What do you think?
Rate this book
Pearl Harbor
"A date which will live in infamy"--President Delano Roosevelt, December 7, 1941. Perfectly coinciding with the release of this splendid volume on Memorial Day 2001, Disney will release its high-profile, big-budget, and star-powered film, Pearl Harbor. The excitement will leave viewers craving a closer look at the real event--and this eye-popping, large-size, and image-packed book will keep readers fascinated long after the movie has left the screen. Directed by visual master Michael Bay (The Rock, Armageddon), produced by Jerry Bruckheimer (who not only masterminded Bay's hits, but also Flashdance, Top Gun, Days of Thunder, Crimson Tide, among others), and with a cast that includes Oscar(r) winners Ben Affleck and Cuba Gooding, the film is sure to dominate the news and to pique curiosity about the subject.
It was the battle that would change the course of history. 2,395 military and civilian personnel killed. Another 1,178 wounded. 21 ships sunk, beached, or damaged. 323 aircraft destroyed. It wasn't yet eight in the morning on the island of Oahu when Japan's Commander Fuchida radioed these code words to the Land of the Rising Sun's TORA, TORA, TORA. The Japanese surprise attack on the United States had succeeded; Pearl Harbor was burning. Through bold and striking images previously unseen outside of Japan, and an authoritative, thoroughly up-to-date text, you'll look back at the shocking event. Enhancing your experience further are the standout--and very special--maps and graphics by Malcolm Swanston (expert cartographer of the History of Warfare series). Starting long before the assault and continuing through to the dramatic aftermath, H.P. Willmott, a brilliant and experienced writer on the topic, breaks new ground and corrects long-held misconceptions. First he brings the background into clear focus, charting Japan's emergence as a power in the Far East, and the military involvement in Manchuria and China that put her on a collision course with the U.S. Above all, Willmott makes sense of the complex, often surreal process that led the Japanese High Command to consider an attack on Pearl Harbor the preferred strategy. The text about the strike itself draws on extensive, deeply compelling new research. Highlights include concise tables listing every warship involved in the operation--from aircraft carriers to midget submarines--along with every formation of aircraft, which carriers they flew from, and which targets they hit. Most a discussion of crucial evidence that explains why a third-and potentially-devastating strike on the American base never occurred. Finally, you'll see why this fateful day may have been not only the day that Japan started the war...but also the day she lost it. Arguing strongly that the act of violence served as the prelude to her defeat, Willmott places Pearl Harbor in its proper military context, and considers subsequent developments in the Pacific, particularly the Battles of the Coral Sea and Midway in 1942, as well as the Doolittle Raid by American bombers on Tokyo in April of the same year.
It was the battle that would change the course of history. 2,395 military and civilian personnel killed. Another 1,178 wounded. 21 ships sunk, beached, or damaged. 323 aircraft destroyed. It wasn't yet eight in the morning on the island of Oahu when Japan's Commander Fuchida radioed these code words to the Land of the Rising Sun's TORA, TORA, TORA. The Japanese surprise attack on the United States had succeeded; Pearl Harbor was burning. Through bold and striking images previously unseen outside of Japan, and an authoritative, thoroughly up-to-date text, you'll look back at the shocking event. Enhancing your experience further are the standout--and very special--maps and graphics by Malcolm Swanston (expert cartographer of the History of Warfare series). Starting long before the assault and continuing through to the dramatic aftermath, H.P. Willmott, a brilliant and experienced writer on the topic, breaks new ground and corrects long-held misconceptions. First he brings the background into clear focus, charting Japan's emergence as a power in the Far East, and the military involvement in Manchuria and China that put her on a collision course with the U.S. Above all, Willmott makes sense of the complex, often surreal process that led the Japanese High Command to consider an attack on Pearl Harbor the preferred strategy. The text about the strike itself draws on extensive, deeply compelling new research. Highlights include concise tables listing every warship involved in the operation--from aircraft carriers to midget submarines--along with every formation of aircraft, which carriers they flew from, and which targets they hit. Most a discussion of crucial evidence that explains why a third-and potentially-devastating strike on the American base never occurred. Finally, you'll see why this fateful day may have been not only the day that Japan started the war...but also the day she lost it. Arguing strongly that the act of violence served as the prelude to her defeat, Willmott places Pearl Harbor in its proper military context, and considers subsequent developments in the Pacific, particularly the Battles of the Coral Sea and Midway in 1942, as well as the Doolittle Raid by American bombers on Tokyo in April of the same year.
- GenresHistoryWorld War IIWar
208 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2001
2 people are currently reading
63 people want to read
About the author
H.P. Willmott
34 books17 followersHedley Paul Willmott (H.P. Willmott) was a widely published military historian, author, former Senior Lecturer at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, and a fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He has written extensively on modern naval and military history.
He had retired and lived till his death in Surrey, England.
(source: http://www.goodreads.com/author/edit/... & http://www.potomacbooksinc.com/Books/...)
He had retired and lived till his death in Surrey, England.
(source: http://www.goodreads.com/author/edit/... & http://www.potomacbooksinc.com/Books/...)
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 7, 2023
Another rescued book from ???? In keeping with my current WWII naval theme I started to check this on out at lunch today as I'm getting near the end of "Tin Cans ...." When I was in the Navy in Hawaii back in 68-69 I visited Pearl a number of times but was not stationed there. I went there mostly to shop the exchange - looking for new records - so cheap! My favorite Pearl Harbor feature was the open-air movie theater. Kind of like an ancient Greek amphitheater. I only went once that I remember, and saw "The Quiller Memorandum." I was lying on the beach behind my North Shore apartment one day when a plane went zipping over at low altitude. It had a big red meatball under the wing and I had a very weird feeling for a moment. Then I remembered that they were shooting some scenes for "Tora! Tora! Tora!" at the time ...
Finished last night in short order as the book is mostly pictures. Still, the text is informative and interesting but there are certainly other books out there that give a more detailed account. The final part of the text makes some interesting points as to why PH both was and wasn't the big deal it's cracked up to be - naval strategy-wise.
- The author neglects to account for the airfield at Mokuleia on the North Shore in his list of active(1941) Oahu military airfields.
Finished last night in short order as the book is mostly pictures. Still, the text is informative and interesting but there are certainly other books out there that give a more detailed account. The final part of the text makes some interesting points as to why PH both was and wasn't the big deal it's cracked up to be - naval strategy-wise.
- The author neglects to account for the airfield at Mokuleia on the North Shore in his list of active(1941) Oahu military airfields.
September 27, 2012
American readers might find this book a bit hard to take. Some might label it "revisionist".
Willmott treats not only WHAT happened at Pearl Harbour, but also delves deeply into WHY the attack occurred.
Whether or not Willmott's conclusions about the reasons for the attack resonate with you will probably affect your rating of this book. Personally, I was disturbed on discovering just how popular the attack was in Japan. I was also disturbed by the fact that any author would attempt to justify, even tacitly, what occurred on 7th December 1941.
I thought long and hard before giving this book 4 stars. However, honesty is the best policy, even if an author is saying some things I don't want to hear.
Willmott treats not only WHAT happened at Pearl Harbour, but also delves deeply into WHY the attack occurred.
Whether or not Willmott's conclusions about the reasons for the attack resonate with you will probably affect your rating of this book. Personally, I was disturbed on discovering just how popular the attack was in Japan. I was also disturbed by the fact that any author would attempt to justify, even tacitly, what occurred on 7th December 1941.
I thought long and hard before giving this book 4 stars. However, honesty is the best policy, even if an author is saying some things I don't want to hear.
December 19, 2017
Pearl Harbor by H.P. Willmott is one of the best books that i have read as it goes into deep detail about the horrendous attack, the events leading up to the attack, and a general overview of the war in the pacific. One of my favorite parts of the book was that it goes into detail about the events leading up to the attack. For example I found out that japan was expanding into china against the wishes of the united states. The united states responded by placing an oil embargo on japan. This was devastating to japan because oil and other resources were badly needed. I found out that the true motive for the attack was to get the oil stored in Pearl Harbor and to make sure that the United Stated could not fight back. Willmott`s organization was brilliant because he discussed the main topics in order. For example he talked about the circumstances leading up to the attack before he talked about the actual attack
Another thing that i really liked was the technology referenced in the book. For example Willmott talked about the airplanes used by japan to attack and the planes used by the united states to attack. However what i found most touching was the fact that Willmott really cared about the victims of the attack and the effect that the attack would have on society. For example Willmott stated."very occasionly there is an event when, to use the description that has come down to us through the centuries, the world turns". This shows that Willmott realizes the devastating effect that Peral Harbor would have on society. Willmott also said that "Pearl harbor, and the second world war in general retains a very special place in american thinking". This quote shows that Willmott cares deeply about the victims of the attack. These are the reasons why i think that Pearl Harbor by H.P. Willmott is a great book.
Another thing that i really liked was the technology referenced in the book. For example Willmott talked about the airplanes used by japan to attack and the planes used by the united states to attack. However what i found most touching was the fact that Willmott really cared about the victims of the attack and the effect that the attack would have on society. For example Willmott stated."very occasionly there is an event when, to use the description that has come down to us through the centuries, the world turns". This shows that Willmott realizes the devastating effect that Peral Harbor would have on society. Willmott also said that "Pearl harbor, and the second world war in general retains a very special place in american thinking". This quote shows that Willmott cares deeply about the victims of the attack. These are the reasons why i think that Pearl Harbor by H.P. Willmott is a great book.
February 23, 2018
Great book
May 6, 2015
Read this slim book on the flight over the Pacific to Hawaii. Vivid and well-written; fast but not too skimpy. It was perfect for getting quickly up to speed on the events of December 7, 1941, and made my day-long tour of Pearl Harbor a hundred times richer. If you're in a time crunch (like, an hour), then catch this book.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews