Two Roads to War

Binding:Hardback
Published:June 15, 2012

Noted aviation historian Robin Higham has written this comparative study of the evolution of the French and British air arms from 1918 to 1940 to determine why the Armée de l’Air was defeated in June 1940 but the Royal Air Force was able to win the battle over Britain in September. After analyzing the structure, men, and matériel of the air arms, and the government and economic infrastructure of both countries, he concludes that the French force was dominated by the Armée de Terre, had no suitably powerful aero engines, and suffered from the chaos of French politics. In contrast, the independent RAF evolved into a sophisticated, scientifically based force, supported by consistent government practices. Higham’s thorough examination,

Edge of Valor

Naval Institute Press 9781612515199 Hardcover & eBook 344 Pages 344 Pages Fiction July 2014

While we don't normally review works of fiction, this book looked interesting so did peruse it. The book is set in the summer of 1945 on a  US Navy destroyer in the Pacific which suffered a Kamikaze hit with the CO, XO and Squadron Commander in recurring roles. The CO, after getting his ship back to port, is transferred to special duty.

The CO, Todd Ingram, becomes intimately involved in early Cold War intrigues, a time overshadowed at the time by the rush to demobilize. Being the fifth in a series of novels, the characters are fairly well developed by this point.

Taking over a series at book five in a series is usually either a sign the author is popular and commands fees the publisher cannot meet or the previous books have not been good sellers. Indeed this was the case with the late Tom Clancy, whose first novel, Hunt for Red October, was shepherded through the production process by editor Fred Rainbow of Naval Institute Press. The book was a great success which had the deleterious effect of pricing the author on to a larger publishing house. However in the case of this book, we'll leave judgement on this to the reader.

The only complaint I had with the book was the page layout. Reading fiction is supposed to an enjoyable experience and the text was too bunched together with a small font, which would make the book an uncomfortable read for older readers.

Fire on the Water

Naval Institute Press 9781612517957 Hardcover & eBook 288 Pages September 2014

This timely book is a look at potential war plans for China in the Indo-Pacific region. With the rise in Chinese naval power and the continual decline of the US Navy's fleet, just what could happen must be examined.

Author Haddick cites as example if the Forward Strategy of Cold War era CNO Thomas Hayward and adopted by then Secretary of the Navy John F Lehman. However the timeline of how this came about is in error; Hayward's plan was first articulated to the public by US Naval Intelligence Analyst and former USNI author and Editorial Board member AD (Dave) Baker III in the Pages of Proceedings. Having read Baker's article and in subsequent meetings, Lehman appointed Baker his special assistant to implement the strategy.

The text brings up the major shortfall in US carrier aviation yet again, the lack of range of the aircraft. This has been a problem since going to the all Hornet force which has been exacerbated by the retirement of dedicated refueling aircraft. This state of affairs will not be any different when the F-35C is introduced to fleet service with carriers still having to operate close enough to hostile shores that would put them in range of Chinese ballistic missiles.

The author advocates for new missiles to replace now outdated Tomahawk and Harpoon variants with longer range supersonic missiles which minimize risk to aircraft carrier battle groups.

Well done Mr Haddick for bringing forward this matter that requires serious study.

Unflinching Zeal

9781612511115 Hardcover & Ebook Naval Institute Press 368 Pages 

This consequential work by a pioneer aviation historian fills a significant gap in the story of the defeat of France in 1940. Higham also more fully explains the Battle of Britain and its influence on the Luftwaffe’s invasion of the USSR. The author provides a comparative analysis of the French, German, and British air forces and then dissects their campaigns, losses, and replacement abilities. His research led to an important finding: the three air forces actually shot down only 19 percent of the number of aircraft claimed, and in the RAF’s case, 44 percent of those shot down were readily repairable, contrasting with only 8 percent for the Germans and zero for the French. Higham concludes that awareness of consumption, wastage, and sustainability were intimately connected to survival, and his book emphasizes the necessity of realistic assessments.
Having a late relative who was the only RCAF pilot assinged to RAF 601 "Millionaires" Squadron (so named as from its prewar home for some of the wealthiest members of the Royal (Auxiliary) Air Force, I was engaged in the narrative.
Most French aircraft of the prewar era were of poor design and were unsurprisingly massacred by the Luftwaffe in 1940. From Versailles to Dunkirk, France blamed the army for the loss of five million deaths in the First World War. This feedling lead to pitiful attention to the military which was unprepared for war in 1939.
The UK funded the Royal Air Force slowly and unevenly through the 1920s and 30s and spent much to their air resources in India and other outposts of the British Empire. Poor decisions on acquisitions produced disastrous aircraft such as the Fairey Battle, which like the French designs, was massacred in 1940 by the Germans. 
Kudos to Mr Higham for producing this fine work.

Naval Institute Guide to the Ships and Aircraft of the U.S. Fleet, 19th Ed

Naval Institute Guide to the Ships and Aircraft of the U.S. Fleet, 19th Ed
Naval Insitute Press Annapolis March 2013 9781591146872 Hardcover 688 pages

Very happy to see the publishing of the 19th Edition of this Naval Institute staple and that the considerable talents of Richard Burgess has been added to the production. As usual the book is profusely illustrated and with many excellent lists and tables in a large format. The one think I could do without are the numerous listing of retired classes of ship, which seems to fly in the face of the intent of original editor James C Fahey. Apart from this, the book is highly recommended and should be added to the bookshelf of military and civilian personnel with an interest in the US Navy, US Coast Guard, NOAA and Military Sealift Command.

The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World, 16th Ed

The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World, 16th Ed
Naval Institute Press Annapolis August 2013 9781591149545 Hardcover 1,008 pages 

Called “the nation’s premier naval reference book,” The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World is internationally acknowledged as the best one-volume reference to the world’s naval and paranaval forces. Updated regularly since 1976, it has come to be relied on for all-inclusive, accurate, and up-to-date data on the ships, navies, coast guards, and naval aviation arms of more than 170 countries and territories. Large fleets and small maritime forces get equally thorough treatment. Comprehensive indexes make the book easy to use and allow for quick comparisons between ships and fleets.
This new 16th edition, presents information on all the major and minor maritime developments that could impact the world scene in the years to come. Heavily illustrated with 4,450 black & white  photos and 179 multi-view line drawings, Combat Fleets  provides the user with the most detailed views available for identification and comparison purposes. Additional aids for the user include a section on how to use the book, lists of terms and abbreviations,an informative ship-name index, and more. An expanded chapter on the Chinese navy provides major updates on the status of their new aircraft carrier and the latest Chinese submarines, surface ships and naval missiles. Dozens of detailed line drawings depict exactly where weapons and sensors are located on the world’s combatants such as the Iranian Ghadir-class submarines, the French Forbin-class destroyers, and the U.S. Navy’s Littoral Combat Ships.
The ship data section for each country provides full coverage of all ships, from the largest aircraft carriers to the smallest training and auxiliary craft. The vessels of the world’s coast guards and customs services are given thorough treatment as well. But the book is much more than a ship encyclopedia. It includes information on the personnel strengths of each country’s naval forces, major base locations, and details on maritime radar, sonar, naval aircraft, and weapon systems currently in service.
For the Canadian section, I was disappointed in the section not being up to date. 

Asian Maritime Strategies

By Bernard D Cole 9781591141624 Naval Institute Press Hardcover & eBook 320 Pages October 2013

An analysis of the current state of maritime defense in Asian waters. With the financial capacity of the US to maintain a permanent presence in the region in doubt, the strengths and weaknesses of the nations in the region is what should be examined in detail. The smaller nations are also covered as well as the larger ones such as China, India and Japan. The one disappointment of this books was the lack of illustrations and tables to put things in perspective. This book is a timely addition to current geopolitical thought processes.

 

The Liberty Incident Revealed

By A Jay Cristol 9781612513409 Naval Institute Press Hardcover & eBook 416 Pages September 2013

This book is an update of the author's 2002 treatise on the Israeli attack on USS Liberty in 1967. Former naval aviator and current judge and law professor Cristol successfully sued the National Security Administration (NSA), under freedom in information laws, for their files on the attack. He has added six chapters to this new version, in what will surely become the definitive account on this unfortunate incident and firmly believes the historical record is accurate. Hopefully this will be the case and bring closure to all persons with a personal connection to the tragedy.

21st Century Mahan

By Benjamin Armstrong 9781612512433 Paperback & eBook 192 Pages August 2013

The hypothesis behind this work is that the writings of Alfred Thayer Mahan have been extensively written about but not too widely read. This book is a compilation of five essays written by Mahan and is recommended for young naval officers to get a good grasp on the timeless aspects of service life and strategy.

 

Congo The Miserable Expeditions and Dreadful Death of Lt Emory Taunt USN

By Andrew CA Jampoler 9781612510798 Hardcover & eBook 288 Pages June 2013

Having read Heart of Darkness in college, I had a feel for the subject matter before reading. Author Jampoler was in a party of six that traveled the Congo retracing the travels of Lt Emory Taunt USN. The late 1800s were the pinnacle of the colonial movement by European and US governments. Belgium colonized the Congo and Taunt was there for some of the travails of independence and colonization and the resultant social upheavals. The books is adequately written but the problem is the sanctimony of the author condemning Belgian atrocities that the US was equally, if not more so, guilty of during the subjugation of the Philippines.

A Plain Sailorman in China: The Life of and Times of Cdr. I.V. Gillis, USN, 1875-1948

By Bruce Swanson et al Naval Institute Press 9781612511054 Hardcover 272 Pages July 2012

The late Bruce Swanson learned about Gillis while doing research and was so excited he undertook to write a biography. While handwriting the text, Swanson unfortunately passed away and left the work in the hands of friends who brought the work to completion. 
Gillis was the first US Naval Attache in China, a sign of increased US diplomatic presence in China after the Boxer Rebellion and other events of the first decades of the 20th century.
The book details, in an easy to read fashion, life in the US Navy and China in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. Marrying a Chinese woman, Gillis eventually most of the rest of his life in China, a period that included Japanese internment during the Second World War, until his death in 1948.
Congratulations of the writing team on this fine tribute to both Commander Gillis and the late Bruce Swanson.

Uncommon Warriors: 200 Years of the Most Unusual American Naval Vessels

By Ken Sayers Naval Institute Press 9781591147602 Hardcover 288 Pages July 2012


Having written a number of books in this format, I can fully appreciate the author's passion and joy in compiling this welcome addition to naval history. Mr Sayers has compiled a list of all the disparate array of vessels that were included in the miscellaneous auxiliary classifications of AG and IX. Contained are brief histories of the vessels Sayers thought were the most noteworthy and are a nice extra. Numerous illustrations are contained and we give this book a hearty well done!

Allied Master Strategists: The Combined Chiefs of Staff in World War II

Naval Institute Press ISBN 781612510811 Hardcover & eBook 288 Pages November 2012
Calling the Combined Chiefs of Staff the glue that held the British-American alliance together in World War II, David Rigby describes the vital contributions to Allied victory made by the organization, which drew its members from the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, the British Chiefs of Staff Committee, and the British Joint Staff Mission. Readers get a good understanding of the personalities involved and insights into the relationships between the Chiefs and Allied theater commanders. The role of the Combined Chiefs in economic mobilization and the bitter inter-Allied strategic debates are fully examined. Detailed information is also given about the Casablanca Conference and the Chiefs’ often highly contentious meetings in Washington. 
With one of my relatives having been a member of the RCMP security detachment at the 1943 Quebec Conference, the workings and machinations of these leaders of US and British military forces has been of interest. 
Author and Professor David Rigby has chosen an excellent subject for his thorough treatise on the relationship that led to victory in World War II. Most works to date have focused on one nation or the other, but here Rigby does a pretty good job of documenting both. 
We look forward to the next work of history from Dr Rigby.

The Kissing Sailor

Naval Institute Press 9781612510781 Hardcover & Ebook 224 Pages May 2012

Lawrence Verria and George Galdorisi do a fine job of dispelling the many long-held misconceptions of the identity of the famous couple photographed, The Kissing Sailor, taken August 14,1945.

WWII had just ended and there was jubilation in the streets! A sailor, dressed in uniform and a nurse shared a spontaneous kiss that was captured by photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt.  It was published in LIFE magazine and history was made. The authors take us through a tale of several decades and though many tried to claim it was them, the true identity of the couple is finally revealed.  Well done!

Naval Institute Guide to the Ships and Aircraft of the U.S. Fleet, 19th Ed

By Norman Polmar and Richard R Burgess 9781591146872 Naval Institute Press Hardcover 688 pages March 2013

Very pleasantly surprised to read Rick Burgess, arguably the most knowledgeable person alive on US Naval Aviation, has now joined the Normal Polmar on this series. This is probably the most comprehensive publication on the current US Navy and related sea services in print today. Comprehensive listings of ships, aircraft, weapons and electronics. The only quibble we might have is the inclusion of discarded ships, which seems to distract from the apparent aim of series founder James Fahey. Apart from that, this book is superb and is highly recommended.

One Marine’s War A Combat Interpreter’s Quest of Humanity in the Pacific

One Marine’s War A Combat Interpreter’s Quest of Humanity in the Pacific

By Gerald A Meehl 9781612510927 Naval Institute Press 2012

Growing up in Shanghai in the 1930s, Mr Sheeks had an opportunity to develop a familiarity with Asiatic languages. Studying at Harvard at the time of the Pearl Harbor attack, Sheeks was quickly recruited by the US Navy for language translation duty in the Pacific for the US Marine Corps. Extensive training in the Japanese language followed in California and Colorado before leading to active duty in the invasions of Tarawa, Saipan and Tinian.

The book certainly educates the reader on the heretofore little known work of the translators during combat operations and behind the front lines.  A worthy addition to the historical record of the war against Japan in the Pacific and is recommended.