Customer Reviews

The Two-Ocean War: A Short History of the United States Navy in the Second World War

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Morison provides excellent coverage of the role of the U.S. Navy during World War II. However, the coverage is very broad, rating a five star for those wishing to obtain an understanding of the Navy's role in World War II, but rating about a 2 or 3 star for serious students of the war.

There are a number of excellent points to be made about the book: (1) it is easy to read; (2) Morison talks "Navy talk" without apology (so get out your dictionary at times); (3) maps are generally there when you need them, although more camnpaign maps would be appreciated; (4) Morison speaks with authority on the subject since he was really there; and (5) a nice touch: an evaluation, in the last chapter, of the U.S. Navy commanders who had a say so in how the war went.

This is a very fine book for the general reader and those specialists wishing to get back to the "broad picture" or string of events. For the student of the war, the book lacks depth in specific events, and this is certainly excusable since volumes have been written on specific events, such as Okinawa, Tarara, Overlord, the sinking of the Yamato, and so on.

Morison's book is unique in two ways: 1) he was an admiral, so he knows what went on and what was supposed to go on, and 2) he is careful to separate his opinion from history, but still gives you both. This is probably as good a short book as can be written about the naval war. If you want more detail, get a multi-volume set, but it was just fine for me being someone interested in what happened when and why. I also appreciated his personal assessment of naval commanders and their decisions.

I think you have to take it in the context that at the time there wasn't such a wealth of contemporary books, and there was a need for a summary like this. Fifty years later battle incidents like Savo Island have been discussed and analyzed to death, and reading this for the first time didn't grab my attention.

But give him credit for getting the analysis correct. He goes a little easy on Halsey at Leyte in my opinion (he likes him), but otherwise he doesn't spare stupidity at all, on our side or theirs. His dissection of Pearl Harbor should be required reading in history courses. I think most kids grow up thinking we lost that battle; I did, until reading books like this (now I would probably argue the Japanese pilots killed constituted the worst tactical damage done). The afterwords on the major battles are the best part of this book by far.

Also, I didn't find the book to be that objectionable when it comes to race. He uses offensive language when referring to the Japanese, but he keeps it in context. He also keeps the tone from being jingoistic; patriotic, yes, especially for the admiration of courage under American arms, but never ignoring the idiotic things some of our leaders did for the sake of not smearing the flag.

Very worthwhile, and sufficiently revealing of the author's talent that I will now invest in the multi-volume work. In that sense alone, just to give you a glimpse of what to expect, it's well worth having.

Admiral Morrison lived many of the events written of in his book. His telling of the tale is unequaled in any other single book, and is reflective of his much more extensive 15 volume set.

The research, the attention to detail and the commentary regarding the strategic and tactical importance of various battles and phases of the war at see is very well done indeed.

If the reader is not too familiar with the heroics, the savagery, the extents, or the sometimes very personal nature of war at sea , then The Two Ocean War is a must read. For that matter, for anyone wanting to get into the details of the epic warfare that raged at sea during World War II, start here. You will not be disappointed.

If all you want is facts you can read tables. So I like history books that not only tell you facts but keep you entertained.

This is a superb book that does this. You get a very good summary of the US navy during WW2 while being extremely well written so you think you are often reading a novel.

Having eyed Morison's 15-volume definitive history of the US Navy in the Second World War, I was delighted to find this out-of-print volume. This is a superb, broad overview capturing strategic sweep, political context and tactical insight. That said, in any work of this type, it will leave serious students wanting more.

A witness to many incidents, Morison is a candid primary resource in his assessment of brilliance, success, foolishness, opportunities missed, and naval personalities, revered and reviled, of all sides of the conflict. The author meets my "acid test" for works of history: readability; glossary to abbrevations and jargon; maps with careful explanations of movements, timing and action. The writing is clean with a hint of romanticism in summing up particularlly stirring events or actions.

If you seek an introductory knowledge of the naval war, or need to see the big picture, The Two-Ocean War is a nice one-volume start.

Gleaned for his 15 volume history of US naval operations in WW II, Admiral Samuel Morison has penned an easily read and enjoyable work. Given the scope of the task at hand, the details of engagements necessarily were truncated. However, within these six hundred pages he gives more than a quick overview that would appeal to all but the most serious students. The entries for Guadalcanal and Leyte were particularly well done, as was the discussion of the contingent planing before the war and their modification as the war progressed.

If there is a fault here it lies in his too kind treatment of Mac Arthur and Admiral Fletcher.

My father said it had specific information about battles he was a part of. He can' put it down. It is very long and that was a concern because he is older but he is so interested he is over half way finished.

I'd just completed intensive research regarding the War in Bataan and Luzon and was directed toward Morison's fine book. It added some information that seemed unattainable elsewhere and caused me to reassess several conclusions I had come to. If you're looking for great writing in the fiction genre, this is not the book, though the author has a few surprisingly good passages that a good historical fiction writer might pay attention to, but for the most part, "Two Oceans" is a facinating factual account of some of the most grueling and exciting days of the war in the Pacific. Written by a Navy man -it has a touch of glory and shame for the seagoing and little detail of any land battles. For World War II buffs, a must have.

I read Adm. Morison's book "The Two Ocean War' many years ago and found it very informative. I plan to teach a college seminary on the participation of the US Navy during WWII. This book is a wonderful summary of the hard and dangerous work our naval personnel performed in the Atlantic and the Pacific theaters during WWII. His 15 volume set on the history of the US Navy in WWII provides much more detail of individual battles and is also very well done.