The Flying Tigers: The Untold Story of the American Pilots Who Waged a Secret War Against Japan

by Samuel Kleiner

The thrilling story behind the American pilots who were secretly recruited to defend the nation’s desperate Chinese allies before Pearl Harbor and ended up on the front lines of the war against the Japanese in the Pacific.  Sam Kleiner’s The Flying Tigers uncovers the hidden story of the group of young American men and women who crossed the Pacific before Pearl Harbor to risk their lives defending China. Led by legendary army pilot Claire Chennault, these men left behind an America still at peace in the summer of 1941 using false identities to travel across the Pacific to a run-down airbase in the jungles of Burma. In the wake of the disaster at Pearl Harbor this motley crew was the first group of Americans to take on the Japanese in combat, shooting down hundreds of Japanese aircraft in the skies over Burma, Thailand, and China. At a time when the Allies were being defeated across the globe, the Flying Tigers’ exploits gave hope to Americans and Chinese alike.   Kleiner takes readers into the cockpits of their iconic shark-nosed P-40 planes—one of the most familiar images of the war—as the Tigers perform nail-biting missions against the Japanese. He profiles the outsize personalities involved in the operation, including Chennault, whose aggressive tactics went against the prevailing wisdom of military strategy; Greg “Pappy” Boyington, the man who would become the nation’s most beloved pilot until he was shot down and became a POW; Emma Foster, one of the nurses in the unit who had a passionate romance with a pilot named John Petach; and Madame Chiang Kai-shek herself, who first brought Chennault to China and who would come to visit these young Americans. A dramatic story of a covert operation whose very existence would have scandalized an isolationist United States, The Flying Tigers is the unforgettable account of a group of Americans whose heroism changed the world, and who cemented an alliance between the United States and China as both nations fought against seemingly insurmountable odds.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, World War II, Aviation, Military History, China, American History

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 15, 2018

Reviews

[Jill H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Flying Tigers with their shark nosed fighter planes were fighting the Japanese before the United States declared war on Japan. How is that possible? This book delves into the history of the AVG (American Volunteer Group) which would forever be known in history as the Flying Tigers.

Colonel Claire Chennault was the founder and leader of the Tigers. The son of a Louisiana farmer, he had been obsessed with airplanes since a child. He joined the Army Air Corps but soon became disillusioned as he was afraid that he would be eventually assigned to a desk job. He and two of his fellow flyers were approached by a Chinese dignitary and asked to come to China to evaluate their air force. Although they initially refused, the lure of possible action in the air was just too tempting and they resigned and headed for China. This was the initial step to the creation of the Flying Tigers.

This book is chock full of diary entries, letters, and interviews which gives the reader a deep look at the feelings of Chennault and his flyers, as well as other good research sources. I would recommend this history to all of those who are history buffs.

[ALLEN · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is hardly an "Untold Story" as the book's jacket claims, but it is a good story, and well told. Aviator Claire Chennault and his Flying Tigers began their wartime work before the U.S. entry into World War Two by skirting neutrality laws. (Technically they began in 1937 not as part of the U.S. Army Air Corps, but for the Republic of China as a volunteer group.) Later, in 1942, the group would come under the command of Gen. "Vinegar" Joe Stilwell. Chennault championed the use of "pursuit" or fighter-interceptor aircraft at a time when saturation bombing was the norm.


from the book:
Chennault had a group of fewer than a dozen American expats who had refused to evacuate China. He was grateful to have this handful of Americans, and soon more were coming. . . . Most were American, but there was a smattering of French and German pilots, too. . . . Together they became known as the International Squadron. (p. 41)

[KOMET · Rating 5 out of 5]

"THE FLYING TIGERS: The Untold Story of the American Pilots Who Waged a Secret War Against Japan Before Pearl Harbor" is a well-written, comprehensive account of one of the most unique fighter units of the Second World War.

Officially known as the American Volunteer Group (AVG), the Flying Tigers was conceived and brought into being in July 1941 through the efforts of its commander, Claire L. Chennault (a former U.S. Army Air Corps fighter pilot who resigned his commission in 1937 to offer his services to China in its war with Japan), President Roosevelt and various members of his Administration. Five months later, with America's entry into the war, the AVG, following an extensive training program, was put on a wartime footing. Indeed, between December 20, 1941 (when the AVG first saw action against Japanese military forces) and July 5, 1942 (when the AVG went out of existence and U.S. Army Air Force fighter and bomber units arrived in China to continue the fight against Japan), the Flying Tigers established, against great odds, an outstanding combat record in fighting Japan in both China and Burma.

This book also presents photos (some never before seen in any previous AVG history) and fascinating, heart-warming personal stories of the pilots and personnel of the AVG - including a nurse, Emma Foster, and a special, enduring relationship she developed with one of the AVG pilots - which make the Flying Tigers story more tangible and real to the reader.

"THE FLYING TIGERS" is a story that will appeal to anyone who loves human interest stories and seeks inspiration from them.

[Sleepy Boy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid book on the Flying Tigers.

[Adam G · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well done history of perhaps the most successful covert action ventured by the United States. Truly a high octane adventure worth reading and retelling.

[Brayden Raymond · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think about a 3.5 is reasonable. it's a perfectly serviceable and focused history of the flying Tigers. It knows its lane and stays in it. It won't be a particularly memorable read for me, I'll remember bits of the broader arc but none of the pilots really excited me enough to remember all the individual details. Though the exploits of the AVG as a whole is certainly memorable and perhaps one day I'll visit one of the museums in China.

[Jim Cumming · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great action! This is a well-written book that illustrates the outstanding contributions by the members of the “greatest generation” during a time where freedom hung in the balance. The author wove his thorough research into a tapestry that tells the complete story of the Flying Tigers.

[patrick Lorelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is more about the history that gets lost and retold by the movies and over time that is what people are led to believe. I was one of those people. I had always thought that these group of men fought for China against Japan as Japan was working at taking over China and other countries before attacking us. True that the leader of the group Claire L. Chennault was wanting to fight against them and China he did not have the resources to that. You get a look at the behind the scenes of yes back door deals done with F.D.R. knowledge and this gets really in full gear after Pearl Harbor. The author uses diaries, notes, some interviews, and documents that have been unsealed for a full look at this look into what the established military wanted people not to know about including their excellent combat record. I had already knew about ‘’Pappy” Boyington, but this only goes along with some of the other books I have read about him. I did like how the author takes a look at the different pilots and maintenance crews, and especially the store with a nurse named Emma Foster. Overall I found this to be a very good book and something interesting about the war in the Pacific that had not been told before. A good piece of writing and well researched. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 5 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com

[Chuck · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding read covering the history and politics behind the legendary American Volunteer Group, better known as the Flying Tigers and their leader Gen Claire Chennault.

It was interesting to learn that the Flying Tigers would become an adjunct to the then OSS, forerunner of the CIA.

Very well done tale of an often overlooked theater of operations from World War II. The book delves into the men behind the legends such at flying ace Tex Hill, Pappy Boyington and James Howard. Pappy Boyington would earn the Medal of Honor flying with the Marines near Guadalcanal (CO of the famous Black Sheep Squadron) being shot down and spending several years in a POW camp in Japan while James Howard would be the only P 51 pilot to earn the Medal of Honor for his heroics in protecting a wing of B 17 aircraft on a bombing mission over Europe.

The Flying Tigers were far more than just a moral boost in the early years of the war but made a significant military impact by forcing Japan to stretch their resources to defend on many fronts.

[Allen Dodson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was really interesting because of all of the detail that was put into it. Most of the book is focused on Claire Chennault because he was the one who was in charge of the Flying Tigers. The book starts out with where Chennault was born and what he did in his childhood. Chennault found interest in flying when he was at the Fifth Annual Louisiana State Fair when they showed off a Kitty Hawk. Later Chennault joined the military and he eventually became an aviation pilot in the US army. He spent most of his career in China helping defend from the Japanese attacks. I would suggest this book for those who love to learn more about some of what happened on the other side of World War II. Overall the book was wonderful in detail with how the flying tigers got to where they are now in the war.

[Warren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr Kleiner did an excellent job researching and writing the history of the group. It is well worth the reader’s time to know about the brave men who flew and supported the Flying Tigers. They were hearty, brave, creative young men flying in foreign countries in the name of freedom from the advancing Japanese . I recommend the book.

[Jessica V]

Engaging, well-told non-fiction with lots of adventure. My kids listened to the audiobook on a car ride and were enthusiastic about it. Good choice for a diverse group of readers: history buffs, historical fiction fans (this reads like a novel), military history nerds, Asian studies majors, people who prefer plot driven stories, kids who like action movies, etc.

[Jennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating, hidden history, written briskly, with exacting research. I'm proud of you, Sam!

[Keith Muehler · Rating 5 out of 5]

The war in China in Ww2 was something that I had never been exposed to, this book does an excellent job of explaining our secret war against Japan, and the amazing men who fought it.
Claire Chennault was an aviation pioneer who built and led this group. He was such an amazing person and I was very happy to read his story.
Another story of the Greatest Generation who saved the world!

[Mora · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a powerful reminder for Americans to honor our veterans. China was brutalized (Nanking) horrifically, and these men stood by them and helped those civilians. The conditions and things our vets live in and see during war are truly traumatic. Thank you, Tigers. 🇺🇲🙌

[Jimmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of a military aviation volunteer group comprising mostly of Americans that fought against the Japanese in China during the 1940s. I have heard of the Flying Tigers for many years but know so little about them until I got a hold of this book. What prompted to read this book was the result of reading a previous book on China and America titled The Beautiful Country and the Middle Kingdom. That book talked about the Flying Tigers and their commander Claire Chennault and although it was too brief the reference to the Flying Tigers that book made me want to find a longer discussion of the famous fighter outfit. I’m glad I read this book.
Although it was called the American Volunteer Group (AVG) it is probably best known by its nickname “The Flying Tigers.” It was led by a Louisiana native former US Army pilot named Chennault. The book tells us the story of Chennualt’s upbringing, early military career and also the Chinese approaching him to form the volunteer group to help China’s air force in light of the Japanese war against China; this all took place before the US went to war against Japan in World War Two. At first ostracized by even American government officials such as embassy officials and the Army Air Force eventually when the US was attacked on Pearl Harbor these “Flying Tigers” were elevated in status as American heroes who were already taking the fight to the enemy.
I love the book for its description of the various colorful characters in the outfit and in history during that time; but it was also insightful of other historical figures such as the Nationalists president Chiang Kai-shek and his famous wife. Readers will enjoy the stories of the AVG being undersupplied, undermanned and fighting against all odds to be an operational combat group. I also enjoyed the stories of various pilots first encounter with the Japanese in combat and the various other battles that followed. But even in training before they were in combat it was dangerous; there’s stories of pilots in fatal plane crashes training in Burma and China. The book tells readers of the various accomplishments of the Flying Tigers. Readers will also learn of the politics of the regular Army Air Force marginalizing the Flying Tigers and how the men and leader of the Flying Tigers not appreciating this.
One of the interesting thing I learned from this book as the result of the author’s research compared to older books on World War Two is that secretly all along the United States was behind the Flying Tigers; they were not as vigilante as people thought they were. President FDR was the one who condone the idea of approving actual service members to be deployed for a year to China before the US entered World War Two. For those who are Marine Corps World War Two history buffs I also thought it was a treat to read of one of the members of the Flying Tigers was Pappy Boyington. Boyington would later become a famous Marine combat pilot and leader in the Marines’ campaign in the Pacific. What a small world!
Overall I enjoyed this book and recommend it!

[Indydave1958 · Rating 3 out of 5]

For many of us Baby Boomers who grew up with the Flying Tigers as larger-than-life heroes, this narrative will knock them down a couple of pegs. Maybe it’s the cynicism that comes from a generation of unjust wars. Or maybe it’s simply the perspective that seven decades has finally revealed. Whatever the case, this volume is an important piece of reckoning.

Our generation revered the Tigers not as mercenaries — which they essentially were — but as dashing patriots who risked their lives to fight for a valued ally. But their story is much more complicated than that. Many of the Tigers, for example, after fighting for months from hidden, primitive bases with nonexistent logistical support, balked at the idea of joining the Army Air Forces after Pearl Harbor and the official entry of the United States into World War II. They were weary of the fighting, and many of them went home. Understandable, but not exactly the dashing narrative we had come to love. Even Claire Chennault, the legendary founder of the Tigers, is something of a conflicted figure in this telling: Revered in China, he was seen as a middling officer by those in the U.S. military. He was disrespectful of the chain of command and eventually was forced into retirement.

Sam Kleiner has done a nice job rounding up sources close to the American Volunteer Group and studiously mined contemporary accounts. Some anecdotes were surprising to me. Wendell Willkie actually did that? Claire Chennault actually bad-mouthed the Doolittle Raid? These and other revelations — including a good tangent on the early exploits of Greg “Pappy” Boyinton — enrich the story of the fabled Flying Tigers.

But Kleiner, perhaps in the interest of brevity, because the book is only a little over 200 pages, glosses over a lot of detail. Combat descriptions are cursory, as are details on some of the colorful characters who made up the AVG.

I guess I’ll have to check out the autobiography of the pilot with whom I share a name and who was the First World War II figure I remember reading about.

Small flaws, perhaps, but Kleiner left me wanting more.

[Randall Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a good introduction to the story of the American Volunteer Group (AVG), a unit of WW II pilots that became more well-known by their nickname, The Flying Tigers.

Kleiner didn't go into great historical detail about the unit but writes an interesting story nonetheless. His narrative revolves more around the personalities within the unit than anything else. He highlights a handful of the pilots who flew for the AVG as well as their leader Claire Chennault, who has been profiled in several other WWII stories, including an in-depth biography by Barbara Tuchman.

I'd say this story is "history lite", which might turn off some more serious WWII nerds; however, it didn't stop the author from telling an interesting and riveting story about this unusual and diverse group of men who flew the planes and the men (and women) who worked behind them to keep them flying.

For me - not quite a WWII nerd but leaning toward that end of the spectrum - if didn't leave me satisfied that I know the entire story. It left me wanting more so I'm now going to read a second major history by Daniel Ford to flush out the story more thoroughly.

I have only one beef about the book. My partner says that identifying it here makes me a pedant; she tried to shame into not mentioning it. Regardless, as the son of an English teacher, I believe it's worth noting. Kleiner, despite an impressive academic pedigree (Northwestern University and Yale Law) incorrectly uses "dove" as the past participle of dive throughout the book, as in "the planes dove toward the Japanese bombers below them." Isn't this what editors are supposed to do, catch egregious grammatical errors like this and edit, i.e, correct them? Call me a pedant if that shoe fits. Neither my father, nor my seventh grade English teacher would have accepted such bad form from their students so I have trouble accepting it made it into a printed volume of this reknown.

[Ted · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enlightening - I knew little of this part of WWII. The story is told almost novel style - very readable. I found myself becoming involved with some of the "characters", feeling affected by their successes and failures.

[Patrick Kerr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow!

[Martin Koenigsberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

In The Flying Tigers, Sam Kleiner, a NYC Lawyer and writer on International Relations. take on the story of the semi-legendary American Volunteer Group (AVG) about 100 American Pilots who fought as Mercenaries Against the Japanese in China in the early days of the US WWII. Kleiner focuses on Claire Chennault, the American Military Aviator who envisaged and led the team, and the other most famous member, John "Pappy" Boyington- who would go on to be a WWII hero- the leader of the famous "Black Sheep" Squadron VMF-214. Chennault is the star and hero of the book- with a fawning approach to a Soldier whose faith in burgeoning Air power was a bit naive, and who took almost all things told to him by Chiang Kai Shek as the straight truth- REAL naivete. Boyington is the heel of the book, his alcoholic shortcomings on full display- although he did learn to fight the Japanese -and got his act together to do so. The pilots fought in their Iconic P-40s with the Shark Teeth everyone thought were a tiger smile, learning how early war US aircraft, all guns and engine power, could fight the more maneuvrable Japanese Aircraft. When the pilots are fighting or partying the book moves- but it is held back by some juvenile points of view.

Writing about the Chinese WWII effort is a difficult subject on the Nationalist Chinese side. Chiang felt that Japanese were a Cold, an illness from which His Party/Nation could recover, whilst the Chinese Communist Party, his Ally at the time, was Cancer- a disease that could/would kill him. He happened to be correct (The Communists would brush him aside in 1949), but this coloured all his dealings with the other Allies- so he was always salting away large parts of his Lend-Lease supplies for the coming war after the war- while other part of aid disappeared into the black market as his administration was riddled with corruption. Almost nothing in China could be taken at face value- and yet Kleiner keeps the reader a rube- never going into this part of the story. The Gee-Whiz "American Breathlessness" will begin to frustrate any adult reader pretty fast. Chennault was sidelined in the American Military because of his silly "1940s Air Forces ALONE Can win the War" attitude- just as the Combined Arms doctrine was being validated- AND for his childish belief in Chiang's every word. When a book takes place in the milieu of WWII China- I expect at least some discussion of the real issues there- and this book fails in this regard.

With some discussions of Adult Issues (perhaps not enough) and some graphic injury descriptions, this is a book best read by the Junior reader over about 14. For the Gamer/Modeler/Military Enthusiast its a mixed bag. Good content on air raid defense and offensive and reconnaissance missions- interesting coverage of Japanese tactics before the AVG arrived. There are some cool B/W pictures and other guidance for interesting Diorama development. The Enthusiast will enjoy the content on organisation and passages to and from- but will feel the void in addressing the real China theatre. I felt that this a book whose shortcomings made me want to read more and hopefully better books on the topic-so I will give it a lukewarm approval. A real missed opportunity -but a readable book.

[Peter Goodman · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Flying Tigers: the untold story of the American pilots who waged a secret war against Japan,” by Sam Kleiner (Viking, 2018). Well, the story isn’t untold and it wasn’t a secret war. Still, because all I really know about them is the name Claire Chennault and that they fought the Japanese for the Chinese, it was untold for me. Claire Chennault was a maverick who loved to fly but by the time war began to approach was both a bit too old and too disliked in the American forces to get the work he wanted. So, with the secret approval of FDR, he signed up with Chiang Kai-Shek to fight in China. He assembled a group of fliers, some of them mavericks, some of them adventurers, some of them kids looking for excitement. Chennault was in China during the worst elements of the Japanese invasion, including the rape of Nanking. The Brits and Dutch and Chinese were constantly driven back. Chennault’s fliers, using P-40s, fought mostly from Burma. The book gives brief biographies of some of the pilots, describes the mixed conditions they lived in (sometimes very harsh, sometimes luxurious), and how they were received with happiness by the Burmese and Chinese. He describes the air battles as seen by the Americans---no gun cameras, not very sophisticated briefings. Although they fought valiantly, and often successfully against forces that always outnumbered them, they were gradually whittled down. Once the US came into the war, the pressure to either disband the Tigers or absorb them into the Army Air Corps became far too great for Chennault to withstand. He also had an exaggerated view of what air power alone, especially just his small fighter force, could do. The Flying Tigers unit had a very short life, about a year, but it got great publicity and fame as the only Americans actually fighting the Japanese near the home islands. But Kleiner is not a historian nor an aviation expert, so something is missing: any real description of the capabilities of the P-40 against the planes it was fighting, up to the Zero. There is just a brief description of the tactics Chennault used: boom and zoom, hit from altitude and get away. How did the pilots actually fare against the Zero? Also, there is no indication he tried to find any Japanese records to compare with what the Americans reported. Still, an interesting book, a quick read. One side-note: Greg Pappy Boyington, the famed Black Sheep, was in the Tigers for a while. But apparently he was a drunk and constantly insubordinate. They threw him out. But he did manage to get into the Marines to command the fabled Black Sheep Squadron.

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/bo...

[Ray Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought I knew the story of the Flying Tigers. Japan had attacked Manchuria several years prior to the United States entering World War II. Former U.S. military pilots volunteered to fight as mercenaries. The exploits of these pilots were legendary and when the United States entered the war after Pearl Harbor, the Flying Tigers faded into history. This is what I thought from my superficial understanding. That isn’t what happened.

In the early days of hostilities between China and Japan, 1938-1939 as Germany began to assert it’s power over Europe, the Chiang Kai-shek administration recruited Claire Chennault, a famous American pilot, to assess China’s air assets. Ultimately Chennault recruits American Army Air Corps pilots and is secretly given American P-40 aircraft to defend China. What I was completely wrong about was Manchuria. Chennault and his force fought in Burma, Thailand and Southern China. The invasion of Manchuria occurred as the Flying Tigers were getting setup.

The other aspect of the book that was new to my understanding was that the United States had setup the Flying Tigers as a covert operation authorized by the president, not a mercenary force. This should be new to everyone since it is only recently that the Tigers have been recognized and the archives opened to confirm the official nature of their mission.

Beyond clarifying details for me, the book reads like an action-adventure novel. In several accounts, both journalists and official reports state that the truth of what the Flying Tigers were and what they did would be rejected by Hollywood as to fantastic to be believed. The only tale I can compare this to is the story of the Tuskegee Airmen. Kleiner does an amazing job of telling the tales of each of the original Flying Tigers. The pilots are fully realized characters in the book. This the drama is very engaging.

The tale is straight history, but so full of action, adventure, romance and tragedy that it is hard to put down and hard to imagine anyone would find a reason to put it down. Excellent book.

[John Purvis · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Flying Tigers" eBook was published in 2018 and was written by Sam Kleiner. This is Mr. Kleiner's first publication.

I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘PG’ because it contains scenes of Violence. The story takes place from just before World War II until just after it. While the primary character is US Army Colonel Claire L. Chennault, there are many others whose story is told.

China had been at war with Japan for years and it was suffering. The Chinese leader Chiang Kai-shek and his wife approached Chennault in the late 30's to leave the US and form up a volunteer group to train Chinese pilots. This group eventually evolved into what is now known as the Flying Tigers (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_...), an all-volunteer combat fighter group. They got their name from the from the shark face painted on the nose of the P-40 fighters that the group flew. This group was recruited before Perl Harbor but flew their first combat mission only a few days later on December 20, 1941. The Flying Tigers did not last long, being disbanded in July of 1942, but it had a significant role in the early months of the war.

While this is not the first book on the Flying Tigers that I have read, I did enjoy the 7+ hours I spent reading this 304 page history. I liked the deep backgrounds that were given on many of the important personalities. I like the cover art. I give this novel a 4 out of 5.

Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting and sad history. This adds to what I learned last year reading a couple of books about the Japanese occupation of the Philippines. Japan bombed civilian centers, tortured, raped, and even used Cholera bombs as they invaded China.

Some American pilots were recruited by the Chinese to both fly and train natives as pilots to resist the Japanese advance. This progressed to a secret operation where the US government unofficially sent more pilots and materials to support this unit that could be diplomatically denied. The unit was openly recognized after Pearl Harbor and gained international renown as "The Flying Tigers" until eventually being folded into the official military.

The history is personality driven, especially by Claire Chennault, the stubborn American pilot who wants fame and dislikes military rigidness. He is recruited, meets Madame Chiang Kai-Shek, and becomes the driver of the whole idea. He is profiled the most, but short biographies of dozens of other pilots and crew are part of the narrative.

There is interesting personal history, military engagements, back scenes wrangling, and epilogue. The tone ends up very sad. The Chinese and Burmese people are continually killed in huge numbers. It seems like most of the pilots die tragically right before their scheduled releases, usually leaving behind grieving wives and children. This ragtag unit really did make a huge difference, but it wasn't Top Gun. It was semi-trained, extremely brave men winging everything in a strange region with no technology and little support.

This is good if you enjoy WWII history, but often heart-wrenching.

[Benton C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for an unique World War II story, The Flying Tigers: The Untold Story of the American Pilots Who Waged a Secret War Against Japan Before Pearl Harbor is the book for you. The book dives into a secret group of pilots and mechanics recruited by China and sanctioned by the U.S. government to provide aid to the struggling Chinese's Air Force to halt the invading Japanese forces before America officially entered World War II. Well researched, the author explores the leadership of disgruntled American pilot Claire Lee Chennault and his dedication to form the American Volunteer Group (AVG) or better known as "The Flying Tigers." Colonel Chennault's journey and recruitment of the small group of ex-military pilots gives great insight on what motivated these men to fight for another nation. (Glory, Money, Adventure) I enjoyed reading about the logistical nightmares and underdog battles these men fought over the sky's of the Far East before the U.S. military was able to regroup following the devastating attack on Pear Harbor. During China's defeat in key cities and the AVGs fallback to rear airfields, Samuel Kleiner includes the brutal and murderous reality the Japanese forces waged against the Chinese populace. The book is full of interesting and tragic tails, which kept me turning pages. The only topic I found lacking was the relationship between Chennault and General Joseph Stilwell. Briefly covered, I felt these men hated each other and one of many factors that led to the transferring of "The Flying Tigers" to the U.S. Army. I recommend this book to anyone interested in World War II history.

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free Kindle copy of  The Flying Tigers by Sam Kleiner courtesy of Net Galley  and Penguin Viking, the publisher. It was with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble and my fiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google Plus pages.

I requested this book as I am interested in american history and the description made this book sound interesting. This is the first book by Samn Kleiner that I have read.

Prior to reading this book, my entire knowledge about "TheFlying Tigers" was based on the 1942 movie of the same name starring John Wayne. As is usually the case, this book is much better than the movie. It is well written and researched.

Kleiner does an excellent job of tracing the history of the American Volunteer Group (offical designation of The Flying Tigers) and the crucial role played by Claire Chennault in making it happen and his contribution to the group disbanding in 1942 when it ws incorporated into the United States Army. He covers those who lost their lives during the time they spent in China and what happenned to the key players after the group disbanded.

I recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in the role the Flying Tigers played in China just prior and during the early months of World War II.

[Roy Murry · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE FLYING TIGERS
The Untold Story of the American Pilots
Who Waged a Secret War Against Japan

SAM KLEINER

Review by Author Roy Murry

The winners of wars write the history of them. Some stories of heroes are not because government leaders hide them to keep a political secret.

In this case, the Flying Tigers, a USA civilian group, contracted to a private corporation, were fighting for China against Japan. Their air battles didn't start until after Pearl Harbor destruction by the Japanese.

They became heroes because of their courageous outnumbered air battles against a formidable foe. Tigers were not military disciplined
but were deliberate and meticulous trained to do the job by Claire Chennault.

Sam Kleiner's detailed history does not name all, who were the original contracted Tigers, but the brief bios of some give the reader a sense of war's human turmoil. Claire Chennault's story is the book's backbone; however, it is different from the movie with John Wayne.

Mr. Kleiner's writing brings out some of the conflicts between Chennault and his pilots, i.e., Pappy Boyington, later a Medal of Honor recipient. When the Tigers were forced to disband, all did not go well for his heroes, of which little is written.

This well-written history book is in novel form, which made reading it enjoyable. If you like history in action, this book is for you.

[David McClendon, Sr · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like to read about fighter pilots or World War II like I do, you will enjoy The Flying Tigers: The Untold Story of the American Pilots Who Waged a Secret War Against Japan by Sam Kleiner.

This is a good account of what went on during the top secret days before the war. It is the story as taken from letters written back home to the families and friends of those infamous Flying Tigers.

This is a very interesting story written, while trying to be factually accurate, to tell the story of the leader and founder of the Flying Tigers and his fight to keep the Tigers flying.

To be honest, I never knew how involved the U. S. was with China at the time. Most of the books I have read mentioned the war in China more as a footnote than anything else.

We learn a little more about Pappy Boyington and his Black Sheep. We read about how a direct descendant of Robert E. Lee is buried in the rose garden at Lee’s home.

We give The Flying Tigers four out of five stars. It is a good book, but it just does not get to the level of “Can’t put it down.”
We were sent a complimentary copy of this book. We are under no obligation to write any review, positive or negative.

We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.

[Virginia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brief but decent historical overview of the events leading to the formation of the AVG (American Volunteer Group) squadrons that later became known colloquially as the Flying Tigers. The bulk of the book centers on the original pilots and the details of their one year service from mid-1941 to mid-1942. The United States was officially neutral prior to Pearl Harbor, but General Claire Chennault and others persuaded the government to provide support and material for a covert aerial operation in southern China against Japan. The pilots were drawn from the military as volunteers and signed to a one year contract with an aeronautical commercial company. They left the US with false occupations listed on their passports to train in Burma, and their first mission two weeks after Pearl Harbor was bombed put them in the public’s eye, a sorely needed ‘feel good’ success as the country entered WWII. Kleiner does a good job making this narrative accessible to non military readers.

My own interest stems from three personal facts: my brother was born in Canton province on the day Canton city fell to the Japanese, my American-born uncle served with the Flying Tigers, and I was in Yunnan province this summer and saw how deeply they still honor the Flying Tigers in Kunming.