Battle of Midway

Miracle at Midway by Gordon William Prange, Donald M. Goldstein

Prange, whose notes on Pearl Harbor (At Dawn We Slept) were the basis for Tora Tora Tora, does an exhaustive job. I particularly like how he addresses the strategic and tactical "Lessons Learned."

Prange compares battle reports, harmonizes discrepancies, and delves into such key things as the personality of the major commanders, particularly Spruance. You will like it, and it is cheap--used copies available on Amazon for $1.34.

I did a paper/briefing on Midway at Squadron Officer's School (a two-month professional development course for junior officers), a year or two after the book came out. It was only one of about six main sources I used, but it was a big help in dealing with the other sources. I got a 99% on the measurement.

[ May 31, 2004, 05:13 PM: Message edited by: Major B ]

 

Prange was a real genius. When he died "prematurely," Donald Goldstein, a retired navy Chief, was a doctoral student under Prange. He helped organize Prange's papers and unfinished manuscripts, and did a fine job. I don't think another major book has been written on Midway since "Miracle" came out, and that says something in itself. I got the feeling after reading it that the last word had been said [on Midway] for our generation.

After you read it, let's drive everyone on the board nuts discussing it!