Taking Midway: Naval Warfare, Secret Codes, and the Battle that Turned the Tide of World War II

by Martin Dugard

From Martin Dugard, #1 New York Times bestselling coauthor of Bill O'Reilly's Killing series—with more than twelve million copies sold—comes a fast-paced, dramatic account of the famous yet little understood battle that turned the tide of World War II.

1942. Everywhere around the world, the Allies are losing the war. Nowhere is this felt more completely than in the Pacific, where Japanese sea and ground forces claim victory after victory. Singapore falls. Then the Philippines. The vaunted American Navy fights to a draw with the Japanese at the Battle of Coral Sea. America's lone moral victory is Colonel Jimmy Doolittle's  bombing raid on Tokyo—though even that is tinged with tragedy as two crew members are shot down and beheaded.

Meanwhile in Honolulu, a brilliant young naval officer is determined to break Japan's top secret codes. Lt. Commander Joseph Rochefort completes this task in April. He is then startled to learn that the Japanese are planning yet another major invasion somewhere in the Pacific. Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto is planning to send four aircraft carriers to complete this task, in a bold attack that will be even larger than the December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor.

Rochefort's methods are unique and those in power in the US Navy find his data flawed. Simply, many don't believe him. The best mind in the US Navy believes the next big attack will come at New Guinea or Australia.

To prove himself, Rochefort must not only find the precise location but predict the date. What ensues is the cat-and-mouse adventure that will become the epic fight known as the Battle of Midway. Japan's Yamamoto will go toe-to-toe with American admirals Chester Nimitz, Jack Fletcher, and Raymond Spruance. The dramatic battle will involve strategy, luck, heartbreak—and will also change the course of World War II.

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

368 pages, Hardcover

Published May 20, 2025

About the author

Martin Dugard is the New York Times #1 bestselling author of the Taking Series — including Taking Berlin (2022) and Taking Paris (2021).

Book Two in the Taking series is titled Taking Berlin, covering the final nine months of World War II in Europe. Taking Berlin goes on sale November 1, 2022.

He is also the co-author of the mega-million selling Killing books, the bestselling non-fiction series in history: Killing Lincoln, Killing Kennedy, Killing Jesus, Killing Patton, Killing Reagan, Killing England, Killing the Rising Sun, Killing the SS, Killing Crazy Horse, Killing the Mob, and the upcoming Killing the Killers.

Other works include the New York Times bestseller The Murder of King Tut (with James Patterson; Little, Brown, 2009); The Last Voyage of Columbus (Little, Brown, 2005); Into Africa: The Epic Adventures of Stanley and Livingstone (Doubleday, 2003), Farther Than Any Man: The Rise and Fall of Captain James Cook (Pocket Books, 2001), Knockdown (Pocket Books, 1999), and Surviving the Toughest Race on Earth (McGraw-Hill, 1998). In addition, Martin lived on the island of Pulau Tiga during the filming of Survivor's inaugural season to write the bestselling Survivor with mega-producer Mark Burnett.

Reviews

[Brendan (History Nerds United) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Martin Dugard is a "gateway drug." Please let me explain.

I had the distinct honor to interview Dugard for my podcast and he even described himself as a gateway drug to the casual reader who doesn't realize they love history, yet. His latest is Taking Midway and it might just be the best of his "Taking" series, in my opinion.

The important thing is to know what you are getting into. The gold standard for the Pacific theater of World War II is Ian Toll's trilogy. Dugard even calls this out at the end of the book. Trying to top Toll with an exhaustive, detailed account is a fool's errand. Luckily, Dugard goes his own way. His chapters are short and succinct. He focuses on smaller moments around the bigger ones most of us know. Yes, as other reviewers will point out, he uses clipped sentences (sometimes just a single word!) to provide a feeling of intensity and drama. I can understand where this may not work for people, but I find it very effective for the story Dugard is telling.

What caught me most off guard is Dugard's own emotions leaking into the text. Specifically, his feeling that the tragedy of Wake Island is mostly forgotten is clearly a sore spot. Other times he will even let you know immediately what the fate of a character is without dragging it out. These are choices not often seen in history books and I found it invigorating. Clearly, I highly recommend it.

(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and Dutton Books.)

[Michael Schramm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Realizing that much has already been written about the vaunted “Battle of Midway”, the June 1942 clash between the Imperial Japanese Navy and the US Navy/USMC, Martin Dugard provides a unique approach by providing the reader with a lengthy history of the famous atoll. Going back clear to 1802, the author recounts the various shipwrecks, anthracite coal ships, albatross bird poaching/bird dung collection (a godsend as an agricultural fertilizer) and the 1930s Pan Am Clipper service that utilized the island—all disseminated to press home the point that Midway historically harbored strategic and economic importance to both Japan and the US for many decades prior to the eponymous event.

Of note too is how famous Hollywood director John Ford of “The Grapes of Wrath” fame was assigned to document the battle, he being in the thick of the turmoil and nearly losing his life in the process.

Also noteworthy are the details accorded to cryptologist Joe Rochefort and his tireless efforts to successfully break the Japanese secret code know as JN-25B, which greatly leveraged the military advantage accorded to US Naval forces—and how he was not given his just due until decades later(!)

[Dr. Alan Albarran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prior to reading this latest work by Martin Dugard my knowledge base around the battle of Midway was largely from watching the two movies that centered on the subject; one in the 1970s with an all-star cast with Henry Fonda playing Admiral Charles Nimitz, and the 2019 remake with the Admiral played by Woody Harrelson. (both are good but I liked the recent one the best)

Dugard is an interesting writer, very different from conventional biographers and historians. He uses choppy and sometimes incomplete sentences that most English teachers would dislike. His fiction counterpart might be Lee Child and his long running Jack Reacher series. But to me Dugard is adept at taking complicated subjects, breaking them down into a series of vignettes, and combining these to create a story.

Such is the case with Taking Midway. The book is filled with all sorts of interesting (to this reader) stories that make up the history of the Midway Atoll which was the sight of the first major conflict after Pearl Harbor in which American naval forces surprisingly scored a major victory over the Imperial Japanese Navy that would ultimately pave the way for victory in the Pacific war theater.

Taking Midway is a story about the many heroes who were able to break the Japanese intelligence codes to enable a victory against long odds, as well as a tribute to the many hundreds of heroes who gave their lives to ensure the liberties we have today.

There is a lot of detail about the many different planes, ships and weapons used by both sides in the conflict that reached a climax in six minutes of warfare according to the author.. Taking Midway starts slowly and builds to a stirring crescendo and Dugard takes you into the cockpit, the bridge, and on the decks of the planes and ships to make you feel like you are there.

I want to thank NetGalley, Martin Dugard, and publisher Penguin Group Dutton for the opportunity to review an ARC of this text. I give it 4.25 stars, rounded down to 4. If you enjoy military history you should add this to your TBR (to be read) list.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great story about the Battle of Midway. Dugard is an excellent writer and I couldn't put the story down (most of the time) but...way too much background information with way too much jumping back in time throughout the book. Way too much about the history and birds of the island - chapters I skimmed, truth be told. But when Dugard wrote about the battle - page after page went by in a hurry, as I was pulled into the planning and the attacks - by the Japanese and by the Americans on the Japanese convey. And, yes, he mentions the movie "Midway." The other complaint is the lack of maps (there were two or three) and their placement. But still I recommend it.

[Kadin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a super big fan of Dugard's short, staccato sentences, but the narrative fashion and the content of the book itself was excellent. I thought that I knew a lot about Midway going in, but I learned a lot more reading this book.

[John Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book that kept my interest. Incredible Victory, by Walter Lord, is a much, much better book.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the fact that this book on the battle of Midway was very easy to follow and delivered in an almost conversational style that kept my interest. Was not as knowledgeable about this crucial battle of WWII as I should have been so I learned a lot.

[Larry White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Breathtaking! Inspiring! Compelling!

Martin Dugard once again brings history to life in “Taking Midway”, the story and backstory of the strategically critical 1942 WWII air and sea battle for the tiny island atoll of Midway in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Seen by Japan as the way to forestall decisively any comeback by US forces after Pearl Harbor just six months earlier, victory by the US was essential but abounding with obstacles.

“Taking Midway” makes us very familiar with the atoll in highly readable and engaging style. This is not dry, textbook history. Dugard explains the discovery and history of Midway, including nineteenth century commercial interest by Japan for guano found in abundance on the islands, the versatile material he straightforwardly calls “bird poop”, even heading a chapter as such. He thoroughly explains the importance of Midway to the US and examines in detail the crucial and sometimes underappreciated role of a determined intelligence unit in discovering Japanese plans and setting the stage for victory. The story abounds with inspiring heroes, from enlisted men and brave naval aviators and their crews, to Admiral Nimitz and intelligence Commander Joe Rochefort. It’s non-stop and breathtaking action and suspense, often difficult to put down. Truly compelling.

Dugard causes the reader to marvel at the inspirational fortitude and courage of the men who fought against such overwhelming odds to prevail and deal a crushing blow to the Imperial Japanese Navy. Like their counterparts in the European theater, these ordinary heroes saved the world for freedom, and many did not return. But those who did return became our fathers, grandfathers and great grandfathers. One hopes that our later generations will know, appreciate, and, if necessary be courageous enough to emulate the incredible feats of that remarkable and greatest generation. After reading “Taking Midway” I watched on YouTube the short (18 minute) documentary filmed during the action, as Dugard relates so effectively, a great supplement to his book. It’s wartime propaganda, of course, but compelling in itself, and I recommend searching “John Ford’s Midway” and watching it.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Imperial Japanese aircraft first took off from their carriers at 0430 on June 4th, 1942, one of the most pivotal at-sea battles of the 20th century began. There, in the seas surrounding the small, far-flung atoll of Midway, the Imperial Japanese offensive push was blunted, and forced the Imperial Japanese Navy to enter an attritional campaign with the United States in the South and, eventually, Central Pacific that would ultimately destroy its ability to fight. It cannot be overstated how important this battle was to changing the momentum of the Pacific Theatre.

I really enjoyed reading his books. He takes a different approach to writing about this subject. He doesn't overwhelm the reader with so much dry bullshit that many books on this subject take. The writing style, with its short, punchy sentences, takes some pages getting used to, but paired with the story-telling narrative, it makes it a quick and enjoyable read. Dugard has a tendency to follow down tangents of historical minutiae yet never slows the story, providing small, but interesting, tidbits of historical information that the casual historical reader will enjoy. I praise his storytelling, and I cannot criticize him for simplifying certain aspects of the battle. He gets his point across without dragging the reader on and on until the reader is bored beyond believe. He has the ability to weave the big picture and the personal details into a captivating story.

His chapters on the inclusion of albatross birds and Pan Am Airlines likely serves to emphasize Midway's status as a unique ecological environment that also held strategic significance for civilian and, later, military purposes were something I knew little about. He highlights the crucial role of codebreaking and naval strategy in the American victory. Dugard focuses on the key figures, including Joseph Rochefort, Chester Nimitz, and the Japanese leadership, to portray the events leading up to and during the battle. He gives us chapters on the great film maker John Ford who the US Navy assigned him to record the battle for the historical record and for Navy intelligence, but the attack comes more quickly than anticipated. Ford and his team were prepared, and their documentary is recognized as one of the most notable war films of the era. It's on YouTube. You can't go wrong this is an Awesome read!

[Chad Manske · Rating 4 out of 5]

Martin Dugard’s “Taking Midway: Naval Warfare, Secret Codes, and the Battle that Turned the Tide of World War II” is a gripping, fast-paced account of a pivotal moment in the Pacific war, rendered in the distinctive, dramatic style that has made Dugard’s “Taking” series so popular among both casual readers and history enthusiasts. The book masterfully recounts the suspenseful struggle to break Japan’s naval codes, the desperate uncertainty in the months after Pearl Harbor, and the remarkable convergence of leadership, intelligence, and luck that defined the Battle of Midway. Dugard zeroes in on two central figures: Admiral Chester Nimitz, depicted wrestling with existential decisions for the U.S. Navy, and Lieutenant Commander Joseph Rochefort, whose eccentric brilliance in cryptology provides the narrative’s intellectual heart. Rochefort’s relentless work in a cramped Honolulu basement, piecing together the enemy’s intentions amid bureaucratic skepticism and professional rivalries, gives the reader a vivid appreciation for cryptanalysis’ critical—but often overlooked—role in shaping history. Dugard explains these complexities with remarkable clarity, never losing narrative momentum or overwhelming the reader with technical detail. The prose is sharp and cinematic—short, punchy chapters and clipped sentences heighten the drama and immediacy, though some may find the style unconventional for military history. Dugard’s emotional engagement, especially his unease about forgotten tragedies like Wake Island, injects a refreshing candor and urgency into the account. He skillfully situates the reader both on the bridge and in the sky, breathing life into the campaign’s heroes and their harrowing decisions. Ultimately, “Taking Midway” is a highly accessible narrative that honors the complexity of warfare and intelligence while remaining invigorating and readable—a gateway for those newly discovering a passion for history and a brisk, educational addition for Pacific War devotees.

[Dave Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Battle of Midway was a turning point in the Pacific theater of World War II, after months of the Imperial Japanese Navy dominating all aspects of the region. From the disaster of Pearl Harbor to the invasion of so many smaller island nations in the South Pacific, Midway was always seen as a flyspeck on the map but a strategically important refueling spot for airplanes.

Historian Martin Dugard takes on the story, strategic importance, history, and details of the Battle of Midway in this engaging book, yet another WWII title from Dugard. He knows his facts and has great research, but be aware that this reads like a middle school edition due to his incessant use of short sentences and sentence fragments for dramatic purposes.

It gets.

Annoying.

After a while.

There were times when I contemplated feeding the entire ebook into an AI tool and asking it to reassemble the prose so that average sentence length was 10-15 words instead of what seemed to be 3-5 words. I did not, of course, but I really wish Dugard or his editorial team would consider an "adult" edition of his works. I've experienced this with his previous titles too, so it's not an isolated stylistic affectation for this particular book.

With that in mind, if you're interested in Midway Island and why it was so important in World War II, I recommend this book.

[Terri Wangard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an engrossing book. It starts with Britain’s Prince of Wales battleship. What has that to do with Midway? Selected steps are covered from the start of WWII to the Battle of Midway. And the Prince of Wales was among the greatest battleships, precisely the sort of fighting vessel expected to change the course of the war, just not in the intended way.

Included is the complete history of Midway Atoll, something I’ve never read before, beginning with the harvest of bird poop. The author acknowledged all the books that have been written and dug up “unique nuggets” of information that brings a startling new look to a well-traveled topic.

Quirkiness: Deviating from the story for “quick asides,” which are then followed by “Back to our story.” Plus miscellaneous facts that stick in the mind: most British pilots in the Far East were the refuse and rejects of the Royal Air Force.

Japan’s feudal samurai culture remained in power, with a harsh code of medieval discipline to maintain power. Beheading, crucifixion, and being boiled alive were common punishments.

A special PBY flight brings mail to Wake Island just before it falls and takes away Major Walter Bayler, a desperately needed radar expert.

[Scott Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Audiobook) (3.5 stars) How you rate this book depends on how much you know and follow the other histories of Midway. If you know little to nothing of the actual battle, then this work would rate far higher in your evaluations. If you do know about the history of the battle and more of the details, then this one might rate as mostly treading over old ground and for the actual battle/WWII aspect, you don't gain as much. Perhaps the biggest thing that you will get out of the work is the history of Midway Island itself, and what role the island played before its central role as the decisive battle of WWII (yes, I hold it as more decisive than D-Day). The island played a role in British/American/Japanese ventures in the Pacific long before 1942. That is something to consider.

Granted, the work does jump around a lot on themes, from Midway's history, to the history of US naval leadership to other topics that can make this a little difficult to follow. The narrator is solid with the audiobook, but there are times when the flow of the work itself is hard to manage. For a history buff, this one is probably not going to be on the shelf to read. Not a bad starter work for someone with no real knowledge of the battle, but probably not one to dwell on much after the fact.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the war begins to ramp up, the Japanese are using everything they have to take over different locations. Midway becomes their new focal point. By gaining ground here, they can put men and munitions, giving planes a place to land and refuel, staying within striking distance of many targets.
Prior to the second World War, the island of Midway was relatively unknown. It has been a spot for guano collection, and the Japanese had harvested birds and eggs.
With the United States ready to strike back from Pearl Harbor, very few believed that Midway was the actual location that the Japanese were discussing in code. It was going to take a miracle for anyone to believe them - and losing was not an option.
Finally, with coded proof, Midway was about to become one of the most talked about battles of the war.

This book was fantastic! I read it in one sitting, gaining not only some background information on Midway, but also hearing more about the buildup to the battle, both from the Allies and Japanese perspective.
I highly recommend reading this, and also grabbing Mark Stille's Midway, as these will be the best books you can find.

[John Becker · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderfully written history of the World War II battle of Midway Island. Dugard describes in understandable detail the turning point for America towards eventual victory, only six months after the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor. The story is much more than the battle including the so called six minutes that changed the world in June of 1942 but how we got there. The book revealed so much of how we should have seen the coming advancement of Imperial Japan in the Pasific. Dugard emphasizes the crucial role of the military codebreakers.

I have read 15 books by this author (including 9 coauthored with Bill O'Reily). A master storyteller with a narrative style making me feel as if he was siting besides me telling this story. Even knowing the outcome and having viewed two great movies on the subject, I was still on the edge of my seat in this gripping narrative. Can't wait to read his next book in the TAKING series.

[Craig Beyers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is different from other books I’ve read about Midway Island. Those books focused on the war time prep and attack on the island, with some details about the attack timelines. This book focuses on the island and its history over the years after discovery. It also separately describes the states of mind of the Japanese and American leaders in the months before the Japanese Pearl Harbor attack and its relevance to the eventual Midway Island attack. I particularly like the details about the building-up of facilities on the island, which I haven’t seen before. One thing about historical non-fiction is that the journey—the description of the events—is important because the finale is known, unlike mysteries or thrillers. Good book, interesting, worth your time if you have any interest in WWII and the war in the Pacific.

[Ron Baumer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of the book was intriguing, and I had hoped for a new perspective on one of the most important and iconic battles in WW2. Sadly, this failed to happen. The story was ok but felt simplistic and rushed. The author spent most of the book building up the events leading to the battle and the main characters; then hurried through the actual events of the battle. Added to the confusion was the addition of the destruction of the Prince of Wales and Repulse and the fall of Wake Island. What these really had to do with the Midway battle was vague and confusing. There was little new information provided and the story as I stated earlier, felt rushed. An ok book, but not one I fully enjoyed as I had hoped.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Matt Vickers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rarely leave reviews. Must read if you enjoy any kind of military history. Phenomenal writing/storytelling and loved that the author gave closure to what happened to nearly every person mentioned in the book. I wish more authors would do this. It gives much more lead up to Midway/background and history than I expected. Personally not a fanatic when it comes to naval warfare or the WW2 Pacific theater but couldn’t put this book down. Won’t regret it.

As a college football fan: One really cool fact I enjoyed from the book was that the USS Enterprise’s bell is rang after Navy beats Army. Big “E” is one of the carriers that took place in the Battle for Midway.

[Michael Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting read and approach to the story. At times it seemed to wander to a detail or path that didn’t connect super well, but Dugard pulled it back in well using it as color for the story. Making it a better more informative read. I think he could have gotten more into the personalities of the enemy and their wrath. At times it was very hard to put the book down and I learned quite a bit about the carriers and how they impacted the battle. A great summer read!

[Edgar R Zuniga-Ortiz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Biographical account of the battle for Midway

Great account of the battle of midway with a biographical account of the key players, locations and ships.

The impact on the battle caused by few super intelligent individuals is just amazing!

The superior Intelligence of the US navy and its officers was the key for winning the battle in spite of superior Japanese force an in particular superior airplanes.

[Barry Davidoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Martin Dugard has a fabulous writer in taking wide arrays of facts into stirring narritives. His current Taking Midway is an exciting description of the turning point in the War in the Pacific. The book is mostly about the lead up to Midway rather than an account of the actual battle. Nimitz's leadership is clearly shown.

[Gregory P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic Book

Anyone who cares the least about American history should read this book. Dugard does and exceptional job of laying out the many, many facets of Midway and the Battle of Midway. He highlights the heroes that remained behind the scenes as well as the Admirals. Very well written.

[Michael Malloy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read most of Martin Dugard’s Killing series, this was my first solo Martin Dugard’s book. It did not disappoint. The story he wrote pre dates the famous WW 2 battle and provide detail to the world and the significance of this small U.S. outpost.

This was an amazing story and makes you proud to be an American.

[Gary Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Taking Midway is an excellent history of a key "turning point" naval battle during WW2. The key part of the battle lasted only six minutes. That was long enough to put a serious dent in Japan's naval forces and start the long march to victory. I will read more books by Martin Dugard.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read on the Battle of Midway, what lead up to it, and what resulted from it. Very much readable for those with a casual interest, though not for those with a hard core interest in this subject.

[Haidong · Rating 2 out of 5]

some interesting facts complementary to other books, though definitely not as detailed and not offering a wholesome pictures of the ensuing battles and all the events, The Miracle of midway is much a better book for true history / war enthusiasts

[William All · Rating 5 out of 5]

best book I have read on the war in the Pacific

Outstanding read, comprehensive summary of the early naval war in the Pacific during WWII. As a naval aviator who has spent extensive time on Midway, I found the history to be fascinating. Great book!

[Shawn McCormick · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.8 I enjoyed the journalistic, narrative writing style that made the action come alive. I learned a lot of new things about this battle.

[Carole L Ottens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

Different take on battle made it enjoyable to read . The history of the island is fascinating. Would recommend for all whether new or old student of the battle.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great attention to detail without losing the forest for the trees. Even if you are familiar with the Battle of Midway, this is still a worthwhile read.