5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Outstanding Reference Work, July 18, 2000
This review is from: Japanese Naval Vessels at the End of World War II (Hardcover)
A Fantastic reference work detailing the remains of a great navy. Many fantastic drawings drawn from the mind of Fukui, From Major Warships through to barges, harbour tenders and workboats this book covers everything. Further more the Photo Reference section at the rear of the book offers some unique photos some never before released. A must for any Japanese Navy History Buff.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Provides closure for IJN fans, April 28, 2005
This review is from: Japanese Naval Vessels at the End of World War II (Hardcover)
For the last decade I have read many books pertaining to strategy , tactics , equipment and actual battle histories of the Imperial Japanese Navy . Over that time , I felt a sense of curiosity as to the fate of warships which returned to Japan after sorties near the end of the war . This book addresses their ultimate fate .
In spite of having found the book distubing , it remains my favorite in my IJN library . Shizuo Fukui has done a marvelous job in cataloging and illustrating the remaining warships and support vessels after the war . The additional photos at the back served as a stark commentary ( in addition to limited text ) as to the state of these ships before scaping or salvage . A very poignant example of the results of war on ships designed for that purpose .
This book is well worth the effort of obtaining if you are a Japanese navy buff or just curious about the conclusion of the Pacific war for that navy . I strongly recommend the later version with the additional photographs .
I have two very minor criticisms to add to this review . The text that accompanies Shizuo Fukui's illustrations is reproduced in it's original hand written form . This is difficult to read at times but not insurmountable . This book could have had a great deal more text but that is minor when you consider the wealth of illustrations and never seen before ( by myself ) photographs presented .
An invaluable resource for any Imperial Japanese Navy fan .
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