What do you think?
Rate this book
Osprey Campaign #156
The Doolittle Raid 1942: America’s first strike back at Japan
Osprey's study of the United States' first offensive response to the Pearl Harbor attacks of World War II (1939-1945). In early 1942, the strategic situation was bleak for the United States. She had been in continual retreat since Pearl Harbor, surrendering major areas such as the Philippines, and was preparing for the worst in Hawaii and on the West Coast. The Japanese, on the other hand, had secured a well-defended perimeter, and were set for further expansion. Something needed to happen quickly and be of considerable impact. The April 1942 Doolittle Raid on Japan was a way to achieve this. This book examines the planning, execution, and aftermath of this innovative, daring and risky attack, which would show that the Japanese navy and air forces were anything but invincible.
96 pages, Paperback
First published January 11, 2006
6 people are currently reading
44 people want to read
About the author
Clayton K.S. Chun
29 books4 followersDr. Clayton K. S. Chun is the Chair for the Department of Distance Education at the U.S. Army War College located at Carlisle Barracks, PA. Before assuming his current duties, he was Professor of Economics at the College. Dr. Chun completed a full career in the U.S. Air Force with assignments to missile, space, acquisition, education, strategy development, and command positions. He has written articles and books dealing with issues related to national security, military history, and economics. He held the Army War College’s General Hoyt Vandenberg Chair of Aerospace Studies. Dr. Chun has a B.S. in business from the University of California, Berkeley, an M.A. in economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara, an M.S. in systems management from the University of Southern California, and a Ph.D. in public policy analysis from the RAND Graduate School.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 8, 2019
Overall I was disappointed. Very superficial about one of the first real successes against the Japanese. Not much detail about the planning and staff work required for an operation of this complexity, nor of the personal observations of the participants. Poorly edited, numerous incorrect descriptions, e.g. the Task Force heading east towards Japan (from Pearl Harbor). And a pet peeve, ships movement is expressed as "knots" not "nautical miles per hour".
The author also used only the descriptions of the air crews do describe the effectiveness of the attacks with no corroboration of actual damage to facilities or Japanese aircraft. History has repeatedly shown that damage is significantly less than what is reported "in the heat of battle".
Secondarily, the Kindle format is not good for maps and depictions of the plan and actual tracks of the various attacks. If I see a hard copy of this book I may review the charts and graphic depictions of the operation.
The author also used only the descriptions of the air crews do describe the effectiveness of the attacks with no corroboration of actual damage to facilities or Japanese aircraft. History has repeatedly shown that damage is significantly less than what is reported "in the heat of battle".
Secondarily, the Kindle format is not good for maps and depictions of the plan and actual tracks of the various attacks. If I see a hard copy of this book I may review the charts and graphic depictions of the operation.
December 29, 2023
This book was written in 2006 and published by Osprey (War Books). It is exactly what the title says. It covers the first bombing raid on Japan made by USAF (Army Air Force at the time) aircraft. The aircraft rose from the USS Hornet to attack on April 18, 1942. The book contains a number of coloured pictures as well as black and white photos. It has the format of a coffee table book but manages to contain numerous details, an index and bibliography. Although it is clearly USA centric, it still contains a surprising amount of Japanese content.
All aspects of the raid are included: introduction and chronology, opposing forces and commanders, planning, the raid itself, aftermath and remembrance. The introduction contains a brief background to the Second World War and of the Pearl Harbour attack. Opposing forces identifies the organizations and commanders responsible for homeland defense in Japan. The responsibilities of the command structure are interesting as it is very dispersed and poorly armed. The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) has responsibility for nautical and air defense from the coast to 300 miles. They are not equipped with land based aircraft and have to use their aircraft carriers for aerial defense. Aerial defense over land is provided by the army with anti-aircraft artillery (AAA). and Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF). For this role, the JAAF is equipped with obsolete fighters unable to achieve the speed of the USA B-25B bombers.
The US AAF and Navy are not initially keen on this raid. AAF planes are too large for aircraft carriers and the Navy does not want to risk two carriers to bring them too close to Japan. At this time in the war, Japan has more aircraft carriers and could easily overwhelm the US Navy, especially in Japanese waters. Admiral King and President Roosevelt both support the raid. They believe that this raid could increase US morale, and productivity considerably. It would also shock Japanese morale into recognizing that they too are vulnerable. For this raid, the plan includes two aircraft carriers. AAF B-25Bs are loaded on the Hornet. Their size means they have to be loaded on deck. No other aircraft can use the deck in this configuration. The Enterprise is included and provides aerial patrols and defense for both carriers.
The raid itself consumes more than 50% of the book covering everything from leaving port until the B-25Bs leave the Hornet. This includes the battles of USA surface ships and patrol aircraft with Japanese picket ships to ensure the carriers are not spotted. It takes an hour to get the 16 B-25Bs into the air and they all have different experiences over the ocean and the land. The flight paths, bomb targets and results, aerial and AAA defense and aircraft recovery, of most of the aircraft, are described in detail.
Following the raid, the US takes an overt offensive position. Japan takes a defensive position adding central Pacific islands including Wake Island. The result of the Wake island battle is the sinking of three Japanese carriers and the inability to sustain their central Pacific strategy.
Chun has written an interesting book. Besides detailed planning and operations, he included anecdotes and personal experiences that give the reader a more complete feel of the raid. Four stars.
All aspects of the raid are included: introduction and chronology, opposing forces and commanders, planning, the raid itself, aftermath and remembrance. The introduction contains a brief background to the Second World War and of the Pearl Harbour attack. Opposing forces identifies the organizations and commanders responsible for homeland defense in Japan. The responsibilities of the command structure are interesting as it is very dispersed and poorly armed. The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) has responsibility for nautical and air defense from the coast to 300 miles. They are not equipped with land based aircraft and have to use their aircraft carriers for aerial defense. Aerial defense over land is provided by the army with anti-aircraft artillery (AAA). and Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF). For this role, the JAAF is equipped with obsolete fighters unable to achieve the speed of the USA B-25B bombers.
The US AAF and Navy are not initially keen on this raid. AAF planes are too large for aircraft carriers and the Navy does not want to risk two carriers to bring them too close to Japan. At this time in the war, Japan has more aircraft carriers and could easily overwhelm the US Navy, especially in Japanese waters. Admiral King and President Roosevelt both support the raid. They believe that this raid could increase US morale, and productivity considerably. It would also shock Japanese morale into recognizing that they too are vulnerable. For this raid, the plan includes two aircraft carriers. AAF B-25Bs are loaded on the Hornet. Their size means they have to be loaded on deck. No other aircraft can use the deck in this configuration. The Enterprise is included and provides aerial patrols and defense for both carriers.
The raid itself consumes more than 50% of the book covering everything from leaving port until the B-25Bs leave the Hornet. This includes the battles of USA surface ships and patrol aircraft with Japanese picket ships to ensure the carriers are not spotted. It takes an hour to get the 16 B-25Bs into the air and they all have different experiences over the ocean and the land. The flight paths, bomb targets and results, aerial and AAA defense and aircraft recovery, of most of the aircraft, are described in detail.
Following the raid, the US takes an overt offensive position. Japan takes a defensive position adding central Pacific islands including Wake Island. The result of the Wake island battle is the sinking of three Japanese carriers and the inability to sustain their central Pacific strategy.
Chun has written an interesting book. Besides detailed planning and operations, he included anecdotes and personal experiences that give the reader a more complete feel of the raid. Four stars.
April 12, 2022
A straightforward fact type book that takes the premise that the reader doesn’t have a lot of background with this event or that time in WWII. When it focuses on the raid and the individual aircraft, this is much to learn, although the assessment of the damage that the bombings did at a tactical level is subject to debate. Otherwise, it spent too much time covering bigger pictures items that most readers of this would already know. It is a fast read, but maybe not as fulfilling as other works.
December 20, 2024
Fantastic! Great review of an amazing first hit back. Excellent illustrations and maps. I would have appreciated some more detail not he pilots and their trip to China and what happened to them (besides Doolittle) should have been expanded.
February 21, 2016
This is another in the excellent series of books from Osprey. The books contain lots of information and pictures, often pictures that I have not seen elsewhere. The book also contains various, well-done maps. As usual, I will only point out a few things found in the book, although the entire book is worth buying and adding to ones collection.
The book starts off by noting that the raid involved relatively few resources, and was organized and executed in relatively little time. It was a complete surprise to the Japanese, and it basically changed the course of their thinking. It caused them to start paying more attention to the area near their own islands and divert attention and resources from their push in the south. It also raised American morale considerably.
The book goes into an examination of the opposing commanders and the opposing forces, as do other books in the series, and this section is also extremely well done.
The book notes that, at the time, the Japanese homeland defense was fragmented, and the Imperial Japanese Navy, Army and Air Force basically didn't talk to each other much at all.
B-25s were going to be used in the raid. Although they could take off from aircraft carriers (more precisely, it was hoped they could take off from aircraft carriers), they could not land on them, thus meaning they would have to land somewhere in China, hopefully.
The book does an excellent job of following each plane and the overall attack. Since the planes came in from different directions, it's no wonder the Japanese were confused. The book covers what the targets were, what targets were actually hit, and what the damage was.
It also includes the ultimate fate of the air crews, and how some of them were imprisoned in the Soviet Union, some landed in China and got free, and some got taken by the Japanese. Of those, some were executed, some became prisoners-of-war.
The fact that the Chinese helped some Americans escape had a terrible result, and that was that the Japanese military took reprisals against the Chinese, killing perhaps a quarter-of-a-million civilians.
From a totally objective approach, it is noted that all the planes were lost, along with some of the crews, and that the physical damage done was not significant. The psychological damage done to the Japanese, and the positive psychological effect the raid had on the Americans, though, was significant.
The book starts off by noting that the raid involved relatively few resources, and was organized and executed in relatively little time. It was a complete surprise to the Japanese, and it basically changed the course of their thinking. It caused them to start paying more attention to the area near their own islands and divert attention and resources from their push in the south. It also raised American morale considerably.
The book goes into an examination of the opposing commanders and the opposing forces, as do other books in the series, and this section is also extremely well done.
The book notes that, at the time, the Japanese homeland defense was fragmented, and the Imperial Japanese Navy, Army and Air Force basically didn't talk to each other much at all.
B-25s were going to be used in the raid. Although they could take off from aircraft carriers (more precisely, it was hoped they could take off from aircraft carriers), they could not land on them, thus meaning they would have to land somewhere in China, hopefully.
The book does an excellent job of following each plane and the overall attack. Since the planes came in from different directions, it's no wonder the Japanese were confused. The book covers what the targets were, what targets were actually hit, and what the damage was.
It also includes the ultimate fate of the air crews, and how some of them were imprisoned in the Soviet Union, some landed in China and got free, and some got taken by the Japanese. Of those, some were executed, some became prisoners-of-war.
The fact that the Chinese helped some Americans escape had a terrible result, and that was that the Japanese military took reprisals against the Chinese, killing perhaps a quarter-of-a-million civilians.
From a totally objective approach, it is noted that all the planes were lost, along with some of the crews, and that the physical damage done was not significant. The psychological damage done to the Japanese, and the positive psychological effect the raid had on the Americans, though, was significant.
September 26, 2014
This is a very good intro to the Doolittle Raid. I'd recommend it for someone who wants a short volume that has good graphics and illustrations. My only criticism is that it's rather long on data (eg, providing a comprehensive list of the Japanese commanders who were tasked with patrolling the Japanese home islands), and a little short on the personal stories. But maybe that's the right approach for this type of book, which is really just a quick intro to the topic.
June 14, 2015
A concise factual account of the planning, execution, and results of the raid on Tokyo led by Jimmy Doolittle in 1942. I happened to be browsing at the library and picked this brief book up on a whim. While I knew about the raid from history, I didn't know many details. Now I do. Interesting book if you need just the facts about the raid. There isn't much personal about any of the raiders.
Read
March 15, 2016paperback 7x10
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews