Midway, Dauntless Victory: Fresh Perspectives on America's Seminal Naval Victory of World War II [Hardcover]

Peter C. Smith (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1844155838 | ISBN-13: 978-1844155835 | Publication Date: November 16, 2007

This is an in-depth study of the battle of Midway that reviews the many previous accounts and compares their accuracy and veracity with fresh documentation that has been released recently, including new material on the post-war analysis made by a US select committee. There are new viewpoints on the muddle among the US Admirals; the total failure of the USAAF, despite elaborate claims; fresh thinking on the part played by the US Navy Dauntless dive-bombers in the action; the mystery of the carrier Saratoga's presence; Hollywood's totally wrong take on the battle in all the films since made about it. Also, included are new eyewitness accounts the author has obtained and information from Japanese sources that has never been previously published. The lengthy Appendices will include statistical details of the ships, the planes and the men.

REVIEWS

"...meticulous research can not be denied... different research methods Smith employed brought together a great account of the battle. Needless to say, this is a book that I will recommend." World War II Database, 06/2008

"...an impressive volume of wartime history... should make a worthy addition to any naval history library..."US Naval Institute, 06/2008

"...separates reality from the myths...a fascinating read. ...a major contribution to maritime history..."The Northern Mariner, 08/2008

"...the most thorough look at the Midway battle that has ever been done and a book that is a must for any nautical enthusiast."Model Madness, 08/2008

Product Details

• Hardcover: 358 pages
• Publisher: Pen and Sword (November 16, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1844155838
• ISBN-13: 978-1844155835
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.6 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,060,357 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Midway - Dauntless Victory (care of Dusty's son), December 21, 2007

By 

N. Jack Kleiss Jr. - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Midway, Dauntless Victory: Fresh Perspectives on America's Seminal Naval Victory of World War II (Hardcover)

Captain N. J. "Dusty" Kleiss, USN Ret. (San Antonio, TX USA)

As a WWII dive bomber pilot flying an SBD in the USS Enterprise Scouting Six Squadron, I found Peter C. Smith's book to be the most compelling and accurate historical account of this battle to date. Smith brings numerous new facts to light as well as dispels previous misconceptions.
For example, as the book details, Smith sets the record straight on the bombing of the Kaga, Hiryu, and the Mikuma.
In each of those attacks, I was fourth to dive, and had a perfect view of the enemy. Apart from the Mikuma having some slight previous damage, none of those vessels had experienced any hit prior to the Scouting Six bombing.
Along with being a pictorial treasure, Smith's book is a great read for its numerous conversations with Americans and Japanese who were active before, during, and after this tide-turning WWII battle. Kudos to Smith for his correct historical capture and a job well done.

Capt. N. J. "Dusty" Kleiss, USN Ret.

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Four and a half stars, January 17, 2008

By 

R. W. Russell "midway42.org" (Lodi, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Midway, Dauntless Victory: Fresh Perspectives on America's Seminal Naval Victory of World War II (Hardcover)

As the editor for an international association that is exclusively focused on the 1942 Battle of Midway, I was rather skeptical when I first learned that this book was in the works. My feeling was that trying to re-tell the entire story of the battle of Midway was pointless at this late date. A host of well-written books and occasionally credible video productions have covered the subject thoroughly and, for the most part, accurately enough.

Nonetheless, Peter Smith has managed to pull off the unexpected in producing an account of the battle that pretty much surpasses the scope of anything previously seen. The depth of his research and the total effort he put into the project are quite amazing. That said, one needs to be mindful of the book's subtitle, "Fresh Perspectives on America's Seminal Naval Victory of World War II." While Smith is indeed telling the full story of Midway and then some, he is also drawing upon his 38 years as a military author and researcher to present perspectives on the battle that aren't generally found in other works, particularly the earlier ones. Such perspectives, of course, are the author's personal opinions, and that's where his book becomes vulnerable.

To be sure, Smith's research is utterly awesome, so his stated perspectives are very well founded and should, for the most part, resonate well with almost anyone who does not have already have a very thorough knowledge of the subject. But for those who do, the book has several relatively minor misstatements of fact or interpretation that are subject to correction or at least debate. The good news, though, is that the debatable passages do not significantly detract from an immense body of work that, on balance, deserves to be ranked among the best Battle of Midway histories ever produced. Readers who can get past its occasionally arguable assertions and what appears to be an inordinate number of simple typographical errors should welcome it to their naval history libraries.

I'd actually give it four and a half stars here if I could, since its few shortcomings are enough to deny it an outstanding rating. But given its immense scope and depth of content, it does deserve to be included among the most thorough and therefore useful resources on Midway.

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars more isn't always better, July 15, 2008

By 

G. Hoge (Ellicott City, MD, USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Midway, Dauntless Victory: Fresh Perspectives on America's Seminal Naval Victory of World War II (Hardcover)

This book contains an astonishing amount of information about the pivotal Battle of Midway -- which is both good and not-so-good. The upside is that there is quite a bit here that I've seen nowhere else. In particular, there are mini-biographies on a great many people, and there's also detailed discussion of the battle's impact on countries other than the United States and Japan.

But there are a number of negatives. For one, the book reads more like a reference tool than a coherent story; the reader feels like he's slogging through a dry textbook, rather than getting lost in an action-packed adventure story. And there are far too many typos and other minor mistakes, such as incorrect dates; one can only conclude that the editor must have been on vacation when this book was going through the publishing process.

More annoying still, the author, Peter C. Smith, comes across as having an "I'm right and everyone else is wrong" attitude. He takes great pains to advance his argument that it was the dive bombers, rather than the torpedo planes, that carried the day at Midway. Well yes, this is indeed true; but it hasn't been a matter of dispute for the past, say, 60 years or so.

And as if it's not enough to present himself as "righter than thou," the author also takes unwarranted potshots at other Midway renditions. For example, he takes the 1976 movie "Midway" to task for allegedly showing the torpedo planes as the victors. While it is true that this film has its faults, that's not one of them; the movie makes it abundantly clear that the torpedo planes scored not one single hit, while the dive bombers knocked out all four Japanese carriers.

Perhaps worst of all is the accusation he makes against the late Walter Lord, who supposedly had the Japanese pilots "dropping . . . concrete blocks and cans of beans on Midway" (Chapter 12, Footnote 65). This is sloppy research (on Mr. Smith's part) at best, and libelous at worst. What Mr. Lord actually said (in "The Riddles of Midway" chapter of "Incredible Victory") was "As the Japanese bombs rained down on Midway a Marine sargeant named Anderson was hit on the bridge of his nose by a flying can of beans, nuts or tomato juice --depending on who tells the story." Making passing note of some conflicting testimony is a far cry from saying that the Japanese actually used blocks and bean cans as weapons!

So all in all, this book has a lot going for it, and a lot detracting from it. The serious Midway student will definitely want to own it and have it available . . . but won't necessarily enjoy actually reading it.