What Books do you Think are Essential About WWII Japan?

Discussions on all aspects of the Japanese Empire, from the capture of Taiwan until the end of the Second World War.
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daveh
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#16

Post by daveh » 08 May 2005, 15:18

The following Leavenworth papers

Japan's Battle of Okinawa, April-June 1945

http://www-cgsc.army.mil/carl/resources ... /Huber.asp

August Storm: Soviet Tactical and Operational Combat in Manchuria, 1945

http://www-cgsc.army.mil/carl/resources ... lantz4.asp

August Storm: Soviet 1945 Strategic Offensive in Manchuria,

http://www-cgsc.army.mil/carl/resources ... lantz3.asp

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kordts
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Anything by John Toland

#17

Post by kordts » 08 May 2005, 23:46

There is a two volume set by John Toland, I think it's called the Fall of Japan. He married a Japanese woman and used some good Japanese sources. It gives a balnaced picture of both sides.

Peace out,
Kordts


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Miha Grcar
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#18

Post by Miha Grcar » 09 May 2005, 23:19

I found this; I'm not quite sure what it is yet, but it looks like it could help...

http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~asiactr/sin ... ources.pdf

best,
Miha / Nibelung

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waldorf
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#19

Post by waldorf » 09 May 2005, 23:22

Kordts:

Your thinking of Toland's two volume set called The Rising Sun: The Decline and Fall of the Japanese Empire. The other day in the book store, I noticed that the 2 volumes have been combined into one unabridged book. I agree with you about the books being well balanced. The thing I enjoyed most about the book was Toland's attention not only to the military campaigns, but also to the Japanese government and homefront during the war.

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waldorf
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#20

Post by waldorf » 09 May 2005, 23:42

Two other books I enjoyed reading were:

Ronald Spector's: Eagle against the Sun: The American War with Japan

John Costello's: The Pacific War


Mr. Clarke,

I am glad to see this topic being explored. I have always been interested in Imperial Japan, especially from the Boxer Rebellion up through WWI, unfortunately there appear to be few books devoted just to Japanese forces, government, etc. I look forward to learning much about this topic from our learned members as I have done by reading postings througout the rest of the forum.

P.S. How is your canine situation going?

Chris

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David C. Clarke
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#21

Post by David C. Clarke » 10 May 2005, 00:32

Hi Chris! Glad to see you aboard!!!! :D Please don't be so formal my friend! I think this week I'm "Akira"! :lol:

(The dogs have me prisoner in my own house and show no sign of giving up their hostility towards each other. Oh well....)

I think we'll be able to put together a nice Board here.

"Kaigan", which I mentioned earlier, is a nice work on the Imperial Japanese Navy. And there are two books I can recommend for the Russo-Japanese War:

"A Short Victorious War" by David Walder
"The Tide At Sunrise", by Dennis and Peggy Warner ( I don't know why, but recent editions of this book are expensive. This is one that I highly recommend purchasing used, just because of the price increase.

Now, here are some classics that deserve a look:

"At Dawn We Slept" by Gordon Prange
"Midway" by Gordon Prange

And a relatively new book that has great graphics and an unusual amount of detail for its format:

"Pearl Harbor" by H.P. Willmott

Well, information on Japanese military organizations is exceedingly difficult to find at good prices, but, what list would be complete without mentioning good books that carry outrageously high pricetags?

"The Japanese Navy in World War II", Japanese Monograph #116, published by the Military History Section, General Headquarters, Far East Command, February, 1952. This follows, by way of graphs and charts, the organization of all Japanese Naval and Naval Air units during the war.

"The Campaigns of the Pacific War", United States Strategic Bombing Survey(Pacific) 1946

"Interrogations of Japanese Officials, Volumes 1 and 2" , United States Strategic Bombing Survey (Pacific)

If you can find them, pick them up, if you can find them cheaply--don't tell anyone, grab them and sneak away!!!!

Best,
~Akira

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David C. Clarke
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#22

Post by David C. Clarke » 10 May 2005, 01:09

Good Ship Books!!!!!

Well, to cover ships of individual classes in the Imperial Japanese Navy, we are extremely lucky that most plastc ship models are or were, originally manufactured by Japanese firms and spawned a thriving aftermarket of books.

Here's two that proove you can't get enough of a good thing:

"Japanese Cruisers of the Pacific War" by Lacroix and Wells (882 pages in English!!!!) This book also gives great insight into Japanese Fleet organization, I simply can't recommend it highly enough!
"Anatomy of the Ship: The Heavy Cruiser Takao" by Janusz Skulski (Any ship book by Skulski is worth having, but "Takao" takes the Anatomy of the Ship Series to new heights, IMHO.)

And, as long as I'm at it:
"Anatomy of the Ship: Battleship Yamato", by Janusz Skulski

For a British view of the beginning of the Pacific naval war, two books come to mind:

"Old Friends, New Enemies", by Arthur Marder (This book covers Anglo-Japanee naval Affairs up to the sinking of Force Z. There is a second volume that was completed after Mr. Marder's death, but I have not read it. Mr. Marder was a premier historian of the Royal Navy.

"Battleship", the sinking of the Prince of Wales and Repulse by Martin Middlebrook and Patrick Mahoney. This is an "oldy but a goody", very exciting. Newer books on Force Z , might be more informative, but this was a classic.

Oh and I dare not leave out the "Profile Series", which, despite their age, cover a lot of ground very well:

"Warship Profile 22: IJN Yukikaze", by Masataka Chihaya and Yasuo Abe (This covers the sole survivor of one of the premier destroyer classes of the IJN, the Kagero class.)
"Warship Profile 30: IJN Yamato and Musashi", by Masatak Chihaya ( Which kind of proves that most of the 100 or so Yamato books published afterwards are puffed up with....puff.)

Best,
~Akira

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Peter H
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#23

Post by Peter H » 10 May 2005, 08:52

In the Service of the Emperor: Essays on the Imperial Japanese Army,Edward Drea,1998.

Drea has been called the 'new Alvin Coox' for this and other contributions.

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waldorf
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#24

Post by waldorf » 12 May 2005, 00:52

Akira,

Thanks for welcoming me to the board and also the great recomendations on books about the Russo-Japanese War. When I get to the library again I will be sure to look them up.

As far as the dog situation goes. Just remember if it gets to much you can always send them to fight for the Emperor against enemy elements around your town i.e. English Bulldogs, Russian Wolfhounds, American bloodhounds, etc. :wink: :lol: Hopefully none of our members belong to PETA or I am in deep doo doo!! :oops:

Chris

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David C. Clarke
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#25

Post by David C. Clarke » 12 May 2005, 01:45

Hi Chris!!! Another one about the Russo-Japanese War:

"The Tsar's Last Armada" by Constantine Pleshakov (This is relatively new, 2002, and hopefully will appear in paperback.)

I'd talk longer but the dogs look hungry..... :lol: :lol:

Best,
~Akira

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USAF1986
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#26

Post by USAF1986 » 12 May 2005, 02:24

Hello! It's been ages since I read it, but I enjoyed I-Boat Captain by Zenji Orita with Joseph Harrington.

Speaking of Skulski’s outstanding “Anatomy of the Ship” series, I have The Battleship Fuso – I just dig that crazy pagoda mast! I highly recommend Anthony P. Tully’s article "Shell Game at Surigao: The entangled fates of battleships FUSO and YAMASHIRO” at this link:

http://www.combinedfleet.com/atully06.htm

Tully’s article led to the attempt by underwater research team to locate and, once and for all, positively identify the wrecks of the Fuso and Yamashiro (i.e., which one blew up first and which one charged the American gun line). Here’s a link to Tully’s announcement of the expedition and its tentative results:

http://www.combinedfleet.com/Surigao.htm

As the initial expedition took place in 2001, does anyone know if follow-up expeditions have been made?

Best regards,
Shawn

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USAF1986
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#27

Post by USAF1986 » 12 May 2005, 02:38

"The Tsar's Last Armada" by Constantine Pleshakov (This is relatively new, 2002, and hopefully will appear in paperback.)
This looks interesting! I have Richard Hough's The Fleet That Had To Die - an older book (originally published in 1958), but still a great read. Hough based much of his research on records in the Admiralty library, including Royal Navy Attaché’s reports on the battle and Russian papers captured by the Japanese (including Admiral Rozhestvensky's Fleet Orders and the like).

Best regards,
Shawn

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David C. Clarke
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#28

Post by David C. Clarke » 12 May 2005, 02:52

Hi Shawn, "The Fleet That Had to Die" was a great book! I found that much of it--of necessity I suppose--mirrored "The Tsar's Last Armada" although Plesahkov elaborated on some of the internal fueds within the Russian fleet. And his description of the battle of Tsu-Shima was very good. I'm glad to have both books (although I can't find Hough's book at the moment.

I haven't dropped by Tony Tully's site in a while. For me, his best article was the one on "Akizuki's Fate", but heck, I'm a destroyer guy at heart so that's to be expected!
I haven't heard of another expedition to Fuso and I've put off buying the "Fuso" Anatomy of the Ship" book, although I've heard it was excellent. Not of the same class of ship, but I did break down and buy the Classic Warship Pictorial on the Kongo Class Battleship, Warship Pictorial #13.

Do you ever hang on J-Aircraft's excellent "Ship and Navy" Board?

Best Regards,

~Akira

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USAF1986
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#29

Post by USAF1986 » 12 May 2005, 03:09

Akira,

Thanks for the input on Plesahkov's book. I haven't checked out the "Ship and Navy" Board but certainly will tonight!

In my opinion, another essential book for the list:

Peterson, James W. Orders and Medals of Japan and Associated States. Monograph No. 1, The Orders and Medals Society of America, San Ramon, California, 2000.

Best regards,
Shawn

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kordts
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Japanese style house in Chicago suburb

#30

Post by kordts » 12 May 2005, 03:14

Most Honorable Akira,
forgive my rudeness, please. I have to comment here on a house I passed this a.m. I was up all night doing some plumbing at a Red Lobster, we have to do it while it's closed and all the employees are gone. The laborer busted a 1.25" water line with a 60 pound jackhammer, so, I didn't leave until almost 9 a.m. The lack of sleep and stress was causing a semi delusional/surreal state, which was kinda nice. I was driving past a boring 70's style suburban neighborhood in Chicago heights, I think. When I glanced over and saw a Japanese style house in the middle of this. I stopped and gawked, trying to decide if I was imagining things or what. Some crazy Zen bastard, had remodeled his house and it was brilliant! He had done enough landscaping to effectively wall himself off from the rest of the neighbors and his house was wildly out of place, yet it was perfect. If I buy my digital camera and remember where it was, I will post a pic. BTW, I think our affection for things Japanese has rubbed off, this is the most civil forum. Keep up the good work.

Peace out,
Kordts.

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