Status
Available
Collection
Publication
Penguin Books (1982), Edition: 1st, 910 pages
Description
Record of how Japan planned and executed the attack on Pearl Harbor.
User reviews
LibraryThing member joeythelemur
An incredibly detailed and unique look at a defining moment of the 20th century. Never before have WWII buffs had such an insight into the Day of Infamy, particularly in being able to view the lead up, battle, and aftermath from both the US and Japanese points of view. Prange's experience while
For anyone interested in deeper analysis and fine minutiae of the battle, politics, and fallout, you can likely do no better.
Show More
living in Japan allowed him to cultivate and gather information that truly sheds new light on Pearl Harbor. In my view (as an amateur WWII historian), he permanently lays to rest the question of whether FDR had foreknowledge of the attack, though that is not the real value of this book. The true value is in the detail of planning, doubt, successes, failures, and crucial turning points throughout the narrative, particularly on the Japanese side.For anyone interested in deeper analysis and fine minutiae of the battle, politics, and fallout, you can likely do no better.
Show Less
LibraryThing member UNC_Samurai
The benchmark of historical analysis of the events of Pearl Harbor.
LibraryThing member tuckerresearch
A thoroughly researched and generally well-written history of the myriad events surrounding the attack on Pearl Harbor. It is a bit long-winded in many respects, such as paragraph-long physical descriptions of certain officers, but it is still instructive. If Prange had lived to cut back the
Show More
manuscript, there is no telling how magnificent it might be. Also, Prange died right as Toland's Infamy was published. A professor told me that this was the corrective to Toland's (one and only) book of tripe. Goldstein and Dillon do a nice enough job of taking on the theories of Toland and others. Show Less
LibraryThing member wenegade
Everything you ever wanted to know about Pearl Harbor but were afraid to ask. Definitely puts the conspiracy theories to rest.
LibraryThing member GrinningDwarf
Read this and you'll see why NONE of the Pearl Harbor conspiracy theories hold water.
LibraryThing member antiquary
Gopod as a solid work that discounts some of the more outrageous conspiracy theories. Never attribute to malice what is adequately explained by stupidity
LibraryThing member antiquary
Very useful solid thorough study of events leading to the
American failure to be prepared for the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor. In general tends to support the view that the disaster was the result of incompetence rather than a deliberate plot as some maintain.
American failure to be prepared for the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor. In general tends to support the view that the disaster was the result of incompetence rather than a deliberate plot as some maintain.
LibraryThing member mahsdad
An ambitious, academic work on the causes, reasons, outcomes and aftermaths of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Its probably one of the most well known events of WWII, but there was a lot that I never knew. Especially on the Japanese side, where the idea came from? how and when it was decided to go, and
In the rear-view mirror of history, it is very easy to see where things went wrong and how the attack couldn't have been anticipated or prevented. In the book relatively little time is spent on the actual attak itself and the last big section deals with the aftermath, mostly around the many hearings and investigations that were undertaken to assign blame. Someone has to be blamed, right? To be honest, it was here that I tapped out and put the book down and decided to call it finished. The politics and who did what to whom, or who didn't do what to some other whom, didn't really interest me.
Despite this disappointing finish (for me), it is a worthwhile read for any history buff. Truth is always stranger and more interesting than fiction, or at least it usually is.
"He stands before the inquisitive historian in taut watchfulness, courteous, painstaking, and inscrutable, forever holding the citadel of his own personality"
6/10
S: 6/26/16 - F: 10/30/16 (127 Days)
Show More
the logistical problems that arose. Not the least of which was that they had to completely redesign torpedo bombs, as they would not work in the shallow draft of the harbor. On the US side, I was amazed to see that bureaucracy and partisanship is nothing new and existed even during the unifying events of the war. In the rear-view mirror of history, it is very easy to see where things went wrong and how the attack couldn't have been anticipated or prevented. In the book relatively little time is spent on the actual attak itself and the last big section deals with the aftermath, mostly around the many hearings and investigations that were undertaken to assign blame. Someone has to be blamed, right? To be honest, it was here that I tapped out and put the book down and decided to call it finished. The politics and who did what to whom, or who didn't do what to some other whom, didn't really interest me.
Despite this disappointing finish (for me), it is a worthwhile read for any history buff. Truth is always stranger and more interesting than fiction, or at least it usually is.
"He stands before the inquisitive historian in taut watchfulness, courteous, painstaking, and inscrutable, forever holding the citadel of his own personality"
6/10
S: 6/26/16 - F: 10/30/16 (127 Days)
Show Less
LibraryThing member SumisBooks
Holy cats! This text is such an incredible source of historical information regarding Pearl Harbor. The book is written in an easy-to-follow narrative and all is easy to understand (not too many nautical/aeronautical terms thrown everywhere). This text covers the building up to, the attack itself
Show More
and the aftermath of Pearl Harbor. It includes all the planning and trials, the espionage and war games, the powder keig build up, the devastation, and the consequences and trials that followed. This is an amazing piece of literature that should definitely earn it's place next to classics such as War and Peace. Highly recommend! Show Less
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1981
ISBN
0140064559 / 9780140064551