Sea of Thunder: Four Commanders and the Last Great Naval Campaign 1941-1945

by Evan Thomas

Evan Thomas takes us inside the naval war of 1941-1945 in the South Pacific in a way that blends the best of military and cultural history and riveting narrative drama. He follows four men throughout: Admiral William ("Bull") Halsey, the macho, gallant, racist American fleet commander; Admiral Takeo Kurita, the Japanese battleship commander charged with making what was, in essence, a suicidal fleet attack against the American invasion of the Philippines; Admiral Matome Ugaki, a self-styled samurai who was the commander of all kamikazes and himself the last kamikaze of the war; and Commander Ernest Evans, a Cherokee Indian and Annapolis graduate who led his destroyer on the last great charge in the last great naval battle in history."Sea of Thunder" climaxes with the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the biggest naval battle ever fought, over four bloody and harrowing days in October 1944. We see Halsey make an epic blunder just as he reaches for true glory; we see the Japanese navy literally sailing in circles, torn between the desire to die heroically and the exhausted, unacceptable realization that death is futile; we sail with Commander Evans and the men of the USS "Johnston" into the jaws of the Japanese fleet and exult and suffer with them as they torpedo a cruiser, bluff and confuse the enemy -- and then, their ship sunk, endure fifty horrific hours in shark-infested water.

Thomas, a journalist and historian, traveled to Japan, where he interviewed veterans of the Imperial Japanese Navy who survived the Battle of Leyte Gulf and friends and family of the two Japanese admirals. From new documents and interviews, he was able to piece together and answer mysteries about the Battle of LeyteGulf that have puzzled historians for decades. He writes with a knowing feel for the clash of cultures.

"Sea of Thunder" is a taut, fast-paced, suspenseful narrative of the last great naval war, an important contribution to the history of the Second World War.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, World War II, Military History, Military Fiction, War, Nautical

415 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2006

About the author

Evan Thomas is the author of nine books: The Wise Men (with Walter Isaacson), The Man to See, The Very Best Men, Robert Kennedy, John Paul Jones, Sea of Thunder, The War Lovers, Ike’s Bluff, and Being Nixon. Thomas was a writer, correspondent, and editor for thirty-three years at Time and Newsweek, including ten years (1986–96) as Washington bureau chief at Newsweek, where, at the time of his retirement in 2010, he was editor at large. He wrote more than one hundred cover stories and in 1999 won a National Magazine Award. He wrote Newsweek’s fifty-thousand-word election specials in 1996, 2000, 2004 (winner of a National Magazine Award), and 2008. He has appeared on many TV and radio talk shows, including Meet the Press and The Colbert Report, and has been a guest on PBS’s Charlie Rose more than forty times. The author of dozens of book reviews for The New York Times and The Washington Post, Thomas has taught writing and journalism at Harvard and Princeton, where, from 2007 to 2014, he was Ferris Professor of Journalism.

Reviews

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written story of Leyte Gulf campaign from points of view of Admiral Halsey and Commander Evans on the American side and Admiral Kurita and Adm. Ugaki on the Japanese side. Taken from these perspectives, the naval strategies/tactics and battles took on an intense, emotional significance for the reader. The author borught these four men alive, replete with all their emotional and cultural baggage, which played significant role in how they implemented their nations' strategic goals. Author puts this long-debated battle into the context of the larger Pacific War, illustrates how information and opinions, flowed up and down the chain of command; how personal conceits, animosities, and affections tempered the way commands and info were evaluated and implemented. One of the few naval histories that keeps the reader wide-eyed instead of dozing off. These commanders were unusual, affecting amazing men -- Ugaki, the crazed war lover and, at the end, commander of the Kamizes; Bull Halsey, pretty crazed glory hound too; Evans charging his crippled cruiser at a flotilla of japanese ships many times his size; Kurita turning the massive Yamato around, leaving off battle at Leyte, for reasons still debated.. these are amazing men to meet and ponder

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative narrative of the Leyte Gulf battle during WWII. The battle is told through the eyes of four commanders, 2 Americans and 2 Japanese. I have not read anything better that explores the mindset of the Japanese during the war. The duty the top brass of Japan felt to the Emperor reminded me more of a cult. One ridiculous instantce is how they had to be sure to grab the Emperor's portrait before abandoning ship...still makes me shake my head.

The Battle of Leyte was the last massive sea battle to be fought by any nation. Evan Thomas does a fabulous job, in the second half of the book, taking us through the build up and the final confrontation. Sorry to say though, I just cannot give it 4 stars as the 1st half of the book was very, very slow for me.

Like all other recently written history of WWII, we learn things that never came to light immediately after the war. It never surprises me anymore to read about the super egos of our military commanders, and the pettiness and bad relations between them. You would think that during a massive campaign, as this one in the Philippines was, egos would be set aside because of all the lives at stake.

[Hana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sea of Thunder covers the pivotal World War II Battle of Leyte Gulf--the last of the 'classic' Nelson-style naval contests. It is of particular interest because it tells the story from both the American and the Japanese points of view, but also because it highlights the reasons why this style of naval battle was essentially replaced by aircraft carrier and seaborne missile strategies.

I had no idea how poor our radar capabilities were--the British were way ahead, but somehow that technology did not make it over to our side, so American pilots were totally flying blind. And that's just one of the many fascinating details that emerged in this highly readable and dramatic account of a key battle for control of the Pacific.

Personal note: My father and my uncle, may they rest in peace, both served in the Pacific. Dad as a Marine and my uncle as a carrier-based pilot.

[Dergrossest · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a brief history of the U.S. Navy's desperate struggle against the Japanese in World War II and its bold operations in the central Pacific which would ultimately lead to a smashing American victory, this book succeeds fabulously. It does an equally excellent job of explaining the insanity of most of the Japanese government and military during the same time period. If you know nothing about the war in the Pacific, this book is a great place to start. And if you need any more convincing that Truman was right about dropping the Bomb, this will do the trick.

However, the only thing "great" about the Battle of Leyte Gulf seems to be the number of ships which were technically involved in the fight, most of which never even got close enough to see each other. The battle otherwise appears to be a series of blunders, missed opportunities and unnecessary sacrifices which accomplished precious little and was free of glory for either side. This is hardly the story of Lepanto, Trafalgar, Tsushima or even the hunt for the Bismarck. Unfortunately, Thomas seems to have a knack for choosing historical subjects which are just not compelling enough for a 300+ page treatment (see my review of his John Paul Jones biography).

Nevertheless, this guy is a really good writer and the various protagonists are fascinating, such as the John Wayne-ish Admiral "Bull" Halsey who vowed to keep killing the enemy "until the Japanese language is only spoken in Hell," and Captain Ernest Evans who charged his tiny destroyer (which weighed less than a single gun turret of the Japanese Super-Battleship Yamoto) into the teeth of the onrushing Japanese Battle Fleet, made up of over 20 Battleships, Heavy Cruisers, Light Cruisers and Destroyers, in a brave attempt to buy time for the American aircraft carriers which he was charged with defending. The portraits of the Japanese are also compelling, if somewhat tragic.

Finally, it is good to remember a time when Americans actually shared the burdens of war equally, unlike the current forgotten wars of Iraq and Afghanistan where no family with income exceeding $150,000 per year knows anyone who has sacrificed his or her time or life in either struggle.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent accounting of the Battle for Leyte Gulf. My father served in the Navy during the war and fought and was wounded during this battle. He kept a journal of his years in the Navy, which I now am the guardian of, and it was the one battle that he would kind-of talk about. As I was reading this book, I brought out his journal and read that as well, in particular his "on the spot" accounting of the battle. I am not sure I knew about the "Johnston", but I do now. This book made me shed more than a few tears.

Thank you Mr. Thomas for bringing to light a battle that many people may not have heard of.

[C.H. Cobb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant recounting of the naval action in the Pacific, 1941-45. It provides the runup to Leyte Gulf, and then focuses on the complex Japanese plan to destroy MacArthur's landing forces on Leyte. The careers and decisions of four commanders are explored: Admiral Halsey, Commander Earnest Evans, Admiral Takeo Kurita, and Admiral Matome Ugaki.

If you like military history, this is well worth the read.

[Nick Altieri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't think this would be my type of book because I am not a person that likes reading battlefield history.
“Sea of Thunder” did engage me and is pretty thorough account based on extensive research in both the United States and Japan that describes the war in the Pacific and anding at Leyte Gulf. It is the story of the battle of Leyte Gulf in the Phillipines.
It was the last great naval confrontation of the 20th century, fought from Oct. 23 to 26, 1944, between the American and Japanese Navies in the waters off the Philippines. The battle was immense, involving four separate engagements/battles extending over hundreds of miles, between fleets that included 35 large and small aircraft carriers, 21 battleships, 34 cruisers and hundreds of destroyers, along with submarines and motor torpedo boats and more than 1,700 aircraft.
It is also gives us insight to why decisions were made, some decisions made becuase of exhaustion, sicknes, misinformation etc.
The four main historical persons whos stories are told include (Americans) -Admiral Bill Halsey, Admiral Earnest Evans, (Japenese)-Admiral Takeo Kurita and Admiral Matome Ugaki.
Evan Thomas did a great deal of research for the book to insure accuracy, and his writing style keeps the reader interested and engaged.

[Erik Graff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evan Thomas, grandson of Socialist Norman Thomas, has written a book covering the naval battles surrounding the U.S. landings at Leyte Gulf. Focused on four naval commanders, two Japanese, two American, he roughly traces the entirety of the Pacific campaign to the surrender of Japan, and the fate of those commanders, in 1945. The Leyte operation, the largest sea battle in human history, is given in detail.

Father served as a cryptanalyst on the U.S.S. Wasatch, Kincaid's flagship during the actual landing, second in magnitude only to that at Normandy. An army sergeant attached to the navy, his job and that of his colleagues, was to maintain encrypted communications with disembarking units. As it happened, his ship saw little action, though his journal mentions his sighting of kamikazes. While he, a very minor figure in this business, is not mentioned by Thomas, his operations room, the only air-conditioned one shipboard owing to its sensitive electronics, is described.

Very well written, this account is a page-turner accessible to the general reading public.

As noted over the last week, Goodreads' "Dates read" function (below) is not working. The book actually occupied three days.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent account of the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the last major naval engagement in history. Thomas gives you both sides of the story, following four commanders who will engage in the battle. The stories begin well before the battle, 1941 or earlier. You get to know the men who will clash. Admirals Halsey, Kurita and Ugaki ride the big ships and command big forces while Cmdr Evans commands just a destroyer. Unfortunately Evans, awarded the MoH posthumously, does not get much coverage so I took a star away. 4 Stars. This book is strongest in giving the minute-to-minute account of both sides, decisions made or avoided, confusion, missed messages, personal pursuit of glory and the fog of war. Read this one for the big picture and then read The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors: The Extraordinary World War II Story of the U.S. Navy's Finest Hour for the best account of the battle.

[Frank Lilly · Rating 2 out of 5]

While not "historical fiction", Thomas highlights the reasons behind the facts. This make the book more interesting. I think he has done a good job of tying together the stories of many people, focusing on the admirals who made the decisions.

I'm sure there may be other opinions as to how this battle went, but it seems well documented and would be worthwhile for anyone interested in going into the navy to read.

Ultimately he does a great job of explaining the pointlessness of war. It also is a good study in leadership, depicting the lives lost by decisions, that in historical hindsight were terrible blunders.

In the end I "buy" his analysis as to the motivations of these leaders, why they did what they did, mostly because of when the book was written. Many of his sources are the the men themselves, in their old age, recalling how the battle went.

I'm sure this is a "must read" for the men of Annapolis today, if not it should be.

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

My dad gave me this book and told me it was awesome. I didn't think so for the first half to 2/3 of the book. But once I got to the end (where he describes the "last stand of the tin can sailors") I understood why he spent the first part of the book describing the lives and previous battles of the four main commanders (two on the American side and two on the Japanese side). It was amazing to read about the transformation in naval battle that occurred from previous wars to WWII. By WWII ships never even saw each other in battle - everything was managed through carrier air strikes. But the last stand of the tin can sailors ended up being a monster ship-to-ship battle caused by a crazy communication problem (and lack of Japanese air power) that left a small group of US boats unguarded against a huge Japanese fleet. The description of that battle salvaged this book.

[Steven Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evan Thomas' new book, "Sea of Thunder," explores the dynamics of the last great naval battle in the Pacific Theater (and, indeed, in naval history, according to Thomas), the Battle of Leyte Gulf, in October, 1944.

The story, though, begins many years earlier, as the author traces the developing careers of four key actors involved at Leyte Gulf. William Halsey, the great war admiral, was one of these. Another, on the American side, was the much more obscure Ernest Evans, commander of a destroyer. On the Japanese side, we learn about Admiral Takeo Kurita and Admiral Ugaki. The biographical sketches of each provide a very useful prelude to the story of the battle itself, including their earlier activities in the Second World War.

The book illustrates the slowly descending trajectory of the state of the Japanese fleet, from its heady success at Pearl Harbor, to the devastating defeat at Midway, to the further decline at Guadalcanal and afterwards. The death of Admiral Yamamoto through an intelligence coup by the Amerticans further disrupted naval operations of the Japanese Empire.

What was left of the Japanese Navy by the time of Leyte Gulf was carriers with few planes and pilots, two super battleships that were large targets for American aircraft, and so on. A shell of what it once was. Nonetheless, one last effort lay ahead. The Japanese devised a complex attack plan, to try to draw off Halsey's fleet and leave the Leyte Gulf open for Japanese war ships to create havoc on the landing forces.

In the end, the ploy failed, for a variety of reasons outlined in this volume.

All in all, a nice history of a great naval battle, with the context well laid out. For those interested in naval history and the Second World War, this is a worthwhile book to peruse.

[Chuck Sherman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this years ago and just wanted it on my shelf. A great book.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A magnificent account of the Battle of Leyte, the last major naval battle of World War II, as experienced and perceived by four of the key participants on both the Japanese and American sides. The author's original approach emphasizes cultural determinants to explain the decision-making of these officers. These cultural factors are national, regional, and organizational, as well as those related to membership in different social groups and rival cliques. On each side, during the Battle of Leyte, errors accumulated due to avoidable communication breakdowns. The Japanese Army and the Imperial Navy existed in parallel, unable to support each other despite the mortal danger to the survival of the Japanese regime. On the American side, communication breakdowns due to organizational systems and a certain cult of the prima donna and the national hero undermined the possibilities of criticizing and exposing risks that were not perceived by senior officers. A book reminiscent of Andrew Gordon's (*)brilliant analysis of the organizational sclerosis that gripped the Royal Navy at the end of the 19th century. This torpor explains the Navy's inability to perform up to expectations during the Battle of Jutland in 1916. There is a fascinating parallel to be drawn from this comparison because for Leyte, just as for Jutland, the victor won despite a blatant lack of opportunism. Only a marked advantage in material resources saved the day. Both authors have demonstrated to what extent cultural factors are just as strategic as technical and technological issues in explaining successes and underperformances. After all, strategies and tactics are the product of men who are themselves the product of underestimated but how important cultural systems. (*) The Rules of the Game: Jutland and British Naval Command

[Peter Goggins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lightly written, mass market. Interesting enough for its anecdotes.

[Jeff Dawson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I almost didn’t read this one after reading the jacket. Calling out Halsey for being a racist was uncalled for. I know when I talked to folks in the 60’s and 70’s, they had nothing nice to say about the Japanese as they lost many friends who fought in the Pacific. They initiated a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor while their ambassadors were trying to find a negotiable settlement in Washington. He, along with everyone else in the United States rose up in anger over the attack. Bill knew what it was going to take to rile up a nation that had tried to stay out of the conflict for over two years and were thrust into the conflict because of the attack. All the author had to do was cover the four men in the book and let the readers make their own determinations.
He also mentions how this was a forgotten battle. By who? I read about this back in the 70’s and say the battle was forgotten and not covered in a ludicrous statement. Guess it’s a good hookline to sell a book.
I knew about Halsey and his blunders and Evans, who commanded the Johnston. I was able to glean some good information about Kurita and Ugaki. For that, the book was worth the read.
But why when the climatic battle takes place, the author almost delivers it as a side show? This was disappointing. No mention of the Roberts, Hoel or Hermann per say. Very little on the Gambier Bay and a couple of sentences on the St. Lo. You’ve got to be kidding me.
And then there is the armchair admiraling that is all through the book. I can’t stand that stuff. It serves no purpose and only dilutes what should be a good story.
If you want a good, non-biased, informative story that covers this battle, grab-up a copy of “The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors,” by James Hornfisher. This book will not disappoint.

Three Stars

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amazingly written! Finally, a full account of the naval battles and the war fought in the pacific during World War II. The author shares the stories of four great naval commanders of the time, along with a host of other's who played a part along the way, while explaining not only the strategy, mistakes, and historical facts, but also the lives of these four very different men from two very different cultures.

In the midst of reading through this book, my family watched "Midway" and a couple other historical films on this topic, and I was so excited about how much information I had retained and had picked up from this book! The author shares great insight and historical fact about not only these men, but the events that occured in the Pacific between 1940-1945 beginning at Pearl Harbor, the last great battle at Leyte Gulf, and finally the Japanese surrender. The Battle of Leyte Gulf was broken down, movement by movement on both sides, with maps included. The author took great care in referencing from personal diaries and accounts of the men who were there, and has spoken with Japanese and American veterens to give a personal touch to his writings.

"The gods of war needed to be particularly fickle, not to mention heartless, to arrange the collision that was about to occur on the morning of October 25, 1944, the last and most destructive day in the long history of fleets fighting at sea." (pg. 245)

"The vision of Sprague's three destroyers - the Johnston, the Hoel, and the Heerman - charging out of the smoke and rain straight towards the main batteries of Kurita's battleships and cruisers, can endure as a picture of the way Americans fight when they don't have superiority. Our schoolchildren should know about that incident. Our enemies should ponder it. - Pug Henry" (pg. 322)


Though the author didn't overstate things, it was neccesary to include direct quotes from the various commanders with a good deal of profanity included. And it being one of the most horrible wars in our history, there is a bit of description of the gruesome and bloody accounts here and there, along with the harrowing story of the survivors of the USS Johnston. There are also a couple unseemly moments of questionable morality, either by tradition (in the case of the Japenese) or by choice (in the case of the Americans), that I did not care for to be included (thankfully they were short comments!). Though not the entirely author's fault – he is only stating factual accounts of real people - I felt the need for a lower star rating in light of this.

I was most pleased with much of the information I received in reading this amazingly, well-written book, but I most likely won't be adding this to my own book collection.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent account of naval war in the Pacific with the focus on the Battle of Leyte Gulf. The Battle of Midway gets the most attention in historical accounts as the turning point in the war, the Leyte battle, in October 1944 in association with MacArthur's invasion of the Philippines, stands out as some sort of apotheosis of the whole Pacific War. As the largest naval battle in history, involving 300 ships on both sides and nearly 200,000 men, it represented a fulfillment of the ambition of leaders on both sides for a definitive confrontation of the bulk of both fleets, in line with historical models such as Nelson at Trafalgar and the Battle of Jutland. Although Japan was at a disadvantage in numbers of carriers and planes, their depserate resolve to die with honor and craft in tactics made them dangerous. They used their small remaining carrier group to lure Halsey's main forces away from the strait allowing passage of the Japanese force of battleships and destroyers through a strait into a position to attack the inferios naval forces guarding MacArthur's invasion. Thomas skillfully portrays the personalities and cultures of two key American and two Japanese commanders to help elucidate their performance in battle. The coverage of the character of William Halsey, Commander of the Southern Pacific Fleet, and of Admiral Takeo Kurita makes for fascinating reading. Particular attention is paid to the origins of internal rivalries and communication barriers that undermined the effectiveness of both fleets. The heroism of Commander Ernest Evans, a Cherokee and graduate of Annapolis, in charging his destroyer against a set of larger enemy ships until his ship was sunk was particularly moving.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever since I started my Model Warship Combat hobby, I've been more and more interested in the Pacific campaign of WWII.
Evan Thomas takes the effort to research and explain the motivations and thoughts of the commanders that led both the US and Japanese Navy. I feel like I have a much better understanding of the thoughts that went into the strategies and the battles that I'd read so much about.
He does a very good job showing that the people who fought in the war were really people, and how the mistakes they made created history.
For example: I'd known the story of the USS Johnston, and how the men from that ship floated un-rescued for several days. I didn't know it was due to the stubbornness and bravery of her captain who attacked a Japanese fleet (Including the Battleship Yamato.) to buy time for the carriers in his battlegroup to escape.
Very good read.
(and that's saying something for someone who has a very hard time with non-fiction books)

[Michael Gerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought a hardcover copy of "Sea of Thunder" in my home city of Quezon in the Philippines for just the equivalent of 4 dollars, and it is an excellent read. I am a Filipino, so it was amazing to read of these great battles that happened in Philippine waters.

Arguably the greatest sea battles in history, the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the Battle of Surigao Strait, the Battle of Sibuyan Sea, and the Battle of the Philippine Sea effectively ended the Japanese Navy's offensive capability. It was thrilling to read of the Japanese invaders annihilated, as my country was liberated from this terrible oppression. The Japanese navy was virtually wiped out in these naval battles and was turned to shark feed. Many more will be turned to fish bait on the island hop to Tokyo Bay to witness this war-mongering state to sign its surrender.

[Ron Denton · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good detail on the various commanders and participants, but very little on the actual battle. Clearly not a military history writer, but does a fair job of trying to be. Needed a better editor as the flow of critical moments of engagement are broken to intersperse little minor details about the people. Thought the book would never end.
For a much better read of this last major surface battle, try "Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors" by James Hornfischer, then if you want to know all the details of messages, personal quirks, etc. try this one. The author really should have just adopted one time clock 12 hour am/pm or 24-hour and stayed with it. He ends up putting everything as 0530 (5:30 am) which really gets tiring.

[Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was interesting for me because 2 of the 4 commanders were Japanese. I have never read much of the Pacific war history from the enemy's side.
The main American commander of the book is William "Bull" Halsey. The navy PR function turned Halsey into a public hero early in the war to boost civilian morale, and then lived to regret it when he turned out to be something of a blundering fool. Having made Halsey a big public hero they couldn't get rid of him.
The other U.S. commander of the book, however, was a true hero. He was a lowly destroyer captain who made an heroic attack again a huge Japanese fleet in order to defend American aircraft carriers. He died, along with most of his crew, when his ship was sunk, but his attack saved many lives.

[TheIron Paw · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well done history of the battle of Leyte Gulf done from an interesting perspective: the author follows four commanders (2 each Japanese and American) through events leading up to the battle. Thomas compares their cultures and beliefs and how they structured the outcome of the battle. While 3 of the lead characters are admirals, one seems out of place as a captain of a destroyer and does not really fit in to the author's main explorations (although the actions of the destroyer are quite fascinating). My only wish is that the publisher would include a list of maps - I found it frustrating trying to find a specific map that I wished to refer to.

[Aaron Meyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting history of four commanders (2 US and 2 Japan) who have a collision course with history at the battle of Leyte Gulf. Follows their life from the beginning of the Pacific War to the climatic battle at Leyte Gulf and quickly wraps up the story with the end of the war with Japan. I enjoyed the brief accounts of the lives of the commanders after the war, those who lived, though it seemed to me that their existence after the war, to a degree, was a sad one. Overall it was a quick read and enjoyable.

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engrossing read, with especial interest about the Halsey and Kurita histories. I do wish that it had been possible for Thomas to delve more deeply into the lives of Ugaki and Kurita, who are far more interesting than Halsey or MacArthur (and may I say that no one I am reading in this field has much good to say about MacArthur) --- it would have been nice to get a lot more about Spruance. All in all, though, a good read.

[Yong Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bravery and dedication to duty and country transcends cultures; unfortunately so does sycophants and boot licks. A good book about an epic battle at sea. We are all flawed human beings, but in the end good triumphed over evil.

[Chuck · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great World War II book following 4 generals whos eventual collision in the Battle of Leyte Gulf and the events leading up to that battle are explored. So many parts of the Pacific Campaign are not known or taught in schools. This book is history in its absolute true form.

[Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very readable history of the Sea War in the Pacific. One of the Commanders featured is Elizabeth;s own Admiral William "Bull' Halsey,

[Barron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book.

[Lizabeth Something · Rating 4 out of 5]

Admittedly, this was a difficult read due to the predominant usage of technical language. However, keeping a stack of notes to do research by helped a lot!

One thing I appreciated about this book was the intensity and honesty. Although every author has a narrative, a bias of some type, the research this author accomplished and the attempt he took to tell the story how it was and not how he wanted it was a vital element toward the success of this book.

Evan Thomas endeavored to, as any proper historian should, show both sides of the story of The Pacific War, most specifically The Battle of Leyte Gulf. Previously, I had known nothing about this battle, I had not even heard of it. Yet now, I understand it’s significance as well as how it fits in the time frame of WW2.

At first, I was frustrated because of how long it took the author to get to the actual battle. He spent so much time explaining the characters, giving stories of how they were shaped by their experiences (both domestically and in war). He went into detail about the commanding structure of the Navy, the development of the US intelligence agencies, and the pieces of powerful machinery that crafted the fleets. He also gave so much similar information from the Japanese standpoint. Additionally, he discussed the difference in mentality between the US Navy and IJN and how that deeply influenced their approaches to warfare. Yet, at the end of the book, I appreciated the slow pace. Not only did it allow me to better understand how the battle happened (it is very confusing if you don’t pay attention along the way, and even do some of your own research if things seem to get extra muddled in your head) but it also allowed me to fall in love with the characters he depicted. Although “Bull” Halsey or Takeo Kurita are not going to claim places within my mind as role models, their stories reveal the essence of humanity. We are always evolving, and the story of war reveals this in its strongest of hues. From the brave men of the Johnston, throwing wounded soldiers to the sharks to save the few who might be strong enough to stay alive longer, to the determined Japanese soldiers who possessed the deepest level of self-control (and some may say indoctrination) to have climbed within their planes knowing they were going to dive into US fleets and never return. All of these people, they became real to me throughout the book and I almost cried as I heard the stories of John “Slew” McCain’s heart attack and Kurita’s silent struggle through PTSD. They lived long ago compared to me (current, naive, 15-year-old me) yet they were so very much like me, they were human and they always will be. And in that, they existed about me in the figurative sense as brightly as the humans I see everyday, and their deaths almost hurt me, knowing with their bodies was buried their happiness, their contemplations, their guilt, and their agony.

I’m looking forward to reading more of his books eventually, although the intensity of the technical language in this book might hinder me from doing so.