A BATTLE HISTORY OF THE IMPERIAL JAPANESE NAVY (1941-1945) Review

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(More customer reviews)There is very little -even after 60 plus years, material on the Imperial Japanese navy written by western authors. The ones I've seen are biased, repeat cliches, or are simply inaccurate. I know now that Mitsuo Fuchida's account of Japan's failure at the battle of Midway is largely questioned, even rejected in Japan but has been the basis for many books in the western world.
Hallelujah, this author does not make mistakes like that. He took the trouble of combing through thousands of microfiched archives taken directly from the Japanese at the end of the war. His knowledge of the Japanese language is definitely a plus as he explains more than once how subtle nuances in translation between Japanese and other languages can alter the meaning of the content. This was evident in the intelligence gathered by the Americans, as the author points out.
The book starts with an explanation on how militarism had dominated Japan's politics and how even Yamamoto risked assassination over his opposition to a war with the USA. You get a flavor on what it was like to be a naval cadet or officer in the pre-war imperial navy. Dull also points out some of the misconceptions and political mistakes that the US government made that may have contributed to Japan's decision to go to war. One of the key points in the book is the statement from Admiral Nagano to none other than the emperor stating that Japan must go to war, even though it is a war she very likely will lose but a nation not willing to fight for her survival is doomed anyway.
Dull also mentions that the Japanese had some knowledge of the US Navy 'rainbow' plan, a plan crafted in case of war against Japan, in that the basic strategy was the island-hoping that later became a reality.
Every major or even medium sized engagement or operation is covered, using the Japanese name for such. For example, the battle for Savo Island is known to the other side as the First Battle of Solomon Islands. The author paints the battles, by phase, extrapolating the Japanese interpretation as well as the opposing one, resulting in the most accurate assessment possible, as each side frequently misjudges the enemy's position and intentions or actions during the heat of combat.
The text is extremely readable, you cannot put this book down. There aren't many photos but they are not missed. Dull's style flows naturally, making his a very pleasant book, and the amount of information given is simply astounding. Book is over 400 pages, but I read it in less than 5 days, it is that good. I'm now on my second pass, discovering new facts that either escaped my grasp or simply forgot. This book is a keeper, and it should form the basis for many future books on the theme.

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