Nimitz

by E.B. Potter

Called a great book worthy of a great man, this definitive biography of the commander in chief of the Pacific Fleet in World War II, first published in 1976 and now available in paperback for the first time, continues to be considered the best book ever written about Adm. Chester W. Nimitz. Highly respected by both the civilian and naval communities, Nimitz was sometimes overshadowed by more colorful warriors in the Pacific such as MacArthur and Halsey. Potter's lively and authoritative style fleshes out Admiral Nimitz's personality to help readers appreciate the contributions he made as the principal architect of Japan's defeat. Following the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, President Roosevelt named Nimitz as commander of the Pacific Fleet. An experienced and respected leader, Nimitz was also an effective military strategist who directed U.S. forces as they closed in on Japan, beginning in May and June of 1942 with the battles of the Coral Sea and Midway. Nimitz was promoted to the newly-created rank of fleet admiral in 1944 and became the naval equivalent to the army's General Dwight Eisenhower. The book covers his full life, from a poverty-stricken childhood to postwar appointments as Chief of Naval Operations and U.N. mediator. It candidly reveals Nimitz's opinions of Halsey, Kimmel, King, Spruance, MacArthur, Forrestal, Roosevelt, and Truman.

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

544 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1976

About the author

Elmer Belmont "Ned" Potter was an American historian and author. He was the leading naval historian at the United States Naval Academy from the late 1940s to the mid-1970s, and author/editor, in collaboration with Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, of the Naval Academy's famous textbook on naval history, Sea Power.

Reviews

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

While growing up during WWII, I must admit that Nimitz was one of my heroes. Over the years I have read a number of biographies of Nimitz, but I believe this is one of the best biographies of Nimitz. The majority of the book is about WWII, but historian Potter does work in his early life and his family life.

The book is well written and meticulously researched. Potter presents a mostly unbiased biography, but his admiration of Nimitz is apparent. The author puts the war campaigns in a lesser position and puts Nimitz, the man, in the primary position. He covers his reactions and decision making as the main focus as well as learning about Nimitz, the man. I noted what I would call a “pearl of information” about Nimitz: If he did not get the assignment he wanted, he did not complain but put himself one hundred percent into the new assignment and learned all he could from that role. A good lesson for all of us. The book reveals that Nimitz was the right man, in the right place, at the right time during WWII. The book was written in 1976. I recommend this biography.

I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is twenty-five hours and fourteen minutes. Mike Chamberlain does a good job narrating the book. Chamberlain is an actor and voice-over artist. Chamberlain has won the EarPhone Award for audiobook narration.

[John Frazier · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having recently read a biography of Chester Nimitz's World War II Army counterpoint Dwight Eisenhower, I came into this expecting considerably more than what was delivered, and in this case I can't fault the subject.

"Nimitz" is what happens when a figure of great historical significance entrusts his story to a handpicked historian and instructor from the Naval Academy in Annapolis: a biography that reads like a textbook with about as much sizzle and controversy.

To this baby-boomer, Nimitz is one of the least-heralded heroes of World War II. In my estimation, the European theater has received the bulk of the attention given to the war and its constituents, considerably more than the Pacific theater. I don't know if that's because of the proximity to the United States, the personalities involved or the fact that, while you can visit Normandy and the scenes of the D-Day Invasion, it's a little more difficult (and a lot less visually interesting) to see where the Battle of the Midway took place.

Whatever the reasons, I viewed this as a great opportunity to better inform myself on the subject and subjects involved.

While author E.B. Potter (with whom Nimitz wrote "Sea Power," considered among the definitive tomes ever written on the subject) does a commendable job of chronologically leading us through the various stages and machinations of Nimitz's personal history as well as the events that transpired from December 7, 1941 forward, he does so with little character or flair for the dramatic which, given the subject, should have been never-ending. Far from critical of almost anything Nimitz contemplated or did, Potter makes Nimitz appear virtually faultless, not only in his personal life but in his administration and conduct of the Pacific Fleet, the most powerful naval force in the world that was very nearly defeated in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor.

At least after reading 500 pages on Eisenhower I know that he liked to golf, he rarely met a cocktail he didn't like and that he could kick anybody's ass in a game of cards. Powers rarely delves with any depth or insight into Nimitz's personal life, other than to say that he liked long walks and that he and his wife had some special kind of marriage than enabled them to endure great periods of time away from each other, not to mention uncertainty.

Nimitz opposed women in the service, though the genesis of this opposition is unclear and unexplored. Apparently he wasn't very religious, though we're not told why. And did he have any feelings about fighting alongside blacks--and even Japanese Americans? If so, we wouldn't know it through Potter's narrowly-focused lens.

What did his contemporaries really think of him as a leader, strategist, warrior? What did his children really think of him as a father?

If not for Nimitz's daily correspondence with his wife, this book could've been considerably shorter and no less interesting.

Also, while it does include a number of very static drawings and maps, there's not a single photograph of the man most credit more than others for defeating Japan, or the horrifying war he conducted from afar. (Until the very end when he relocated to Guam, he was never allowed to get any closer to the actual fighting than Pearl Harbor and, in fact, never saw any combat.) Equally disturbing was Potter's assumption that his readers would know every classification of boat and ship and their purposes. What's the difference between a battleship and a destroyer and carrier? What are their capacities and capabilities? Here again, a few photos could've provided some much-needed context.

I really wish I could speak more glowingly about "Nimitz," but it's just too clinical. As it stands, this is a two-star story about a five-star admiral. At ease.

[Spad53 · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me Admiral Nimitz has always been the victor of Midway, Leyte Gulf etc. After reading a biography of Admiral Spruance, I sort of shifted allegiance to Spruance, but now I’m back on Nimitz! I guess I have to follow the command chain up to Admiral King next.
Nimitz by E.B. Potter is generally recommended as the best Nimitz biography, so unsurprisingly it was really really good. Despite being nearly 50 years old it reads like one of the modern generation of military biographies. Potter has done an amazing job of making Nimitz human, so much so, that I felt rather sad when the book ended with his death.
I learnt lots of things I didn’t know about (or forgotten) about Nimitz, I’ve always associated Nimitz with aircraft carriers, yet his background was in submarines, he was from the battleship generation, yet he managed to shrug that off and win the war in the Pacific with carriers and naval aviation.

If you want to read about one US admiral, Nimitz is the one, and so is this book.

[Richard Marney · Rating 4 out of 5]

The obvious value of this well-written biography is a deeper understanding of the background and the wartime exploits of Fleet Admiral Nimitz. Less obvious, but arguably more important and imminently transferable to real life, are the principles of his management style. When juxtaposed to that of his contemporary, MacArthur, the author communicates to the reader the compelling effectiveness of an approach that combines respect for one’s co-workers no matter how far down the ladder with knowledge, experience and selfless courage, versus the self-centred and theatrical MacArthur. For readers averse to military history, but keen on management science, this is a worthwhile read.

[Bert Hopkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book! I got to really understand and appreciate a great, American patriot. As a bonus I got a terrific overview of World War II In the Pacific.

[Kevin Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I greatly appreciate Nimitz wanted his biography to be as objective as possible. He didn’t write it immediately after WWII and get caught up in the emotional whirlwind of his military success. He wanted future historians to examine his life and career and make fair judgements about what he did right and wrong. It's not a biography that makes the subject seem flawless. It shows his mistakes as well as character flaws so that you understand Nimitz was human like all of us. The book is not in chronological order which cause you to forget names mentioned earlier in the book, when the author is writing about WWII, and then reappear later on in other chapters. Nimitz’s naval career from prior to WWI to the Cold War follows pivotal moments in the US Navy’s own history. You see the development of aircraft carriers and the growth of the navy to two fleets. So this book also captures how the US Navy grew and evolved during the first half of the 20th century. The book isn’t in chronological order making it difficult to recall some facts. Given the length and detail I would sometimes forget names, places, and such and get a little lost and look at other history books to remind me. Exhaustive and detailed but worthwhile.

[Josh Hornback · Rating 5 out of 5]

I spent most of the time reading this book about two miles from where Admiral Chester Nimitz went to high school in the town of Kerrville, Texas.

Admittedly I didn’t know much about the man prior to this book. What I know now has convinced me that this native Texan was one of the most honorable and caring leaders of WW2.

I am excited to visit the Nimitz Hotel again in the future.

[Samuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

reading the greats

[Andrew Canfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

It would be a challenge to find a more definitive biography on Admiral Chester Nimitz than E.B. Potter’s magisterial 1977 book. A respected U.S. Navy Academy historian, Potter certainly did his homework when it came to covering numerous aspects of Nimitz’s public and private life.

While Douglas Macarthur, Nimitz's Army counterpart in the Second World War, had much more written about his accomplishments both during after the conflict, this nonfiction work makes clear that it would be a mistake to overlook Nimitz's contributions toward U.S. victory in the Pacific. His workmanlike demeanor did not create as many headlines as Macarthur, but the efficiency of his command comes through clearly when the facts are presented by Potter. While Nimitz is heavy on the years between Pearl Harbor and 1945, the book also looks at Nimitz’s life before and after the Second World War.

Chester William was born in 1885 in Fredericksburg, a town of largely German ancestry in central Texas where his grandfather ran the popular Nimitz Hotel. The first part of the book deals with the unlikelihood of Chester actually attending the Naval Academy, which he ends up doing and graduating from in 1905.

A year before the outbreak of the First World War, Nimitz traveled to Germany to study the efficacy of diesel engines. By this point the Navy had already begun to respect his problem-solving abilities and nautical talents. These pre-Pacific conflict years do an admirable job of fleshing out Chester’s background, including his marriage to Catherine Freeman in 1913 and his growing expertise in submarine matters in the 1910s.

Following the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, Nimitz was promoted to Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Pacific fleet as Fleet Admiral. It was in this capacity that the book spends the most time covering his decision making and contributions to the war effort.

Aside from Nimitz’s administrative skill as head of a massive naval force in the fight against Japan, what comes across most in these portions of the book is intraservice squabbles. Army General Douglas Macarthur is seen frequently butting heads with Nimitz’s Naval staff, and what can best be described as turf wars between the navy, the army, the latter’s air arm, and the former’s Marine Corps take up a lot of Nimitz’s attention.

Admiral Raymond Spruance, who was the commander of the Central Pacific fleet during the war, seemed to have a largely constructive relationship with his counterpart. Both Spruance and Nimitz, while not always on the same page, are frequently seen planning campaigns together.

Third Fleet admiral William “Bill” Halsey, on the other hand, was more temperamental and required frequent reigning in by Nimitz and his staff. Admiral Ernest J. King was another key mover in the war against Japan, and it also required a bit of work for Nimitz to make that relationship work when it came to final victory in the Pacific theater.

Admiral William D. Leahy and John S. McCain, Sr. also figure prominently in the Pacific war section of the book. Potter really communicates just how efficient of an administrator Nimitz was, as he dealt with major responsibilities effectively during a time of extreme stress. The admiral’s dealings with his staff, as well as with the civilian brass like FDR and Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox, show him to be someone who could handle and juggle dynamic relationships no matter the level of ego involved.

The book is not entirely fawning when it comes to its subject, as Nimitz was shown to have regressive views when it came to WAVEs and WACs. These female units, which served their country in wartime, were to be kept out of Nimitz’s sight as much as possible.

From Nimitz and the country’s collective shock over the Pearl Harbor attack to the adoption of strategies that led to the retaking of islands like Saipan, the Philippines, Guam, and Guadalcanal, readers will get a huge dose of Pacific warfare discussion in this voluminous book’s pages. From aircraft carriers to cruisers to destroyers to kamikaze attacks during and after Leyte Gulf, Pacific War buffs are sure to get their fill.

It is also interesting to hear about the agnosticism the admiral showed toward the atomic bomb, as the book presented Nimitz as torn and possessing mixed feelings on the existence of such a weapon of mass destruction. Nimitz was also shown to not be wild about developing the hydrogen bomb, and he seemed equally tormented by firebombing and other major killings of civilians by air during the war.

It is impossible to read Nimitz and not come away with an understanding of how pivotal Nimitz was to American victory in the Pacific War.

He became Chief of Naval Operations after the war, using this post to lobby Congress against slashing of naval resources in the immediate postwar years. The debates over combining the armed forces under a single secretary, as well as debates over creating a separate category for the air force and marine corps, was analyzed toward the conclusion. These postwar years are covered in some interesting chapters at the end.

Anna, Catherine, Mary, and Chester, Jr. were Chester and Catherine’s four children, and Potter includes plenty of information about their personal lives. The national freak-out over Mary joining a Catholic convent in the early 1950s was an odd but almost comical situation to read about, as was the laughable low price the Nimitzes bought real estate in the Bay Area of California for in that same decade. Nimitz's devotion as a trustee of Cal-Berkeley was one of the non-martial aspects of his public life in the post-1945 years.

The mix of military and private affairs covered in the book really do a service when it comes to having a well-rounded appreciation of Nimitz’s life and career.

Five stars are not something a run-of-the-mill book can earn. But this particularly strong biography earns that distinction, as E.B. Potter demonstrates his own knowledge of the Navy’s inner workings to create an immensely readable and informative portrait of one of the most important men to ever serve in that department.

-Andrew Canfield Denver, Colorado

[Don Crumbley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Sailor to be Remembered

Great read of a sailor to be remembered for living a life that is an example for all to follow in how to be remembered in leaving this world better than which he found it. Having read several other historical events ,details and battles about WWII in the Pacific, I find Nimitz to be clearly articulated as to how Admiral Nimitz exercised his wisdom based on daily information and sitreps that he received and perceived as to how best to proceed and lead. The reader can then follow the results as Admiral Nimitz saw the events unfold and not just as to the actual real time events, as it may have been days before the actual happenings became clear to Admiral Nimitz and staff. A book well done!

[Jarrod · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thorough account of Chester Nimitz's life and the journey through the navy that he took before, during and after world war 2. This is a detailed account that doesn't hold back on detail. It's a great story that follows the ups and downs of the Admiral. He was in the weeds during the heightened battles of the Pacific and lead the troops in battle. He didn't sit on the sidelines and work in policy. He was one of the one at the top that "got his hands dirty". Worth the add for anyone interested in WW2 and/or the Pacific theater of operations. A great account and gives good details of battles and how the war developed in the east.

[Jeremy Belanger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full disclosure, this was actually an audiobook. Overall I enjoyed it and thought it was a good read (listen). The structure is a bit odd as the first few chapters start at the beginning of WWII then jump back to his early life, then forward to WWII, then back several times. Other than that it was an interesting story about a interesting man.

[Rolf Kirby · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating biography of Admiral Chester Nimitz, who commanded the US Pacific Fleet in WW 2. This 1976 book has a pleasantly old fashioned feel to it. Nimitz comes across as cut from the same mold as General Marshall, an old school honorable officer.
He was offered command of the Pacific Fleet as war loomed, but declined due to not wanting to vault ahead of many admirals his senior. Pearl Harbor led to the sacking of the admiral and general in charge of Hawaii, and Nimitz said yes when he was offered (really ordered to take) the spot again. This stands in contrast to Britain in May 1940. When Neville Chamberlain stepped down as Prime Minister Lord Halifax was next in line, but he declined for tactical political reasons. Behind him was Winston Churchill, who took the reins right as Germany attacked France followed by the Battle of Britain and political immortality for Churchill.
Nimitz was a good judge of character, and gave his subordinates a lot of room to make decisions. He very rarely interfered in the course of a battle, feeling that the commanders who were there should be able to make up their own minds without interference from higher HQ.
This book writes of the famous battles in the Pacific from the perspective of Nimitz in his HQ on Pearl Harbor and later Guam. In a real way the book stands on the other end of the spectrum from Pacific War Diary. That excellent book gave a very clear description of the life of a sailor on a warship. This book on Nimitz gives you the view of the war from the highest echelons, where strategic needs in other continents play a real role.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had been interested in reading this book since May 2019, when my wife and I took a trip to Texas, and among other places, visited the town of Fredericksburg, TX, the site of the National Museum of the Pacific War (in which I spent parts of two days) and the boyhood home of Fleet Admiral Chester A. Nimitz. Nimitz also interested me after having read Ian W. Toll's trilogy on the Pacific War, in which he described Nimitz's even-handed decision-making capabilities along with his ability to work with the egocentric General Douglas MacArthur to win the war in the pacific. These traits come through again in this book, along with the picture of Nimitz as a family man devoted to his wife and children. Indeed, these were the most interesting aspects of this book for me. The book ends with his death at the age of 81 in February 1966; I was only disappointed that the book did not mention more about his beloved with Katherine and how she coped and continued after Nimitz's passing.

[Tom Brennan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've read an enormous amount about WWII, but relatively little of that has been about the War in the Pacific, and nothing about Nimitz. Thus it was I picked up this book. I found it detailed and clear but not in any way compelling. Potter writes more like a reciter of facts than a teller of tales, more chronicler than bard. The best historians combine the two; Potter does not. On the plus side, he does give us a fair amount of before/after of Nimitz life in reference to the war, though the latter especially is skimpy. And practically nothing on his family. He also does a decent job showing the overall strategy of the war, and how the Nimitz/McArthur relationship worked. On the negative side, it just does not hold the attention, and this so badly that for stretches I just wanted the book to be over.

Good subject. There's a good book in it. This isn't it.

[Monte Lamb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book covering the life of the Admiral who was in charge of our forces in the Central Pacific during WWII. It does a good job of sharing his childhood and early career. I think it is a fair appraisal of his abilities and how he developed the skills to be such a successful commander during the war. The retired years seem to be mostly short vignettes possibly derived from their journals. While these are interesting, this part of the book didn't flow as well as earlier sections. Admiral Nimitz was a great leader who like Eisenhower was able to keep big egos in check and create a winning team that stayed on track to winning the war.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always admired Admiral Nimitz and this biography just furthers that admiration. From humble Texas beginnings he never forgot his roots when he reached the pinnacle of his career as a Fleet Admrial. Service and humility were his cornerstones whether with his sailors or his family and that theme is prevalent throughout this book. I would have been honored to serve on his staff during World War II or during his time as CNO. Leaders such as this do not come along often and he had not many equals among his peers. Well written and a joy to read this book is well worth the time investment.

[Bobby Daugherty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good biography of the only five-star admiral in the USN. The amount of work he managed to accomplish is only surpassed by his humility. He never took a dime for public speeches, never sought fame, and maintained a status of dignity to preserve the honor of the Navy. He led the U.S. Navy to it's victory over Japan (and it was the USN that defeated the Japanese on the sea and the U.S. Marines that defeated them on land) while McArthur was on the run. He then had to share the spotlight with McArthur after he secured the victory McArthur could not. He also went to bat for Doenitz to prevent his having been executed by the murderous war crimes tribunal.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly Nimitz seems just kinda boring. No wow factor in his life other than just the fact that he was CINCUS/CINCPAC and CNO during and after WWII. Seems like he was an upstanding guy, navy guy through and through

The level of detail in this book seems good for a history buff. It’s not particularly dry. It does a good job weaving personal and military aspects.

I think the piece I didn’t like was that I didn’t have a strong sense of what made Nimitz different from the other admirals above and below him. Did he have some unique insight?

Overall interesting. Audiobook editing wasn’t so good, not enough pauses between paragraphs sometimes very jarring.

[Robert T. Wray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nimitz, America's greatest sailor!

As a former WW2 U.S. Navy enlisted sailor I knew Admiral Monica's name, his reputation as CinCPac.

Without demanding it, he had the respect and admiration of all of my enlisted shipmates, to the best of my knowledge.

This book caused me to feel almost like a personal friend of the Admiral and his family, while knowing that realistically that could never have happened.

Thanks to all persons involved in publication of this memorable book.1
Robert T. Wray ex RM 2/c USNR 1944 - 1946

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very much enjoyed this book and getting to know Admiral Nimitz. Lots of wonderful insights and detail. One reservation with multiple examples. The author clearly loves details of military organization and history. Certainly the reader benefits from this in most areas but the author often cannot resist dragging us into the weeds of fairly minor (by world historic standards) personnel changes and by over-use of the military acronyms like “CINCPOA” and “CINCPAC”. Nevertheless, well done and highly recommended.

[Alex Tray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nimitz is an extensive book based on academic sources and the personal relationship between the author and subject. While it has humorous anecdotes, the biography does hold Nimitz high on a pedestal and paints few faults. It does make me want to read more about the tempestuous Admiral King and Admiral Halsey whose dramatic personalities were inextricably linked to the War. Comparably, Nimitz is an angel and this as a read, I felt a little bored in long stretches. However, Nimitz is a remarkable historical figure and should be studied.

[Pei-jean Lu · Rating 4 out of 5]

In terms of my expectations, I was hoping for something a little more detailed than what was delivered. Biography as a whole is probably quite loose as a description of this, while interesting this is more about his wartime exploits rather than about the man himself. That’s not to say that his wartime exploits wasn’t an integral part of his life because of course Nimitz’s entire life was shaped by his time in the navy and by his leadership of the pacific fleet during WWII, but I was hoping for a more personal side to him as well.

[Donald Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author carefully researched the life of Chester Nimitz. His writing style was somewhat stilted, but he ably covered the story of the Admiral's life.

Chester Nimitz was a man of tremendous character and ability. He seemed to be made for the role that he played in WW2, leading the fight in the Pacific.

In his personal life, he displayed equally fine character, but his lack of spiritual understanding also shows. His testimony was as a good man. Unfortunately, merely being a good man counts nothing in eternity.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

thoroughly enjoyable if somewhat hagiographic biography. Nimitz comes off as down to earth, no nonsense and inspiring leader. i'm sure he made some controversial decisions and had his faults like any other leader, but potter (being a naval man himself) doesn't really dig too deeply into anything other than painting Nimitz in a nice light. regardless, i enjoyed this from start to finish, and felt like i learned a lot about Nimitz and the pacific naval war of WW 2.

[Douglas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good study of Nimitz. Unfortunately, the author’s real world friendship with the subject contributed to a somewhat biased view, allowing certain negative aspects of his personality and worldview to go unchallenged or unexplored. I would, however, still recommend reading for someone wishing to explore this more reclusive figure of the Second World War.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written in 1976, Potter uses many first hand accounts from the participants and extensive records from WWII. Admiral Nimitz was a solid leader with well developed ideas of how best to manage naval forces. His early years of service prepared him well to make the transition from battleships to carriers successfully. I strongly recommend the book to anyone interested in WWII naval history.

[Christopher Pokorny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Acclaimed as “the” Nimitz biography. Well written, choc-full of insight and fun stories of the most powerful US Navy officer to have lived. Nimitz ensured that his biography would only be authored after his death, and only by E.B. Potter (the author), in an effort to not manipulate societal affinity for him, but out of respect for the great nation he served!

[Jeff Sibley · Rating 5 out of 5]

After visiting Fredericksburg, I wondered how someone from the hill country of Texas could up a career Navy guy with unparalleled success.
This biography helped explain that as well as a good understanding of the naval action with Japan in WWII.
I admire him more after reading this book and will keep a copy in my library.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent book on one of the greatest leaders of WW II. Nimitz was an outstanding and stable commander as CINCPAC & CINCPOA during the war. Encountering numerous challenges he was able to fashion the greatest fighting force the world has ever seen. Nimitz was a determined, clear headed leader who successfully led the U. S. to victory in the Pacific.