All in Pacific War
Mori Juzo's THE MIRACULOUS TORPEDO SQUADRON
Translated by Nicholas Voge from the original Japanese, this memoir tells the story of one Japanese naval pilot from the time he earns his wings to his combat experience in China, Pearl Harbor, Midway, and Guadalcanal.
Robert F. Dorr's MISSION TO TOKYO: The American Airmen Who Took the War to the Heart of Japan
This book describes what it was like to bomb Japanese cities via B-29 raids conducted by the U.S. during 1944 and 1945. Most of the action is from the American perspective and takes place on the air-base islands off Japan from which most raids were launched (chiefly Tinian and Saipan), in the air while over water, or over Japan itself
Eugene Fluckey's THUNDER BELOW
I read a lot of history books where you get caught up in the sweep of big ideas, big movements, and larger-than-life historical figures. In THUNDER BELOW we have a captain, his crew, and the ship, doing their job while trying to stay alive. It’s a keeper.
Josh Barkan's BEFORE HIROSHIMA: THE CONFESSION OF MURAYAMA KAZUO (Short Story)
This short story looks at the events leading up to the bombing of Hiroshima from the perspective of a young Japanese intelligence officer who pieces together evidence of what’s coming. Unfortunately, no one’s believes him.
Barrett Tillman's “WHIRLWIND: THE AIR WAR AGAINST JAPAN, 1942-1945”
The author provides a very good overview of the role of aircraft in bludgeoning Japan into submission. While never minimizing the role of seapower in strangling Japan’s WWII economy, Stillman documents Allied land and sea originated aair war efforts, the centerpiece being the role of the Boeing B-29.
Max Hastings' RETRIBUTION: THE BATTLE FOR JAPAN, 1944-45
Hastings tells the story of the final year of the Pacific War from multiple perspectives, much of which will be new to people whose awareness of Chinese, British, and Russian action against the Japanese is low.
Thomas B. Allen and Norman Polmar's CODE-NAME DOWNFALL: THE SECRET PLAN TO INVADE JAPAN AND WHY TRUMAN DROPPED THE BOMB
Allen and Polmar convincingly demonstrate Truman’s justification for dropping the atom bomb on Japan to end World War II.
Evan Thomas' "SEA OF THUNDER"
This extremely well researched and written tale of World War II tells the story behind the climactic Battle of Leyte Gulf. This was the last great sea battle fought by huge opposing forces — the Americans and the Japanese — involving both battleships and aircraft carriers.
Kerri Sakomoto’s “ONE HUNDRED MILLION HEARTS”
This novel tells the story of a young Canadian woman who, following the death of her Japanese father, returns to Japan to discover the secrets of their heritage. She finds her father had trained as a Kamikaze pilot during World War II but, to his shame, did not die a glorious death. After the war he returned to Canada where he raised his crippled daughter, never revealing his past.