Recommendation for books on the history of WW2 in the pacific

[npb748r]

as well as building models I like reading historical books. I'm after a factually accurate book on the history of WW2 in India and the pacific covering all sides from a land, sea and air viewpoint. Any recommendations would be gratefully received. 

 

thanks

neil

[mpk]

Here is a list of books I have read over the past months on this subject.

 

How carriers fought. Johnathon Dimbleby.

 

Japanese destroyer captain. Captain Tameichi Hara.

 

Shattered sword.Jonathon Parshall, Anthony Tully.

 

Race of aces. John R. Bruning.

 

Wade McClusky. David Rigby.

 

Dogfight over Tokyo. John Wukovits.

 

Whirlwind. Barrett Tillman.

 

Never call me a hero. "Dusty Kleiss.

 

The kamakazi hunters. Will Iredale.

 

A tomb called Iwo Jima. Dan King.

 

MacCarthur's air force. Bill Yenne.

 

Twenty two on Peleliu. George Peto, Peter Margaritis.

 

The last Zero fighter. Dan King.

 

Indestructible.  John Bruning.

 

Samurai. Martin Caldin (Saburo Sakai.)

 

Air Apaches. Jay A. Stout.

 

Carrier Pilot. Norman Hanson.

 

 

[John1]

Shattered Sword is an amazing book about Midway, from the Japanese perspective

 

For the USN, Ian Tolls has a really good trilogy.  

 

That's all I got.... 

[LSP_Mike]

Furthest Field    by Raghu Karnad

FLying the Hump in original WWII color

Jeff Ethell

 

[Bstarr3]

Agree with Ian Toll's trilogy, very comprehensive for the US Naval war. 

 

Also loved Carrier Pilot and Never Call Me a Hero as recommended above

[MikeC]

The Pacific War - From Pearl Harbour to Hiroshima, Andrew Wiest and  Gregory Louis Mattson, Spelmount Ltd, 2001.

[Adrian]

Not sure it covers the brief as the below only cover specific aspects rather than being wide ranging but I very much enjoyed the below:

 

Warpath Across the Pacific: The Illustrated History of the 345th Bombardment Group During World War II by Lawrence J Hickey - One of the best written and illustrated books I have read.

 

The Kamikaze Hunters: Fighting for the Pacific, 1945 - Will Iredale - Top read. Goes from initial training to the RN facing the Kamikaze's in the dying months of WW 11

Edited October 24, 2020 by Adrian

[npb748r]

thank you all so much, you have given me a library full of reading suggestions.  Looking forward to browsing through these and picking some out to read. 

 

Thank you again

neil

[aircommando130]

Just finished "Crommelin's Thunderbirds" ...Air Group 12 strikes the heart of Japan

and currently just started "Operation Vengeance"...the P-38 mission to kill Admiral Yamamoto by Dan Hampton

[npb748r]

thank you all for the recommendations, I've already started to work through the web based stuff and have ordered 2 books, one new and one second hand - India's war the making of modern south east Asia and Pacific War from Pearl Harbour to Hiroshima for a starter - I have no doubt I will be picking up more of the other recommendations. My next reading list after this will move me to north Africa but that's for much later (I'm finding lockdown in all it's restrictions is making me read and build much more than normal so there is an upside for me at least). I will need to work out what kits I build on the back of all this reading, I tend to like to build less popular aircraft (limited in 1/32 scale I know) or aircraft in the markings of unusual countries so will have fun researching and working out what to build. I have nothing built in Japanese markings (and only a single US marked aircraft) so that will be a certainty but what kits still needs to be worked out.  

 

Thanks again for the recommendations, it's much appreciated.

neil

[JeepsGunsTanks]

Another great read is General Kenney Reports, a Personal History of the Pacific War By George C Kenney:  General Kenney Ran MacArthur's Air Force and was a brilliant officer.