The Attack on Pearl Harbor

( 2 )

All Available Formats + Editions

——

$10.87

NOOK Book

——

$10.87

The Attack on Pearl Harbor (eBook) Pub. Date: 5/6/2011 Publisher: Casemate Publishers
$12.00

$21.53

Hardcover

$12.00

$21.53

The Attack on Pearl Harbor Pub. Date: 3/19/2011 Publisher: Casemate Publishers

Customers Who Bought This Also Bought

Advertising

Overview

The December 7th, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor has been portrayed by historians as a dazzling success, "brilliantly conceived and meticulously planned." With most American historians concentrating on command errors and the story of participants' experiences, the Japanese attack operation has never been subjected to a comprehensive critical analysis of the military side of the operation.

This book presents a detailed evaluation of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on the operational and tactical level. It examines such questions as: Was the strategy underlying the attack sound? Were there flaws in planning or execution? How did Japanese military culture influence the planning? How risky was the attack? What did the Japanese expect to achieve, balanced against what they did achieve? Were there Japanese blunders? What were their consequences? What might have been the results if the attack had not benefited from the mistakes of the American commanders?

The book also addresses the body of folklore about the attack, supporting or challenging many contentious issues such as the skill level of the Japanese aircrew, whether midget submarines torpedoed Oklahoma and Arizona, as has been recently claimed, whether the Japanese ever really considered launching a third wave attack, and the consequences of a "3rd wave" attack against the Naval Shipyard and the fuel storage tanks if it had been executed.

In addition, the analysis has detected for the first time a body of deceptions that a prominent Japanese participant in the attack placed into the historical record, most likely to conceal his blunders and enhance his reputation.

The centerpiece of the book is an analysis using modern Operations Research methods and computer simulations, as well as combat models developed between 1922 and 1946 at the U.S. Naval War College. The analysis puts a new light on the strategy and tactics employed by Yamamoto to open the Pacific War, and a dramatically different appraisal of the effectiveness of the Attack on Pearl Harbor.

Dr. Alan D. Zimm is a member of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, where he heads a section in the Aviation Systems and Advanced Concepts Group. He is a former officer in the US Navy, completing his service as a Commander, and holds degrees in Physics, Operations Research, and Public Administration with a concentration on Policy Analysis and Strategic Planning.

Editorial Reviews

Globe at War

"…proves an engrossing study, particularly for those considering themselves well-read on the topic…. it is even more interesting for those with ample knowledge of events in World War II's Pacific Theater of Operations leading up to, on, and following December 7, 1941. For a variety of reasons, including the provocative nature of many
of Zimm's fact-built arguments, this reviewer does not hesitate to recommend …"

IPMS

“…very thorough …as an analysis of the raid from the Japanese point of reference it is very intriguing and goes far to display the old axiom “every plan changes (or falls apart) once the enemy is encountered”.

More Reviews (8) Fewer Reviews

Naval History Magazine

...uses modern methods of operational analysis to determine exactly how the Japanese planned and executed the great raid...a worthy, useful analysis...

Navy News

It is not often that one can say that an outstanding book transforms our knowledge of a well -known event but this can be said of Alan Zimm's Attack on Pearl Harbor....groundbreaking...sets straight the record of a key historical event...essential reading..."

Politique Etrangere

Dr. Zimm has a solid analytical and knows how to show the same time, a healthy critical distance vis-à-vis the literature (historical summaries, autobiographical accounts, official reports) put to use.

Proceedings

...nothing previously published has offered such a close examination of Japanese strategy...an in depth study of the Japanese planning, preparation and execution of the attack with particular focus on factors not thoroughly considered by other historians, if at all...full of revelations that counter common perceptions...detailed analyses that lead to a much better understanding of what the Japanese did, why they did it and especially how the attack was very nearly an abject failure instead of a stunning success.

Sea Power

...examines every aspect of the attack and uses operations research techniques to critique the planning and performance of the Japanese forces and compare the results with expectations.

The Past in Review

An interesting analysis of the strategy and tactics involved. Instead of "the most daring and brilliant naval operations of all time", Zimm demonstrates that the Japanese carrier strike force did not plan the attack very well, nor did they train effectively for it... an interesting new "look" at this opening gambit in the Pacific Theater of World War II.

Warship International

Anyone with a serious interest in understanding the Pearl Harbor attack in its many aspects, both for what actually happened and for what might have happened under alternative circumstances, should read this new book for the invaluable analytical rigor and intellectual exploration that it brings to the subject.

World War II Magazine

For seven decades, conventional wisdom has extolled the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor as brilliant in its planning and execution... masterful analysis topples that pillar of Pacific War history... with its amazing depth of meticulous research and analysis, this forceful book is essential reading for anyone with a serious interest in Pearl Harbor.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781612000107
Publisher: Casemate Publishers
Publication date: 3/19/2011
Pages: 336
Sales rank: 152,269
Product dimensions: 6.30 (w) x 9.10 (h) x 1.30 (d)

Introduction

Folklore, Viewed with a Critical Eye 7

Chapter 1 Strategic and Operational Setting 15

Chapter 2 Targets, Weapons and Weapon-Target Pairings 53

Chapter 3 Wargames 71

Chapter 4 Planning the Attack 83

Chapter 5 Pre-Attack: Training, Rehearsals, Briefings and Contingency Planning 139

Chapter 6 Execution of the Attack 151

Chapter 7 Assessment of the Attack 173

Chapter 8 Battle Damage Assessment 225

Chapter 9 What Might Have Been: Alerted Pearl Harbor Defenses 267

Chapter 10 Assessing the Folklore 289

Chapter 11 The Fifth Midget Submarine: A Cautionary Tale 327

Chapter 12 Reassessing the Participants 355

Chapter 13 Summary and Conclusions 371

Appendix A Tabulation of Second-Wave Dive-Bomber Attacks 387

Appendix B Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Japanese Terms 391

Appendix C Ships in Pearl Harbor and Vicinity 394

Appendix D The Perfect Attack 401

Appendix E Acknowledgments 413

Bibliography 415

Endnotes 425

Index 454

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4

( 2 )

Rating Distribution

5 Star

(1)

4 Star

(0)

3 Star

(1)

2 Star

(0)

1 Star

(0)

Your Rating:

Review Guidelines

Tell the world what you think of this product.

Add Recommendations

Your Name: Create a Pen Name or Leave Anonymously

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked, or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help ensure that your review can be posted.

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer. However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.

What to exclude from your review:

Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the information on the product page, please send us an email.

Reviews should not contain any of the following:

- HTML tags, profanity, obscenities, vulgarities, or comments that defame anyone
- Time-sensitive information such as tour dates, signings, lectures, etc.
- Single-word reviews. Other people will read your review to discover why you liked or didn't like the title. Be descriptive.
- Comments focusing on the author or that may ruin the ending for others
- Phone numbers, addresses, URLs
- Pricing and availability information or alternative ordering information
- Advertisements or commercial solicitation

Reminder:

- By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.
- Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.
- See Terms of Use for other conditions and disclaimers.

Anonymous

Posted August 4, 2011

No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous

Posted May 9, 2012

No text was provided for this review.

If you find inappropriate content, please report it to Barnes & Noble