's defense with millions of U.S. soldiers and Hitler would have won the war in Europe and then, together with Japan, conquered the U.S. when we were all that remained to oppose their world domination. We would now be a puppet state of Germany and Japan.
The first third of the book deals with the stupidity in Japan that led to war and the even greater stupidity in the U.S. of complete failure to prepare for a war that any educated adult had to realize was surely imminent.
At he end of the war there were court marshal hearings into the total incompetence of the admiral in charge of the naval forces on Hawaii and the general in charge of the army forces. They were convicted, but claimed in their defense that President Roosevelt wanted the Japanese to attack so that the U.S. could enter the war. This was nonsense of course because U boats were sinking U.S. ships and FDR war terrified to respond by entering the war. He had no need of further excuses to avoid getting into the fight. He was a sick weak president.
The bottom line was the whole incompetent U.S. government and military were to blame.
The tremendous irony is that the Japanese did us a huge favor by attacking and forcing us into the war. If they had not FDR would not have come to Britain's defense with millions of U.S. soldiers and Hitler would have won the war in Europe and then, together with Japan, conquered the U.S. when we were all that remained to oppose their world domination. We would now be a puppet state of Germany and Japan.
September 20, 2019
Only if the writing is simple, direct and easy to understand, I think I will like it more.
R: 21.9.19
R: 21.9.19
February 16, 2017
I found this book thought provoking, sad, informative and thoroughly readable even though I did not always understand the military information. I would give it five stars but then have read that some of the historical facts of the book are mistaken and that there are many errors therein. It is still a readable and informative book and I still give it four stars.
June 15, 2018
A well-written and well-detailed book. Craig Nelson uses primary accounts throughout which brings this event to life. It is a great reference book, enjoy!
March 28, 2017
Riveting history -very well written.
August 5, 2022
Apparently at least the first edition of "Pearl Harbor: From Infamy to Greatness," had some factual errors. Assuming the errors were corrected in subsequent printings and editions, I'm not nearly as upset about this as some online reviewers.
For the readers who damned Craig Nelson's book because of those errors (which may not have even been his), and didn't finish it, that's a shame. Because PH:FItG is a solid World War II read.
I was especially impressed by the breadth of the story Nelson tells. As readers, we get the diplomatic tensions and Japanese military buildup to that day. We get the horrors and heroism of the day itself. We get the finger-pointing for the attack that continued for decades, and we get how those on both sides of the attack had their lives altered forever. There's even glancing references to how Pearl Harbor affected the culture, including the 2001 film.
Keep an open mind. Don't skip because of the naysayers.
For the readers who damned Craig Nelson's book because of those errors (which may not have even been his), and didn't finish it, that's a shame. Because PH:FItG is a solid World War II read.
I was especially impressed by the breadth of the story Nelson tells. As readers, we get the diplomatic tensions and Japanese military buildup to that day. We get the horrors and heroism of the day itself. We get the finger-pointing for the attack that continued for decades, and we get how those on both sides of the attack had their lives altered forever. There's even glancing references to how Pearl Harbor affected the culture, including the 2001 film.
Keep an open mind. Don't skip because of the naysayers.
December 10, 2016
A complete survey of the before, during, and after of the event of the attack on Pearl Harbor. That is not always a great thing. The before section is a solidifying look at the factors that led to the attack, particularly on the Japanese side (the military control of the government, the oil embargo that left Japan with little choice but to make a major move, the serious doubts amongst Japanese experts, which proved to be correct, that Japan could not inevitably win a war against the United States). It just goes on far too long for the first 200 pages of the book. The middle 150 pages cover the events of December 7. However, Nelson covers hundreds of individual stories without embellishment. While some of the stories are incredibly tragic and/or heroic, it tends to go on and on without being a narrative necessarily. Indeed, there is no narrative of the events, but a chapter on the airfield, then a chapter on the battleships, then a chapter on the aftermath (cutting the Oklahoma for instance and cleanup). Then, Nelson spends over a hundred pages on the "infamy" speech and the bombing missions over Tokyo as "vengeance". I would have preferred a leaner, meaner book, with more authorial style and a better emphasis on the utter chaos of December 7. There is no authorial synthesis of opinions here! What complicates a positive review is that no new ground is covered. This is simply "the kitchen sink" approach to history. Is it a bad book? Of course not. It's worth a read if you truly need a better education on the event. But your time could equally be served by one of the feature length documentaries out there, complete with video, audio, and even better images than those included here.
December 13, 2017
This was more like 3.5 stars for me. I thought it was very well researched, that part was a five. But the writing was a little off for me. It seemed some parts of this book had a little bit of overkill, where it seemed Craig Nelson, who wrote a great book on NASA and the moon called Rocket Men, emptied his notebook on this one. Cut chapters a little shorter and make them a little tighter. Also, the book is about Pearl Harbor it needs to talk about that horrible day earlier in the book then page 214 or so. That was halfway through the book. Build it up a little bit to talk about how it got to that situation, but do it in less than 200 pages. That portion of the book should be 100 pages at the very most. That being said, when Nelson finally does get around to describing December 7, 1941, it's very good writing and research. I felt like the first half of this book was a 1 or 2 and the last half was closer to a 4, at times a 5. So I put it overall right in the middle. Parts of this book you will need a tissue, since it's horrible what happened to so many young people that day in Hawaii. Looking forward to reading Nelson's next book.
February 14, 2023
Objectively, the novel offered facts and perspectives on the immediate lead up and actual occurrence of Pearl Harbor, but I think the author missed the mark on the scope he was trying to achieve.
Before I could even get a feel for the structure itself, I hit a major stumbling block during the first chapter that tainted my opinion of the work for the rest of my reading experience. In my opinion, the discussion of the Rape of Nanking was far too detailed and extensive, specifically with respect to crimes involving sexual violence. This is absolutely not to say that war crimes of any type should be glossed over or omitted from historical records, but in my opinion the handling of the topic of violence against women was far too heavy handed. The quantity of descriptions of specific atrocities and the detail provided about each was frankly traumatizing, and I think there should have either been less detail/fewer specific examples or at the very least a disclaimer or warning. Again, I agree with the necessity of portraying the horrible realities of war and history, but in this case it was too much for the context it was mentioned in. The context here as I understand it is to demonstrate the atrocities and behavior of the Japanese military in China, and in covering bombing attacks and mentioning mass executions this is achieved, but the specific methods of sexual violence are expanded upon far more in a way that is disproportionate and feels inappropriately, gruesomely curious.
Moving through the next chapters, it feels like there is a lot of repetition and not necessarily a planned series of points; I read about Japanese planning concerns over Pearl Harbor being too shallow to use torpedoes a good four times before I even hit chapter 3, and beyond that specific example there were a lot of points that felt remade and rearranged as the book progressed, almost as if it was a first draft.
Looking back at the entire book, it felt like a compilation of research more that a historical argument attached to a structural backbone and supported with evidence. The introduction covered the Japanese before the war, and the epilogue covered both nations afterwards, but there was no central argument that stuck out to me. Considering the title one could argue that’s the overarching structure, but the book should stand alone from its title and be at least bookended with a “here’s what I’m going to do” and a “this is what I just did.”
Before I could even get a feel for the structure itself, I hit a major stumbling block during the first chapter that tainted my opinion of the work for the rest of my reading experience. In my opinion, the discussion of the Rape of Nanking was far too detailed and extensive, specifically with respect to crimes involving sexual violence. This is absolutely not to say that war crimes of any type should be glossed over or omitted from historical records, but in my opinion the handling of the topic of violence against women was far too heavy handed. The quantity of descriptions of specific atrocities and the detail provided about each was frankly traumatizing, and I think there should have either been less detail/fewer specific examples or at the very least a disclaimer or warning. Again, I agree with the necessity of portraying the horrible realities of war and history, but in this case it was too much for the context it was mentioned in. The context here as I understand it is to demonstrate the atrocities and behavior of the Japanese military in China, and in covering bombing attacks and mentioning mass executions this is achieved, but the specific methods of sexual violence are expanded upon far more in a way that is disproportionate and feels inappropriately, gruesomely curious.
Moving through the next chapters, it feels like there is a lot of repetition and not necessarily a planned series of points; I read about Japanese planning concerns over Pearl Harbor being too shallow to use torpedoes a good four times before I even hit chapter 3, and beyond that specific example there were a lot of points that felt remade and rearranged as the book progressed, almost as if it was a first draft.
Looking back at the entire book, it felt like a compilation of research more that a historical argument attached to a structural backbone and supported with evidence. The introduction covered the Japanese before the war, and the epilogue covered both nations afterwards, but there was no central argument that stuck out to me. Considering the title one could argue that’s the overarching structure, but the book should stand alone from its title and be at least bookended with a “here’s what I’m going to do” and a “this is what I just did.”
January 20, 2024
The book “Pearl Harbor From Infamy to Greatness” is a book written by Craig Nelson about the worldwide events of WWII and is a non-fiction biography coming from many different soldiers from different sides who served in the second world war. Before we begin, Craig Nelson is a renowned New York Times Bestselling author who brought us several historical American achievements ranging from “ROCKET MEN” to “V is for Victory”. Now, let's begin. From the accounts of Germany to the United States there are accounts from the battles and tensions leading up to and after the harrowing events at Hawaii. If you are into history and WWII then you will love this! This book is a jackpot for people trying to learn as much as possible about the historical events of the second world war, as it does not just cover the topic of the attack on pearl harbor.
The book goes along with the timeline of the American involvement in the second world war. It is set in Hawaii, a year before we engage in war. There are over 200 accounts from different people who served in Japan, Germany, Italy, France, USA, Canada, USSR, and China. The conflict and battle are on the topic of the true events of World War Two. Largely between Germany, Japan, USA, Russia, and Britain.
This book has many interesting topics ranging from not just war, but other historical moments in the society of the 1940’s. The author, Craig Nelson excels in bringing history to life in the form of a book. His accounts make it so that you know how people felt, and where they were and at what time. The only downside is that the book may become confusing at times because at many points it switches views from USA to Japan, and Germany to Britain, and so on. Again, if you are into history and want to know more about how people felt during wartime, this book will be perfect for you!
The book goes along with the timeline of the American involvement in the second world war. It is set in Hawaii, a year before we engage in war. There are over 200 accounts from different people who served in Japan, Germany, Italy, France, USA, Canada, USSR, and China. The conflict and battle are on the topic of the true events of World War Two. Largely between Germany, Japan, USA, Russia, and Britain.
This book has many interesting topics ranging from not just war, but other historical moments in the society of the 1940’s. The author, Craig Nelson excels in bringing history to life in the form of a book. His accounts make it so that you know how people felt, and where they were and at what time. The only downside is that the book may become confusing at times because at many points it switches views from USA to Japan, and Germany to Britain, and so on. Again, if you are into history and want to know more about how people felt during wartime, this book will be perfect for you!
December 13, 2018
Most of my knowledge of Pearl Harbor came from reading Walter Lord's classic Day of Infamy decades ago. Craig Nelson's book is not only a worthy supplement but in many ways surpasses it. Without giving away spoilers, Nelson reveals that the Japanese war leaders were even more duplicitous and, as FDR famously put it, dastardly than was previously known in regards to their diplomatic dealings with the USA. But conversely, the US also made more missteps, overlooked intelligence, and failed to react to what should have been red flags. In addition, there are other facts revealed about the aftermath that I found amazing, bordering on incredible. Small spoiler here: for example, the planned invasion of Japan was to begin with poison gas attacks by the US.
While Lord had the luxury of having many survivors to consult for Day of Infamy, Craig has the luxury of declassified and otherwise discovered material that was not available to Lord. And perhaps in deference to both the survivors and the dead, Lord conveyed the massive destruction and death but did so more delicately than Nelson. This is not a bad thing, but Pearl Harbor is more graphic and probably more realistic "you are there" picture of the horror of December 7, 1941.
I would never discourage anyone from reading Day of Infamy, it's a great piece of historical literature. But I would strongly recommend Pearl Harbor: From Infamy to Greatness as well. And with all due respect to Mr. Lord, if I had to choose I would suggest Nelson's book as being more definitive.
While Lord had the luxury of having many survivors to consult for Day of Infamy, Craig has the luxury of declassified and otherwise discovered material that was not available to Lord. And perhaps in deference to both the survivors and the dead, Lord conveyed the massive destruction and death but did so more delicately than Nelson. This is not a bad thing, but Pearl Harbor is more graphic and probably more realistic "you are there" picture of the horror of December 7, 1941.
I would never discourage anyone from reading Day of Infamy, it's a great piece of historical literature. But I would strongly recommend Pearl Harbor: From Infamy to Greatness as well. And with all due respect to Mr. Lord, if I had to choose I would suggest Nelson's book as being more definitive.
December 28, 2020
In general, this was a good, but not great, review of Pearl Harbor, including the precipitating causes and subsequent outcomes. The first section provides a detailed enough accounting of the events leading up to the attack. This section goes back several decades and included a significant amount of primary resource material from the key Japanese players. This was the best of the three sections.
Section two was a bit disappointing and at times difficult to read. Some powerful accounts directly from those who were there are sobering in their descriptions of that day. However, while the author’s choice to use the words of the sailors, soldiers, and pilots experiencing the attack (including those of the Japanese) provides an interesting oral history, it was extremely difficult to track what was happening. The quotes were not always enfolded well into a cohesive narrative. Perhaps this is a bit nit-picky. But at times events were described out of order both in time and even in day.
The third part included a brief, really brief,summary of the events of the war following PH including Doolittle’s Raid and Midway. It concludes with an overview of the hearings that necessarily occurred in an effort to understand. While not exhaustive, again the account is detailed enough for the average student of history.
While the above description of section two may sound as if I didn’t enjoy and appreciate the work, overall I did find this to be a good account of one of the most important days in our history.
Section two was a bit disappointing and at times difficult to read. Some powerful accounts directly from those who were there are sobering in their descriptions of that day. However, while the author’s choice to use the words of the sailors, soldiers, and pilots experiencing the attack (including those of the Japanese) provides an interesting oral history, it was extremely difficult to track what was happening. The quotes were not always enfolded well into a cohesive narrative. Perhaps this is a bit nit-picky. But at times events were described out of order both in time and even in day.
The third part included a brief, really brief,summary of the events of the war following PH including Doolittle’s Raid and Midway. It concludes with an overview of the hearings that necessarily occurred in an effort to understand. While not exhaustive, again the account is detailed enough for the average student of history.
While the above description of section two may sound as if I didn’t enjoy and appreciate the work, overall I did find this to be a good account of one of the most important days in our history.
January 8, 2018
There is a huge amount of information I never learned about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, including the decisions and power structures in Japan that led to the attack and our failure to prepare for the possibility of an attack. Reasons for the latter are complicated and varied, including in large parts Army-Navy competition rather than cooperation, lack of funding, mixed messages from Washington, insufficient decoding and translation speed, failure to act on obvious intelligence, and outright prejudice against the Japanese people.
These were not only problems at Pearl Harbor: MacArthur was responsible for similar faults in his purview in the Philippines, including having his secretary refuse to disturb him when he could have stopped a devastating attack from Formosa.
There are two bits of minor but important history, too:
(1) Some Republicans refused to stand for the Democrat F.D.R. when he entered to make his famous "Day of Infamy" speech, which appears to be notable in that only some refused to stand.
(2) The most tragic portion of the attack, to me, was the fate of 3 sailors trapped underwater in the U.S.S. West Virginia, who spent at least 16 days alive and conscious, awaiting a rescue which never came.
These were not only problems at Pearl Harbor: MacArthur was responsible for similar faults in his purview in the Philippines, including having his secretary refuse to disturb him when he could have stopped a devastating attack from Formosa.
There are two bits of minor but important history, too:
(1) Some Republicans refused to stand for the Democrat F.D.R. when he entered to make his famous "Day of Infamy" speech, which appears to be notable in that only some refused to stand.
(2) The most tragic portion of the attack, to me, was the fate of 3 sailors trapped underwater in the U.S.S. West Virginia, who spent at least 16 days alive and conscious, awaiting a rescue which never came.
August 20, 2018
Nelson's book is one of the best I've read on the Pearl Harbor attack, most of which touch only briefly on the lead up to the attack, and almost never go beyond the immediate few days after it. The sections on the attack and bombing itself comprise only about 30-40% of this book. Nelson takes us through a well laid out pre-history of US/Japan relations, going back to the mid-19th century. That is not to say he bogs the reader down in minutiae. His narrative throughout is well paced and very engaging. With that you are presented with a well formed context for the events that brought us to December 7, 1941. The sections on the bombing itself were riveting and read like an action film. But more engrossing were the pages on the clean up, medical and rescue efforts. Gut wrenching to be sure, these stories provide a real sense of what it might have been like. Then he takes us through the months following the bombing, including the early successes of the Japanese military and their ultimate downfall. Filled with first-person accounts and a strong handle on the historical perspective, this book is a must read for any fan of history, in particular, WWII history.
December 12, 2018
There’ve been many a book written about Pearl Harbor over the last 75+ years since the attack. This one is pretty evenly set in both Japanese and American points of view. My take of the first 1/3 of this book, which is the leading up to the attack, is that the Japanese did give some major hints that the attack was imminent. Their American counterparts were either not picking up on the hints given them or they really did want the attack to happen to draw the US into the war. There was almost a complete dereliction of duty on the American military’s side of things that ordinarily should have been major red flags and subsequently acted upon instead of being missed and leading the whole base being caught with their pants down.
One of the things that always bothered me was the Japanese not sending a third wave to really put the screws to the American military and take out some prime targets that were overlooked and should’ve been hit, like the oil and fuel reserves for one thing. If they took that out, the nearest reserve was on the mainland. That would have set them back probably a couple years.
Definitely a good book and recommended
One of the things that always bothered me was the Japanese not sending a third wave to really put the screws to the American military and take out some prime targets that were overlooked and should’ve been hit, like the oil and fuel reserves for one thing. If they took that out, the nearest reserve was on the mainland. That would have set them back probably a couple years.
Definitely a good book and recommended
May 8, 2018
A trip to Oahu, and Pearl Harbor, last summer piqued my interest in the history of this history-changing event. It took me a long time to get through. The first nearly half is a detailed play-by-play of events leading up to Dec 7, 1941 (diplomatic sparring, spying and codebreaking, brinksmanship, etc). That part was a little slow--interesting, but you have to be committed. I did learn a ton about the pre-WW2 atrocities Japan committed, especially in China, that are just horrifying in their brutality and monstrousity.
The narrative of events of the day itself is riveting and heart-breaking. The last 1/4 of the book then traces at a higher level the Pacific theatre of the WW2 through to Hiroshima and Nagasaki and Japan's surrender.
Overall, a really really well done, thorough, retelling of the events. Not just the what and when, but also the why. Importantly, basically debunks the popular myth that FDR and other top American leadership either knew it was coming, or even encouraged it as way to get into the war.
The narrative of events of the day itself is riveting and heart-breaking. The last 1/4 of the book then traces at a higher level the Pacific theatre of the WW2 through to Hiroshima and Nagasaki and Japan's surrender.
Overall, a really really well done, thorough, retelling of the events. Not just the what and when, but also the why. Importantly, basically debunks the popular myth that FDR and other top American leadership either knew it was coming, or even encouraged it as way to get into the war.
December 31, 2020
I came across this book on the source list for one of Dan Carlin’s episodes of his “Supernova In The East” series on Hardcore History. He gave it a particularly glowing review, so I decided to check it out.
I’ve read a decent amount on World War II, and I enjoy reading about the Pacific War in particular. Yet I hadn’t read a book that was just about Pearl Harbor. It seems like a fair amount of books treat it as kind of a prologue to the rest of the Pacific War, which it really was, but some of what I had read lacked the detail often found in books about later clashes in the Pacific.
So I really enjoyed this one. It begins with the diplomatic and political maneuvering that preceded December 7, spends a great deal of time on the battle itself and the immediate aftermath, and then winds the threads that lead out from Pearl Harbor into the rest of the Pacific War, concluding with a bird’s eye view of the atomic bombs and Japan’s surrender.
I would think anyone who enjoys reading about World War II or Military History in general would like this book. Nelson’s style is engaging and accessible, and it’s full of recollections from survivors and rescuers.
I’ve read a decent amount on World War II, and I enjoy reading about the Pacific War in particular. Yet I hadn’t read a book that was just about Pearl Harbor. It seems like a fair amount of books treat it as kind of a prologue to the rest of the Pacific War, which it really was, but some of what I had read lacked the detail often found in books about later clashes in the Pacific.
So I really enjoyed this one. It begins with the diplomatic and political maneuvering that preceded December 7, spends a great deal of time on the battle itself and the immediate aftermath, and then winds the threads that lead out from Pearl Harbor into the rest of the Pacific War, concluding with a bird’s eye view of the atomic bombs and Japan’s surrender.
I would think anyone who enjoys reading about World War II or Military History in general would like this book. Nelson’s style is engaging and accessible, and it’s full of recollections from survivors and rescuers.
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