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Whirlwind: The Air War Against Japan, 1942-1945
WHIRLWIND is the first book to tell the complete, awe-inspiring story of the Allied air war against Japan--the most important strategic bombing campaign inhistory. From the audacious Doolittle raid in 1942 to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, award-winning historian Barrett Tillman recounts the saga from the perspectives of American and British aircrews who flew unprecedented missions overthousands of miles of ocean, as well as of the generalsand admirals who commanded them.Whether describing the experiences of bomber crews based in China or the Marianas, fighter pilotson Iwo Jima, or carrier aviators at sea, Tillman provides vivid details of the lives of the fliers and their support personnel. "Whirlwind" takes readers into the cockpits and gun turrets of the mighty B-29 Superfortress, the largest bomber built up to that time. Tillman dramatically re-creates the sweep of wartime emotions that crews endured on fifteen-hour missions, grappling with the extreme tedium of cramped spaces and with adrenaline spikes in flak-studded skies, knowing that a bailout would put them at the mercy of a merciless enemy or an unforgiving sea.
A major character is the controversial and brilliant General Curtis LeMay, who rewrote strategic bombing tactics. His command's fire-bombing missions incinerated fully half of Tokyo and many other cities, crippling Japan's industry while still failing to force surrender.
"Whirlwind" examines the immense logistics and construction efforts necessary to support Superfortresses in Asia and the Mariana Islands, as well as the tireless efforts of engineers to build huge air bases from scratch.It also describes the unheralded missions that American bomber crews flew from the Aleutian Islands to Japan's northernmost Kuril Islands.
Never has the Japanese side of the story been so thoroughly examined. If Washington, D.C., represented a "second front" in Army-Navy rivalry, the situation in Tokyo approached a full-contact sport. Tillman's description of Japan's willfully inadequate approach to civil defense is eye-opening. Similarly, he examines the mind-set in Tokyo's war cabinet, which ignored the atomic destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, requiring the emperor's personal intervention to avert a ghastly Allied invasion.
Tillman shows how, despite the Allies' ultimate success, mistakes and shortsighted policies made victory more costly in lives and effort. He faults the lack of a unified command for allowing the Army Air Forces and the Navy to pursue parochial goals at the expense of the larger mission, and he questions the premature commitment of the enormously sophisticated B-29 to the most primitive theater in India and China.
"Whirlwind" is one of the last histories of World War II written with the contribution of men who fought in it.With unexcelled macro- and microperspectives, "Whirlwind" is destined to become a standard reference on the war, on multiservice operations, and on the human capacity for individual heroism and national folly.
A major character is the controversial and brilliant General Curtis LeMay, who rewrote strategic bombing tactics. His command's fire-bombing missions incinerated fully half of Tokyo and many other cities, crippling Japan's industry while still failing to force surrender.
"Whirlwind" examines the immense logistics and construction efforts necessary to support Superfortresses in Asia and the Mariana Islands, as well as the tireless efforts of engineers to build huge air bases from scratch.It also describes the unheralded missions that American bomber crews flew from the Aleutian Islands to Japan's northernmost Kuril Islands.
Never has the Japanese side of the story been so thoroughly examined. If Washington, D.C., represented a "second front" in Army-Navy rivalry, the situation in Tokyo approached a full-contact sport. Tillman's description of Japan's willfully inadequate approach to civil defense is eye-opening. Similarly, he examines the mind-set in Tokyo's war cabinet, which ignored the atomic destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, requiring the emperor's personal intervention to avert a ghastly Allied invasion.
Tillman shows how, despite the Allies' ultimate success, mistakes and shortsighted policies made victory more costly in lives and effort. He faults the lack of a unified command for allowing the Army Air Forces and the Navy to pursue parochial goals at the expense of the larger mission, and he questions the premature commitment of the enormously sophisticated B-29 to the most primitive theater in India and China.
"Whirlwind" is one of the last histories of World War II written with the contribution of men who fought in it.With unexcelled macro- and microperspectives, "Whirlwind" is destined to become a standard reference on the war, on multiservice operations, and on the human capacity for individual heroism and national folly.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published March 2, 2010
36 people are currently reading
655 people want to read
About the author
Barrett Tillman
118 books64 followersBorn a fourth-generation Oregonian, descended from American pioneers, Revolutionary War Patriots, Pilgrims (e.g. Priscilla Alden) and Pocahontas, Tillman was raised on the family wheat and cattle ranch. His younger brothers include a breeder of exotic animals and a Rhodes Scholar. In high school he was an Eagle Scout[citation needed], won two state titles as a rudimental drummer, and was a champion speaker and debater. Tillman was first published in 1964 at age 15 and graduated from the University of Oregon in 1971 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.
Like his father, a Navy trained pilot in World War II, Tillman developed an early passion for aviation and learned to fly at age 16. Over the next several years he flew a variety of vintage and historic aircraft, including a pre-WW II Navy trainer and a restored dive-bomber. The latter became the subject of his first book, The Dauntless Dive Bomber of World War II, published in 1976. It established the format for many subsequent books, operational histories of U.S. Navy aircraft.
After college Tillman worked as a freelance writer until 1982 when he founded Champlin Fighter Museum Press in Mesa, Arizona, publishing out-of-print and new titles on military aviation.
In 1986 he moved to San Diego to become managing editor of The Hook, quarterly journal of the Tailhook Association. He remained in that position for three years before deciding to focus full time to writing fiction. His first novel was published in June 1990. Warriors[1] depicted a Mideast air war and became an immediate best seller when Iraq invaded Kuwait two months later.
Tillman's next two novels appeared in 1992: The Sixth Battle, (written with his brother John) which captured a wide following among computer war gamers; and Dauntless, intended as the first in a trilogy. It was followed by Hellcats, nominated as military novel of the year in 1996. He has also published original fiction in the Stephen Coonts anthologies, Combat and Victory.
Tillman remains active as a magazine writer. He is a regular contributor to The Hook, Flight Journal, and several firearms publications. He has also reported from Africa for Soldier of Fortune magazine.
Tillman is a former executive secretary of the American Fighter Aces Association.[2]
-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barrett_...
Like his father, a Navy trained pilot in World War II, Tillman developed an early passion for aviation and learned to fly at age 16. Over the next several years he flew a variety of vintage and historic aircraft, including a pre-WW II Navy trainer and a restored dive-bomber. The latter became the subject of his first book, The Dauntless Dive Bomber of World War II, published in 1976. It established the format for many subsequent books, operational histories of U.S. Navy aircraft.
After college Tillman worked as a freelance writer until 1982 when he founded Champlin Fighter Museum Press in Mesa, Arizona, publishing out-of-print and new titles on military aviation.
In 1986 he moved to San Diego to become managing editor of The Hook, quarterly journal of the Tailhook Association. He remained in that position for three years before deciding to focus full time to writing fiction. His first novel was published in June 1990. Warriors[1] depicted a Mideast air war and became an immediate best seller when Iraq invaded Kuwait two months later.
Tillman's next two novels appeared in 1992: The Sixth Battle, (written with his brother John) which captured a wide following among computer war gamers; and Dauntless, intended as the first in a trilogy. It was followed by Hellcats, nominated as military novel of the year in 1996. He has also published original fiction in the Stephen Coonts anthologies, Combat and Victory.
Tillman remains active as a magazine writer. He is a regular contributor to The Hook, Flight Journal, and several firearms publications. He has also reported from Africa for Soldier of Fortune magazine.
Tillman is a former executive secretary of the American Fighter Aces Association.[2]
-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barrett_...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
May 15, 2023
This well written history of America's air war against Imperial Japan in World War II effectively covers all aspects involved. Battles are vividly described. Logistics, training, engineering, strategy, and tactics are all thoroughly elucidated. And the author excels at conveying the perspectives and experiences of the flyers and commanders themselves, as well as what it was like for civilians and POWs on the ground. This book educated and entertained me, the way good works of history should. I especially appreciated the recap and analysis at the end, including points made regarding the decision to use atomic weapons against Japan. Fans of military history will find this a very worthy read indeed.
August 15, 2020
A good history of the Air War against Japan, somewhat disjointed and haphazard just like the air campaign. Much on the "B-san", fair amount of Navy stuff and the Bomb. Some good combat stories from both sides, pretty tough on Mitscher and Halsey, admiring of LeMay. Good facts and overall picture of just how devastating the air campaign was and how the US built such an incredible force in the Pacific. A good overall description of the Pacific campaign, giving the reader some great hints on where to read deeper. 3 Stars
April 3, 2010
Barrett Tillman does a wonderful job in Whirlwind in collating and interpreting information so that the reader has a clear and informed view of the air war in the final months of the Pacific campaign. His last chapter entitled legacy is a nice piece of interpretation that gave fresh insights to decades long arguments who won the war, the Air Corps or the Navy/Marine team Barrett's reply would be both but not without difficulties such as the admirals wanting to destroy the neutered Japanese fleet in being and General Arnold firing leaders for non performance before performance could be ascertained. Barrett brings information together so that persuasive thought of the B-29's and P-51's being the only aircraft flying against Japan has been proven wrong. Tillman discusses how the 8AF had at least two partial groups in the Pacific taking part of the bombing campaign. While not a long book Tillman picks the information to use that is important and imparts a thoughtful and insightful look at a campaign that is often misunderstood and underappreciated.
April 29, 2015
Somewhat mislabeled--this largely is a history of the B-29, with Naval Aviation and the Bomb tacked on. The style is a bit wooden. And it's a useful defense of area bombing and reference of reasons why the Bomb had to be dropped. But, it provides useful stats, and a few, though just a few, previously unknown facts.
The first is that the B-29, and its various predecessors were so relatively well armed because no long range fighter-escorts had been designed: "In short, the technological tail wagged the doctrinal dog."
Much later, Sergeant Henry "Red" Erwin is mentioned--when a phosphorus flare alights prematurely, he grabs it, races forward from the bomb bay (before it could explode the ordnance), and throws it out the cockpit side window. Erwin saved the Superfortress--at the cost of his nose, an ear, one eye and an arm. General Curtis LeMay promptly flew Erwin to the fleet hospital in Guam. Then,
"LeMay dispatched an airplane to Hawaii with orders not to return without a [Medal of Honor]. The crew took its responsibility seriously and procured the only one available by breaking into a display case and taking the decoration.
Most Medals of Honor required months to get processed. But LeMay got on the wire, insisting that Sergeant Erwin's award be approved immediately. Hap Arnold concurred and the citation was placed on Harry Truman's desk. In one his first acts as president, he signed the document."
Interesting to learn that the survival rate for downed airman over Nazi-held Europe was 99 percent, while the comparable statistic for Japan was 50 percent. In the worst atrocity, immediately after the Emperor's radio surrender speech, 17 B-29 crewman were dragged from cells near Fukuoka and beheaded. Some of the perpetrators later were imprisoned, but no death sentences were carried out.
It somehow escaped my attention that the second B-29 atomic flight -- Bock's Car -- had a fuel tank transfer malfunction, had to divert to Okinawa, and landed with seven usable gallons, or one minute of flying time, left.
"[B]ecause Japanese industries relied on cottage or "shadow" factories to produce subcomponents, it was impossible to strike them specifically--if somehow they could be identified. Small shops and even homes in urban areas surrounding industrial plants produced a huge amount of matériel, especially for aircraft and engine factories."
"On [August] 27th, a Yorktown fighter pilot landed at Atsugi and, vastly exceeding his authority, ordered the Japanese to erect a banner: 'Welcome to the U.S. Army from the Third Fleet'. The Japanese complied, and American paratroopers saw the greeting the next day."
The first is that the B-29, and its various predecessors were so relatively well armed because no long range fighter-escorts had been designed: "In short, the technological tail wagged the doctrinal dog."
Much later, Sergeant Henry "Red" Erwin is mentioned--when a phosphorus flare alights prematurely, he grabs it, races forward from the bomb bay (before it could explode the ordnance), and throws it out the cockpit side window. Erwin saved the Superfortress--at the cost of his nose, an ear, one eye and an arm. General Curtis LeMay promptly flew Erwin to the fleet hospital in Guam. Then,
"LeMay dispatched an airplane to Hawaii with orders not to return without a [Medal of Honor]. The crew took its responsibility seriously and procured the only one available by breaking into a display case and taking the decoration.
Most Medals of Honor required months to get processed. But LeMay got on the wire, insisting that Sergeant Erwin's award be approved immediately. Hap Arnold concurred and the citation was placed on Harry Truman's desk. In one his first acts as president, he signed the document."
Interesting to learn that the survival rate for downed airman over Nazi-held Europe was 99 percent, while the comparable statistic for Japan was 50 percent. In the worst atrocity, immediately after the Emperor's radio surrender speech, 17 B-29 crewman were dragged from cells near Fukuoka and beheaded. Some of the perpetrators later were imprisoned, but no death sentences were carried out.
It somehow escaped my attention that the second B-29 atomic flight -- Bock's Car -- had a fuel tank transfer malfunction, had to divert to Okinawa, and landed with seven usable gallons, or one minute of flying time, left.
"[B]ecause Japanese industries relied on cottage or "shadow" factories to produce subcomponents, it was impossible to strike them specifically--if somehow they could be identified. Small shops and even homes in urban areas surrounding industrial plants produced a huge amount of matériel, especially for aircraft and engine factories."
"On [August] 27th, a Yorktown fighter pilot landed at Atsugi and, vastly exceeding his authority, ordered the Japanese to erect a banner: 'Welcome to the U.S. Army from the Third Fleet'. The Japanese complied, and American paratroopers saw the greeting the next day."
February 20, 2020
This book provides an account of the air war against Japan. The real story is of the rise of the Army air force under Curtis LeMay and its annihilation of Japan’s cities and ability to resist. When the book starts the Japanese air force and ground defense pose a significant (if manageable) risk. By Spring of ‘45 Allied forces are largely unopposed. The biggest killers of the B-29s wasn’t air combat but malfunctions.
This book provides a different angle on the Pacific War than the more normal account of sea battles and island hopping. Yet at times it still feels overly familiar. The details of each engagement are summarized in detail, but the big picture view often seems lackluster and traditional. The book is probably at its best when detailing attitudes and feelings about the bombing raids. Flying for fifteen hours straight over nothing but open water, with only a brief intermission in the middle, seems suitably terrifying. And his working knowledge of pilots’ stress reactions speaks of deep personal experience.
The book is designed as an introduction to the air war and as such it largely succeeds. The approach is basic and anecdotal with a focus on human interest stories. At under 300 pages it’s not too tough to work through. On the other hand, it also casually mentions slang and terminology that seems to assume you understand it. Sometimes the meaning is obvious. Hitting the silk is a rather charming description of ditching your plane. At others it is not so obvious.
There’s not much more to say. The book is serviceable. If you’re unfamiliar with the air war against Japan this is a good introduction. It certainly introduced me to some interesting facts. For example, while the Americans spent years developing the atom bomb the Japanese spent their time inventing a short-range deathray! And they were the inventors of radar, for all that they misused it.
This book provides a different angle on the Pacific War than the more normal account of sea battles and island hopping. Yet at times it still feels overly familiar. The details of each engagement are summarized in detail, but the big picture view often seems lackluster and traditional. The book is probably at its best when detailing attitudes and feelings about the bombing raids. Flying for fifteen hours straight over nothing but open water, with only a brief intermission in the middle, seems suitably terrifying. And his working knowledge of pilots’ stress reactions speaks of deep personal experience.
The book is designed as an introduction to the air war and as such it largely succeeds. The approach is basic and anecdotal with a focus on human interest stories. At under 300 pages it’s not too tough to work through. On the other hand, it also casually mentions slang and terminology that seems to assume you understand it. Sometimes the meaning is obvious. Hitting the silk is a rather charming description of ditching your plane. At others it is not so obvious.
There’s not much more to say. The book is serviceable. If you’re unfamiliar with the air war against Japan this is a good introduction. It certainly introduced me to some interesting facts. For example, while the Americans spent years developing the atom bomb the Japanese spent their time inventing a short-range deathray! And they were the inventors of radar, for all that they misused it.
January 4, 2019
A readable, well-researched and comprehensive history of the American bombing campaign against Japan.
Tillman does a great job explaining the significance of the B-29 and how the US was able to design, produce and deploy the aircraft without too many problems between the manufacturer and the military, or between the various branches. He also ably describes how successful the US was at deploying the bombers at remote strips (first in China, then on Pacific Islands) and keeping them supplied, despite the enormous financial cost to the US. Tillman ably discusses the importance of LeMay to the campaign’s impact, and the mistakes and losses caused by the lack of a centralized command structure.
Tillman also vividly describes the experience of the B-29 crews, the planners behind the air campaign, and the Japanese pilots who tried to counter them (mostly without success). He covers the carrier strikes, the deployment of the P-51 to support the campaign, and how the US came to use incendiary and napalm weapons against the home islands. The controversies around the use of the atomic bomb are also ably discussed.
The book is mostly based on secondary sources, though, and feels just a little disjointed at times. At one point Tillman refers to the “Pacific Air Forces,” an organization that didn’t exist at the time. Elsewhere he writes of a Ground Controlled Approach radar site being built at Iwo Jima, although the GCA concept wasn’t used until the Berlin Airlift. A few phrases are also strange, like a plane flying at “sea level.” But the book’s only problems are minor quibbles like these.
A clear, well-written and insightful work.
Tillman does a great job explaining the significance of the B-29 and how the US was able to design, produce and deploy the aircraft without too many problems between the manufacturer and the military, or between the various branches. He also ably describes how successful the US was at deploying the bombers at remote strips (first in China, then on Pacific Islands) and keeping them supplied, despite the enormous financial cost to the US. Tillman ably discusses the importance of LeMay to the campaign’s impact, and the mistakes and losses caused by the lack of a centralized command structure.
Tillman also vividly describes the experience of the B-29 crews, the planners behind the air campaign, and the Japanese pilots who tried to counter them (mostly without success). He covers the carrier strikes, the deployment of the P-51 to support the campaign, and how the US came to use incendiary and napalm weapons against the home islands. The controversies around the use of the atomic bomb are also ably discussed.
The book is mostly based on secondary sources, though, and feels just a little disjointed at times. At one point Tillman refers to the “Pacific Air Forces,” an organization that didn’t exist at the time. Elsewhere he writes of a Ground Controlled Approach radar site being built at Iwo Jima, although the GCA concept wasn’t used until the Berlin Airlift. A few phrases are also strange, like a plane flying at “sea level.” But the book’s only problems are minor quibbles like these.
A clear, well-written and insightful work.
June 25, 2013
Whirlwind delivers a thorough examination on the American bombing campaign on Japan during WWII. From the initial Doolittle raid to the dropping of the bomb that changed warfare forever, this book is an engaging read. When I finished reading this book I felt like I had a great understanding of the politics and the men who fought on both sides of this conflict. With saying that the main part of the book is centred around the Americans with just enough of the Japan side of the story told to balance it out.
February 16, 2010
[Previously published on Blogcritics.org:]
Did you know anyone who was in the WTC attack on 9/11/2001? Over 17,000 people from more than fifteen countries were in the two towers at the time of the attack. Two thousand six hundred five people died in New York alone. For me, it was two degrees of separation; a co-worker's cousin. Similar situation for my wife and dozens of others I've spoken with over the years. A young man from our home town died in the Pentagon attack. Compare this with the more than 400,000 families that displayed the single star at their home during the 1940's to honor the life of a loved one lost in World War II. It seems impossible that any family, town, burg, or metropolis might have gone unscathed. With the onslaught of revisionist historians and the spread of globalism, it is difficult for many today to view much of WWII in the context in which it occurred. "Whirlwind" is about the most devastating air campaign in history, flown against Japan from 1942 to 1945. It begins with the Doolittle Raid just months after the attack on Pearl Harbor and takes the reader all the way through the turbulent aftermath of V-J Day. (Speaking of history foreshadowing current events, in 1943 the Alaska-based 11th Air Force began bombing missions against the northern most islands in Japan. The weather and maritime atmosphere were more of a danger to pilots than enemy fighters. One mission that began with twenty bombers ended with the loss of nine against only five enemy vessels sunk or damaged. The official report of the Eleventh Air Force described it as "the[ir:] most disastrous day." Ironically, that day was September 11, 1943.) By today's standards, "...when any violence inflicted against civilians by a nation-state is widely condemned as immoral, the norms of 1940's warfare may appear horrifically callous at best. Certainly the military engineers who designed firebombs did not consider themselves immoral, nor did the citizens who manufactured them. Rather, they were driven by wartime patriotism melded with resignation to the immediate task at hand." The statistics provide fodder for the most zealot anti-war advocate while the stories behind them exonerate the participants.
"Whirlwind" is a collection of vignettes that combine to tell the story of the B-29 Superfortress bomber. Most frustrating is the recounting of the China-Burmese-India experience of the Twentieth Bomber Command wherein sixty-eight of the world's most advanced bombers departed the mainland for Japanese targets. Only forty-seven reached their primary target and dropped 221 tons of bombs. Seven B-29's did not return. Fifty-seven American fliers and one war correspondent died on a mission in which only one bomb hit the assigned target. Barrett Tillman, author of over forty books on military subjects, deftly guides his reader through a part of history that had been previously neglected. His story-telling and timing is superb. His use of statics and technical details is appropriately complemented with tales of humor, courage, inspiration, tragedy and hope.
The cast of characters includes many names with whom WWII aficionados will be familiar (Mitchell, Chennault, LeMay, Nimitz, and Tibbets to name a few) . Tillman also includes a charming if eccentric assortment of mavericks. We meet the inventors of the football helmet and the famous Norden bomb site, as well as the dentist who masterminded the "bat bomb". There are also encounters with a samurai, a gunslinger, an alcoholic super-ace pilot, a poet, and a gang of well meaning thieves that stole a Medal of Honor. Ground crews and mechanics that kept the planes flying (from the fighters to the bombers) get special attention from the author as they did LeMay. Even with these complimentary stories, it is not difficult to remember that the two main characters are Curtis LeMay and the B-29 Superfortress. Their histories are interdependent and no doubt Tillman drew upon his previously published biography of LeMay for background. LeMay's adventures earning the experience that brought him to the Pacific along with the development of the technology that spawned the B-29 are at the core of "Whirlwind". I was surprised to discover that only forty-two years elapsed between Kitty Hawk and Hiroshima! The successes of both Lemay and the B-29 were the precursors to the Cold War development of the Strategic Air Command and the B-52.
Tillman's professional handling of social, moral, technical, and political issues will leave the reader satisfied and perhaps inspired to learn more about our nation's history. Although many volumes have been published about the war and the military, your library is incomplete without "Whirlwind" .
Did you know anyone who was in the WTC attack on 9/11/2001? Over 17,000 people from more than fifteen countries were in the two towers at the time of the attack. Two thousand six hundred five people died in New York alone. For me, it was two degrees of separation; a co-worker's cousin. Similar situation for my wife and dozens of others I've spoken with over the years. A young man from our home town died in the Pentagon attack. Compare this with the more than 400,000 families that displayed the single star at their home during the 1940's to honor the life of a loved one lost in World War II. It seems impossible that any family, town, burg, or metropolis might have gone unscathed. With the onslaught of revisionist historians and the spread of globalism, it is difficult for many today to view much of WWII in the context in which it occurred. "Whirlwind" is about the most devastating air campaign in history, flown against Japan from 1942 to 1945. It begins with the Doolittle Raid just months after the attack on Pearl Harbor and takes the reader all the way through the turbulent aftermath of V-J Day. (Speaking of history foreshadowing current events, in 1943 the Alaska-based 11th Air Force began bombing missions against the northern most islands in Japan. The weather and maritime atmosphere were more of a danger to pilots than enemy fighters. One mission that began with twenty bombers ended with the loss of nine against only five enemy vessels sunk or damaged. The official report of the Eleventh Air Force described it as "the[ir:] most disastrous day." Ironically, that day was September 11, 1943.) By today's standards, "...when any violence inflicted against civilians by a nation-state is widely condemned as immoral, the norms of 1940's warfare may appear horrifically callous at best. Certainly the military engineers who designed firebombs did not consider themselves immoral, nor did the citizens who manufactured them. Rather, they were driven by wartime patriotism melded with resignation to the immediate task at hand." The statistics provide fodder for the most zealot anti-war advocate while the stories behind them exonerate the participants.
"Whirlwind" is a collection of vignettes that combine to tell the story of the B-29 Superfortress bomber. Most frustrating is the recounting of the China-Burmese-India experience of the Twentieth Bomber Command wherein sixty-eight of the world's most advanced bombers departed the mainland for Japanese targets. Only forty-seven reached their primary target and dropped 221 tons of bombs. Seven B-29's did not return. Fifty-seven American fliers and one war correspondent died on a mission in which only one bomb hit the assigned target. Barrett Tillman, author of over forty books on military subjects, deftly guides his reader through a part of history that had been previously neglected. His story-telling and timing is superb. His use of statics and technical details is appropriately complemented with tales of humor, courage, inspiration, tragedy and hope.
The cast of characters includes many names with whom WWII aficionados will be familiar (Mitchell, Chennault, LeMay, Nimitz, and Tibbets to name a few) . Tillman also includes a charming if eccentric assortment of mavericks. We meet the inventors of the football helmet and the famous Norden bomb site, as well as the dentist who masterminded the "bat bomb". There are also encounters with a samurai, a gunslinger, an alcoholic super-ace pilot, a poet, and a gang of well meaning thieves that stole a Medal of Honor. Ground crews and mechanics that kept the planes flying (from the fighters to the bombers) get special attention from the author as they did LeMay. Even with these complimentary stories, it is not difficult to remember that the two main characters are Curtis LeMay and the B-29 Superfortress. Their histories are interdependent and no doubt Tillman drew upon his previously published biography of LeMay for background. LeMay's adventures earning the experience that brought him to the Pacific along with the development of the technology that spawned the B-29 are at the core of "Whirlwind". I was surprised to discover that only forty-two years elapsed between Kitty Hawk and Hiroshima! The successes of both Lemay and the B-29 were the precursors to the Cold War development of the Strategic Air Command and the B-52.
Tillman's professional handling of social, moral, technical, and political issues will leave the reader satisfied and perhaps inspired to learn more about our nation's history. Although many volumes have been published about the war and the military, your library is incomplete without "Whirlwind" .
August 28, 2023
A bracing, but enjoyable read. Tillman sets out to tell us the story of the Air War over Japan itself, The Allied effort to carry out Strategic, Grand Strategic, and also Tactical Air campaigns against home Islands from Dolittle's first pinprick raid over Tokyo in 1942 to the Enola Gay and Hiroshima and Nagasaki. But learning about the great Fast Carrier Raids of 1944/1945 and the activities of the Royal Navy 4 Carrier(?!) task force was also new stuff to learn about. The pace is fast, and the anecdotes plenty as simple direct prose set it all out directly.
We begin with the Theories of Strategic and tactical air, with the ideas of Douhet ,Mitchell, and Trenchard forming a concept of aerial bombardment. The various flows and eddies of the 20s and 30s as various Tactical "test wars" "(Russo/Polish-Colonial(Iraq/Afhganistan) - Spanish Civil) "give" combatant the chances to test the theories and the equipment. Then the buildup to WWII, with the US B17/24 programs proving superior. The B29 is conceived,- just as the early war is also proving Carrier Warfare. The US Opts, with its plethora of resources to invest in BOTH.
Then we're in to the war. While the European Air War teaches technique, the B29 program tries its first efforts- a dodgy plane, dodgy engines, dodgy logistics, and a very dodgy ally- China . The Island Hopping Campaign and the Carriers bring the US the Marianas, Saipan, Tinian and Guam, so the US finally have really bases they can supply in range of Japan. From then on as the noose tightens (Iwo Jima/Okinawa), the B-29s are ravaging Japan, while the Carriers are raiding all the bases they can destroy, and mines are being laid. We also get interior looks at the Japanese command and rank and file as their denial become more penal. Then comes Fat Man and Tall Boy and Nuclear Enforced Peace. All narrated in a clear and compelling manner that will propel the reader on.
Although some concepts can be adult, as can damage descriptions, a junior reader will not be out of their depth much. Military Enthusiasts/Gamers/Modellers will find a ton of material to enjoy here. There are enough after action reports and descriptions of protocols to help with scenario development, and/or diorama concepting. But as background to have a real feel for the campaigns as they came together, this is a real strong contender, a straight rec.
We begin with the Theories of Strategic and tactical air, with the ideas of Douhet ,Mitchell, and Trenchard forming a concept of aerial bombardment. The various flows and eddies of the 20s and 30s as various Tactical "test wars" "(Russo/Polish-Colonial(Iraq/Afhganistan) - Spanish Civil) "give" combatant the chances to test the theories and the equipment. Then the buildup to WWII, with the US B17/24 programs proving superior. The B29 is conceived,- just as the early war is also proving Carrier Warfare. The US Opts, with its plethora of resources to invest in BOTH.
Then we're in to the war. While the European Air War teaches technique, the B29 program tries its first efforts- a dodgy plane, dodgy engines, dodgy logistics, and a very dodgy ally- China . The Island Hopping Campaign and the Carriers bring the US the Marianas, Saipan, Tinian and Guam, so the US finally have really bases they can supply in range of Japan. From then on as the noose tightens (Iwo Jima/Okinawa), the B-29s are ravaging Japan, while the Carriers are raiding all the bases they can destroy, and mines are being laid. We also get interior looks at the Japanese command and rank and file as their denial become more penal. Then comes Fat Man and Tall Boy and Nuclear Enforced Peace. All narrated in a clear and compelling manner that will propel the reader on.
Although some concepts can be adult, as can damage descriptions, a junior reader will not be out of their depth much. Military Enthusiasts/Gamers/Modellers will find a ton of material to enjoy here. There are enough after action reports and descriptions of protocols to help with scenario development, and/or diorama concepting. But as background to have a real feel for the campaigns as they came together, this is a real strong contender, a straight rec.
July 17, 2010
Don't be fooled by the cover - this book is not solely about the B-29 bomber offensive. Instead, it's a book that addresses the air war against the Japanese home islands and the surrounding coastal waters in all its forms, including naval air strikes. While comprehensive in scope, it is not particularly deep or detailed. Mr. Tillman keeps the prose very readable, even for the casual historian. Mr. Tillman also raises questions about the value of different air activities, such as the naval air strikes against the remains of the Japanese fleet. And of course, he also addresses the issues surrounding the atomic bombs. Overall, I found this book very light, readable, informative, and sometimes insightful. Highly recommended.
April 18, 2019
Excellent retelling of the air war against Japan. Tillman is the dean of aviation historians of WW II. His analysis of the problems and the dangers inherent in sending an untried and in many ways revolutionary weapons system (B-29) to the most primitive of airfields (CBI) is spot on. He assesses blame and praise fairly and backed by facts.
July 24, 2025
I learned a lot from this well-researched book. I recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about the Pacific Theater of WW2.
July 17, 2025
Sometimes a tad boring but overall a great study of the Pacific Front. The book includes lotta of numerical information about the planes used and the cost, both in finances and human lives.
June 13, 2012
Barrett Tillman's study of the Air War against Japan is a remarkably fresh and interesting history. Tillman takes the reader from roughly the time of Midway to literally the last day of the Pacific War against Japan. The focus is primarily the aviation war against the Japanese Empire, primarily conducted by the Americans, and the steps taken to position America to invade the home islands of Japan. This is a story with many anecdotes and avenues, but it is primarily a tale of the development of the B-29 Superfortress, its rush to maximized production, fielding and introduction as a combat arm, all the while in conditions that seem monumentally challenging in retrospect. America's need for a extremely long ranged aircraft that could handle a very heavy payload led to the development of the B-29, Deployment first in China, then in the island hopping campaing in the Marianas (to establish a forward base for bombing Japan's home territories). Tillman illustrates that there were many considerations and personalities in play in the Pacific War, from the ascerbic, political Hap Arnold to the daredevil Jimmy Doolittle to the cooly analytical Curtis LeMay. Tillman (quite rightly) dwells heavily on the personalities involved, taking time to break up the straight historical narrative by zeroing in on a less luminary personality (such as an individual pilot or other crew member) at the end of most chapters in WHIRLWIND. Barrett does give the naval aviators and allied RAF their due towards the end of the book, but that is in keeping with the focus of the book, which is firmly on the bombing activities of the Japanese home islands leading up to the aborted invasion. There are a few voices that are not heard in any great detail, such as the view of the Japanese pilots and aviation crews themselves. Someday someone will write the definitive history of the Air War from the Japanese point of view, but that is not this book-- the Japanese are mentioned in very broad brush terms compared to the Americans, with the occassional anecdote livening up the narrative. With all that there's no doubt that I learned some new things from reading WHIRLWIND. For one thing, the book challenges the assumption I had in the back of my mind that the B-29 flew serenely over Japan at high altitudes and was rarely challenged by Japanese air crews (quite the opposite in both counts). Tillman doesn't pull any punches, showing both sides of the equation of some pretty controversial subjects, such as the low level precision firebombing of Japan, and the use of the atomic bombs. Tillman does not lionize his subjects; he depicts all of the participants (low and high ranked) as individuals and paints his picture warts and all. I found WHIRLWIND to be a good (not great) history of a subject I had been suprisingly ignorant of prior to reading it. Recommended for aviation enthusiasts and history buffs.
June 18, 2012
World War II historians seemingly have analyzed the air war over Europe down to the last .50-caliber slug. From the British fighter heroes who won the Battle of Britain to the massive American daylight bombing raids that helped bring the Third Reich to its knees, the record is thick on the library shelves.
Great naval battles like Midway and the Coral Sea deservedly have also been the subjects of considerable study. Much less has been said, though, of the men who flew the long, long B-29 missions from China and the Marianas to strike at the Japanese home islands. And even less of the men who worked day and night to build the bases on Guam, Tinian and Saipan as island-hopping U.S. troops edged closer to Japan.
Military historian Barrett Tillman sets out to change that in "Whirlwind: The Air War Against Japan, 1942-1945." And to a great extent, he succeeds.
Without bogging down in excruciating detail, he manages to convey the difficulties, the triumphs and the losses, through official records and the recollections of the people -- American and Japanese -- who were in the aircraft and on the ground.
A skillfully woven narrative repeatedly works its way from grand strategy down to anecdote and back again.
Great naval battles like Midway and the Coral Sea deservedly have also been the subjects of considerable study. Much less has been said, though, of the men who flew the long, long B-29 missions from China and the Marianas to strike at the Japanese home islands. And even less of the men who worked day and night to build the bases on Guam, Tinian and Saipan as island-hopping U.S. troops edged closer to Japan.
Military historian Barrett Tillman sets out to change that in "Whirlwind: The Air War Against Japan, 1942-1945." And to a great extent, he succeeds.
Without bogging down in excruciating detail, he manages to convey the difficulties, the triumphs and the losses, through official records and the recollections of the people -- American and Japanese -- who were in the aircraft and on the ground.
A skillfully woven narrative repeatedly works its way from grand strategy down to anecdote and back again.
May 15, 2020
I got the impression that the author was trying to impress the readers by coming up with figures and with trivia. However, while the blockade and the US conventional bombing crippled Japan's war effort, it was the dropping of the bombs and the Soviet Union's declaration of war against Japan that prompted the latter to surrender in the Second World War.
June 15, 2023
This was an interesting and informative book. It was also a frustrating and annoying one. While it does describe the American air war against Japan, and does have some interesting historical information to impart, it focuses too much on the American side, not enough on the Japanese, and the style is so cliche-ridden it takes away not only from the information Tillman is trying to impart, but also from the pleasure of reading.
The book starts with a brief survey of the development of strategic thinking around air power, and specifically strategic bombing, which is a useful entree into what comes later. We then move on to the Doolittle raid, before moving into the main part of the story, and the book.
The main part focuses on the B29 - its development, initial use from China, and then the raids engendered from the Marianas, before the two atomic bomb missions that ended the war. Tillman covers the initial arduous missions that originated from China, flying their bombs, fuel and equipment "Over the Hump" from India - it took seven journies over the Himalaya to transport enough fuel for one 'plane's bombing mission.
The results from these sorties were underwhelming, partly because the B29 could only reach the south of Japan, and because the American bombing strategy was not effective with the new bomber. Precision daylight bombing, which was the American way, achieved poor results in Japan. One of the issues was that, from 32,000 feet, the B29 was flying in the jetstream, which affected the fall of the bombs, the first time any 'plane had this problem. The lack of numbers of aircraft over the target was a problem as well. Before Curtis LeMay turned the whole B29 operation around, the poor serviceability of the fleet meant that many bombers never made it to the target.
Curtis LeMay, young and focused, was not satisfied with the poor results the B29s were achieving, and so he completely changed how they operated after a blitz of training and maintenance fixed the problems of navigation and serviceability. From high-altitude precision bombing, he changed to low altitude carpet bombing with incendiaries which, over the course of a few months, destroyed about 40% of the urban area of Japan's main cities. This bombing, while terrifying to the victims, was much more effective in crippling the industrial capacity of Japan than the previous strategy.
Tillman spends some chapters on the Naval contribution to the campaign - by 1945 the Japanese ability to defend against mass incursions of aircraft was limited, and so Carrier task groups could sail close enough to any part of Japan and wreak havoc, which they did mainly against airfields and naval assets. Tillman writes about the futility of some of these attacks, especially against the Japanese Navy in the Inland Sea, which had been effectively bottled up by the B29s that mined many of the waters around Japan, apart from the fact that Japan's stocks of fuel oil were practically exhausted.
The books final chapters deal with the atomic attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which covers all the bases of that story, from an American viewpoint.
So, as a work of history, Whirlwind covers the bases, and if you know nothing about the history of the Pacific War you will learn something. The main issue I have with this book is the style that Tillman has chosen to use in writing this book. It's a bit too tabloid for the kind of serious history I think he intended, and some of the metaphors and similies he's used are quite jarring and occasionally border on the offensive. Another annoyance are the seemingly endless non-sequiters which leave the reader scratching their heads trying to work out the point that Tillman was trying to make.
I was looking forward to this book, but finished it feeling underwhelmed. It could have been much more than it is. I'll keep looking for a definitive tome on this subject.
Check out my other reviews at http://aviewoverthebell.blogspot.com.au/
The book starts with a brief survey of the development of strategic thinking around air power, and specifically strategic bombing, which is a useful entree into what comes later. We then move on to the Doolittle raid, before moving into the main part of the story, and the book.
The main part focuses on the B29 - its development, initial use from China, and then the raids engendered from the Marianas, before the two atomic bomb missions that ended the war. Tillman covers the initial arduous missions that originated from China, flying their bombs, fuel and equipment "Over the Hump" from India - it took seven journies over the Himalaya to transport enough fuel for one 'plane's bombing mission.
The results from these sorties were underwhelming, partly because the B29 could only reach the south of Japan, and because the American bombing strategy was not effective with the new bomber. Precision daylight bombing, which was the American way, achieved poor results in Japan. One of the issues was that, from 32,000 feet, the B29 was flying in the jetstream, which affected the fall of the bombs, the first time any 'plane had this problem. The lack of numbers of aircraft over the target was a problem as well. Before Curtis LeMay turned the whole B29 operation around, the poor serviceability of the fleet meant that many bombers never made it to the target.
Curtis LeMay, young and focused, was not satisfied with the poor results the B29s were achieving, and so he completely changed how they operated after a blitz of training and maintenance fixed the problems of navigation and serviceability. From high-altitude precision bombing, he changed to low altitude carpet bombing with incendiaries which, over the course of a few months, destroyed about 40% of the urban area of Japan's main cities. This bombing, while terrifying to the victims, was much more effective in crippling the industrial capacity of Japan than the previous strategy.
Tillman spends some chapters on the Naval contribution to the campaign - by 1945 the Japanese ability to defend against mass incursions of aircraft was limited, and so Carrier task groups could sail close enough to any part of Japan and wreak havoc, which they did mainly against airfields and naval assets. Tillman writes about the futility of some of these attacks, especially against the Japanese Navy in the Inland Sea, which had been effectively bottled up by the B29s that mined many of the waters around Japan, apart from the fact that Japan's stocks of fuel oil were practically exhausted.
The books final chapters deal with the atomic attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which covers all the bases of that story, from an American viewpoint.
So, as a work of history, Whirlwind covers the bases, and if you know nothing about the history of the Pacific War you will learn something. The main issue I have with this book is the style that Tillman has chosen to use in writing this book. It's a bit too tabloid for the kind of serious history I think he intended, and some of the metaphors and similies he's used are quite jarring and occasionally border on the offensive. Another annoyance are the seemingly endless non-sequiters which leave the reader scratching their heads trying to work out the point that Tillman was trying to make.
I was looking forward to this book, but finished it feeling underwhelmed. It could have been much more than it is. I'll keep looking for a definitive tome on this subject.
Check out my other reviews at http://aviewoverthebell.blogspot.com.au/
November 11, 2020
There are books on the Doolittle Raid, the B-29 campaign against Japan, and the development of carrier air power. What makes this book unique is that Tillman has looked at all these together as a history of US bombing of Japan during WW2. There is good background and information on all four (Doolittle Raid; evolution of the B-29 campaign including aerial mining and the initial bombing offensive staged out of China; evolution of carrier air power and usage; usage of atomic bombs), and by tackling all three in one book, Tillman has the opportunity to analyze their different impacts on Japan. He pulls out some insights into how carrier strike planes had different impacts than B-29 raids. He also shows discusses coordination and the lack thereof. Both of these create some insights into how better coordination of targeting might have had enhanced impact. He also has a broad discussion of the impact of bombing on Japan's ability to ability to fight and its ultimate decision to surrender.
Tillman is a noted, prolific WW2 aviation author, so he brings expertise. He is a very readable author. His discussion of the casualties due to radiation for the dropping of the atomic bombs seemed somewhat odd to me, but other than that I thought a nice book that takes an integrated view of the bombing of Japan.
Tillman is a noted, prolific WW2 aviation author, so he brings expertise. He is a very readable author. His discussion of the casualties due to radiation for the dropping of the atomic bombs seemed somewhat odd to me, but other than that I thought a nice book that takes an integrated view of the bombing of Japan.
October 3, 2023
A solid history of the air war against Japan. The author covers topics I’ve heard little about in other histories including mine laying operations, attacks on coastal and intracoastal shipping (notably ferries which were crucial to Japan’s logistics) and air-sea rescue. Also covered are the unheralded campaigns to bomb Japan from China and the Aleutians, both of which were logistical nightmares.
Of course the use of the atomic bombs is covered, including an analysis of why they were necessary. Anyone who still thinks the use of the two atomic bombs was unnecessary should first read Paul Russell’s essay on the topic. If still unconvinced, this book may change their minds in pointing out that Japan still had ten thousand fueled warplanes in reserve, half of which would have been used in kamikaze attacks on an Allied invasion fleet. Also the experience on Okinawa in particular made clear that the civilian deaths after invasion, voluntary and involuntary, would been in the millions.
Finally, the author covers the operations on the last day of the war, in which pointless deaths on both sides still occurred even though it was widely understood a surrender was imminent. Very poignant.
Of course the use of the atomic bombs is covered, including an analysis of why they were necessary. Anyone who still thinks the use of the two atomic bombs was unnecessary should first read Paul Russell’s essay on the topic. If still unconvinced, this book may change their minds in pointing out that Japan still had ten thousand fueled warplanes in reserve, half of which would have been used in kamikaze attacks on an Allied invasion fleet. Also the experience on Okinawa in particular made clear that the civilian deaths after invasion, voluntary and involuntary, would been in the millions.
Finally, the author covers the operations on the last day of the war, in which pointless deaths on both sides still occurred even though it was widely understood a surrender was imminent. Very poignant.
July 13, 2022
Sometimes reading historical books, the information is presented matter of factly, boring, hard to read or too light hearted and lacking, this did not fit into those categories. It had a great blend of technical, personal, and historical. The title of the book gives away what the book is about, "the air war against Japan 1942-1945." I didn't have much knowledge of that time period, having learned about Hiroshima being the extent, this book gave me a lot of education and "oh wow I didn't know that" moments. You don't have to be a history buff to understand this book. It was well written and thought provoking.
February 9, 2020
An excellent overview of the air campaign against Japan during the later part of the war. Barrett Tillman attempts to offer some insight on the policy makers which provides the backdrop for the biggest debate of them all, was the use of the Atomic bombs necessary to secure victory?
I thought I was well versed in the history of the Pacific theater but I found there was so much to it then what I had learned over the years. My point? Despite what you think you know there is a nugget or two to be drawn from this well researched and written book.
I thought I was well versed in the history of the Pacific theater but I found there was so much to it then what I had learned over the years. My point? Despite what you think you know there is a nugget or two to be drawn from this well researched and written book.
May 8, 2023
3.5/5
Read for: GEOL 490: Environmental Impacts of War
I think this book was really interesting. Looking at it from an environmental side, the environment is often developed and changed for war through landscape modification and bombturbation. This book gave a historic account for the bombs that were dropped, details on the pilots and generals lives, and some information about the planes.
I think I should have given my professor this book because he really would have enjoyed it. Ultimately, it was a pretty good read, even if the "chapters/ sections" appeared at random.
Read for: GEOL 490: Environmental Impacts of War
I think this book was really interesting. Looking at it from an environmental side, the environment is often developed and changed for war through landscape modification and bombturbation. This book gave a historic account for the bombs that were dropped, details on the pilots and generals lives, and some information about the planes.
I think I should have given my professor this book because he really would have enjoyed it. Ultimately, it was a pretty good read, even if the "chapters/ sections" appeared at random.
September 24, 2020
An excellent overview of the history of the bombing of Japan from the Doolittle Raid forward. It’s wonderfully informative.
Tillman seems to have an anti-Navy bias in favor of the Army Air Force. I may be reading that wrong, however.
His defense of the firebombing of Japan was compelling, and caused me to reconsider my stance on the issue. I’d questioned its necessity for over fifty years.
I strongly recommend it.
Tillman seems to have an anti-Navy bias in favor of the Army Air Force. I may be reading that wrong, however.
His defense of the firebombing of Japan was compelling, and caused me to reconsider my stance on the issue. I’d questioned its necessity for over fifty years.
I strongly recommend it.
April 25, 2021
AAF Staff Sargent James T. Ringham, Jr. was stationed on Guam as a B-29 radar technician; hence my interest in this book and a desire to better understand the bigger picture of the total operation. From this perspective a successful read.
August 5, 2022
Amazing period in history
I found the book interesting more because of the history it portrays then the writing. The author jumps arounds to much. The facts are interesting and and really point to the economic might of America at that point in time. Interesting read.
I found the book interesting more because of the history it portrays then the writing. The author jumps arounds to much. The facts are interesting and and really point to the economic might of America at that point in time. Interesting read.
September 9, 2024
Highly detailed account of the air war against Japan. It is not a popular history, but a scholarly treatise. One learns many facts, but it is a clinical reading experience. Too much micro history and hence the 3 star rating.
June 10, 2017
A good account of the strategic bombing of Japan by the Allies.
July 15, 2017
A solid history of the air war against Japan.
October 20, 2017
A Good Tillman WWII History
September 25, 2013
Both a chronological history and an examination of the whys and wherefores of same, this study of the air war against Japan is largely a history of the USAAF's strategic bombing offensive against the home islands. It barely touches on the George Kenny's air campaign in support of the SW Pacific, and looks at the Navy's carrier campaign only when it attacks the home islands in late 1944 through the war's end. Thus, it is mostly a study of B-san, the B-29 and the units that operated that airplane against Japan. Mr Tillman details the trials of the original development of the very long range bomber, its teething problems (which never really went away), the difficulties of deploying the miniscule numbers of B-29s in China, and the problems raised and (sort of) solved there, and, finally, its full scale attacks from the Marianas.
From the point of being able to reach most of homeland Japan, there were tactical problems, i.e., how to most effectively use this bomber that could fly higher, and faster, than most of the defending Japanese aircraft. The preferred, European Theater tactics did not work largely because it flew so high, and so fast. Bombing accuracy fell off rapidly the higher it was because winds could, and did, vary in direction and speed as altitude changed. So, Curtis LeMay adopted the British tactic of area bombing. And, in order to maximize the bombing effects and ensure proper targeting, he dropped their bombing altitude to what some of his pilots and their immediate superiors thought was suicidal. It wasn't, and the effects were devastating. As the RAF had discovered, firestorms could be made, and the Japanese cities were especially vulnerable. Japanese industry was also especially vulnerable, because so much was done by small machine shops scattered thorughout the cities. Burn the city, kill the industry.
Unfortunately, this also meant, kill the people in wholesale lots, on a scale never before seen. Contrary to what many people today believe, the nuclear bombs were not the big killers of Japanese. The fire bomb raids were. Mr Tillman describes the effects of such raids, not with the detail and horror that Randall Hansen does in Fire and Fury, but in cold academic terms. It's still horrible. I tend to agree with him that, in the case of Japan, there was probably no other way. And Fat Man and Little Boy were just the crowning touch, to bring home to the Emperor that he could continue the war, but would preside over a Japanese Götterdämmerung, the final bloody, incendiary chapter of Japan. Or he could surrender, and bring it to an end. Wisely, he chose the latter.
The book was well written, and had its share of anecdotes, but it was more academic in tone than, say, Ambrose or McCullough. It was well researched, and I went through it a bit faster than is normal for me, as it IS interesting. Recommend to those interested in how tactics are developed around weapons and circumstances, in large systems development, and in WWII in the Pacific.
From the point of being able to reach most of homeland Japan, there were tactical problems, i.e., how to most effectively use this bomber that could fly higher, and faster, than most of the defending Japanese aircraft. The preferred, European Theater tactics did not work largely because it flew so high, and so fast. Bombing accuracy fell off rapidly the higher it was because winds could, and did, vary in direction and speed as altitude changed. So, Curtis LeMay adopted the British tactic of area bombing. And, in order to maximize the bombing effects and ensure proper targeting, he dropped their bombing altitude to what some of his pilots and their immediate superiors thought was suicidal. It wasn't, and the effects were devastating. As the RAF had discovered, firestorms could be made, and the Japanese cities were especially vulnerable. Japanese industry was also especially vulnerable, because so much was done by small machine shops scattered thorughout the cities. Burn the city, kill the industry.
Unfortunately, this also meant, kill the people in wholesale lots, on a scale never before seen. Contrary to what many people today believe, the nuclear bombs were not the big killers of Japanese. The fire bomb raids were. Mr Tillman describes the effects of such raids, not with the detail and horror that Randall Hansen does in Fire and Fury, but in cold academic terms. It's still horrible. I tend to agree with him that, in the case of Japan, there was probably no other way. And Fat Man and Little Boy were just the crowning touch, to bring home to the Emperor that he could continue the war, but would preside over a Japanese Götterdämmerung, the final bloody, incendiary chapter of Japan. Or he could surrender, and bring it to an end. Wisely, he chose the latter.
The book was well written, and had its share of anecdotes, but it was more academic in tone than, say, Ambrose or McCullough. It was well researched, and I went through it a bit faster than is normal for me, as it IS interesting. Recommend to those interested in how tactics are developed around weapons and circumstances, in large systems development, and in WWII in the Pacific.
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