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Fire In The Sky: The Air War In The South Pacific
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
A scant three years after publishing his account of WWII's land war in the Pacific (Touched with Fire), historian Bergerud has completed an exhaustive companion volume addressing the theater's ferocious air war. Bergerud states clearly at the outset that he has attempted to cover both sides of the Pacific air war fairly; but, he notes, fairness dictates acknowledging "that something went very wrong in Japan during the 1930s and that the air war in Asia was due to Tokyo's overaggressive nature." Giving Japanese pilots their due, however, Bergerud portrays them alongside their American counterparts as honorable and worthy warriors. Indeed, the cutting-edge Japanese Zero fighter plane gave Tokyo an early advantage that threatened to overwhelm the Americans. Refreshingly multidimensional, with battle tales carefully crafted within the context of the overall campaign, this meticulously documented work portrays both the stark conditions and the high stakes of one of the largest air wars in history. Although much of the factual material comes from archival sources, the meat of the work is in the firsthand interviews with the rapidly dwindling pool of Pacific war veterans. The nuggets are well worth digging for. One American former pilot, for example, describes being forced to belly flop his plane after being attacked by an enemy Tony aircraft: "I have no idea whether that Tony pilot claimed me as a victory, but he certainly had a legitimate right to because my airplane was forced to crash-land and was totally wiped out." Scenes such as these help this fine history bring home with clarity the perils and rewards of the Pacific campaign and, in the process, illustrate lessons of value to today's military commanders. Photos and maps. (Jan.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
Part two in Bergerud's history of the Pacific War focuses on aviation's major contribution to the effort (Touched with Fire dealt with the land campaigns). The historian uses his trademark thoroughness, eyewitness interviews, and boundless energy to produce the unoriginal thesis that Japan's goal of expanding into the South Pacific was doomed by poor leadership and a military ethic that hindered its response to the Allied onslaught. While the author's theme is not new, his participant accounts add authenticity to the sweep of the story. Though Bergerud covers only the period from the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941 to the close of 1943 (when he contends the war's outcome was no longer in doubt), he still dissects previously neglected facets of the battlegrounds, from the physical conditions and their health effects to the machinery for building landing fields. While repetitious and overly long, this wide-ranging history with aviation at its heart offers new perspectives on a brutal and epic war.
-Mel D. Lane, Sacramento, CA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
See all Editorial Reviews
A scant three years after publishing his account of WWII's land war in the Pacific (Touched with Fire), historian Bergerud has completed an exhaustive companion volume addressing the theater's ferocious air war. Bergerud states clearly at the outset that he has attempted to cover both sides of the Pacific air war fairly; but, he notes, fairness dictates acknowledging "that something went very wrong in Japan during the 1930s and that the air war in Asia was due to Tokyo's overaggressive nature." Giving Japanese pilots their due, however, Bergerud portrays them alongside their American counterparts as honorable and worthy warriors. Indeed, the cutting-edge Japanese Zero fighter plane gave Tokyo an early advantage that threatened to overwhelm the Americans. Refreshingly multidimensional, with battle tales carefully crafted within the context of the overall campaign, this meticulously documented work portrays both the stark conditions and the high stakes of one of the largest air wars in history. Although much of the factual material comes from archival sources, the meat of the work is in the firsthand interviews with the rapidly dwindling pool of Pacific war veterans. The nuggets are well worth digging for. One American former pilot, for example, describes being forced to belly flop his plane after being attacked by an enemy Tony aircraft: "I have no idea whether that Tony pilot claimed me as a victory, but he certainly had a legitimate right to because my airplane was forced to crash-land and was totally wiped out." Scenes such as these help this fine history bring home with clarity the perils and rewards of the Pacific campaign and, in the process, illustrate lessons of value to today's military commanders. Photos and maps. (Jan.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
Part two in Bergerud's history of the Pacific War focuses on aviation's major contribution to the effort (Touched with Fire dealt with the land campaigns). The historian uses his trademark thoroughness, eyewitness interviews, and boundless energy to produce the unoriginal thesis that Japan's goal of expanding into the South Pacific was doomed by poor leadership and a military ethic that hindered its response to the Allied onslaught. While the author's theme is not new, his participant accounts add authenticity to the sweep of the story. Though Bergerud covers only the period from the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941 to the close of 1943 (when he contends the war's outcome was no longer in doubt), he still dissects previously neglected facets of the battlegrounds, from the physical conditions and their health effects to the machinery for building landing fields. While repetitious and overly long, this wide-ranging history with aviation at its heart offers new perspectives on a brutal and epic war.
-Mel D. Lane, Sacramento, CA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
See all Editorial Reviews
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
To understand the air-base networks that developed in the South Pacific and the war that was fought from them, it is important to make some basic observations concerning factors that made the theater unique. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
bomber cult, imperial aircraft, nese aircraft, kamikaze campaign, carrier engagements, pilot armor, multiengine bombers, tactical bombers, altitude advantage, cific war, bomber crewmen, fighter range, inline engine, carrier strike force, multiengine aircraft, hanger deck, multiple kills, carrier raid, great aces, fighter losses, superior aircraft, emergency strips, fighter combat, bomb group, operational losses Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
South Pacific, New Guinea, United States, Fifth Air Force, Pearl Harbor, New Zealand, Combined Fleet, Port Moresby, New Georgia, Thirteenth Air Force, New Britain, East Indies, Milne Bay, Marine Corps, New Caledonia, Southwest Pacific, Air Corps, Central Pacific, Coral Sea, South Seas Detachment, Santa Cruz, Bismarck Sea, North American, Southeast Asia, Coast Watchers New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
To understand the air-base networks that developed in the South Pacific and the war that was fought from them, it is important to make some basic observations concerning factors that made the theater unique. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
bomber cult, imperial aircraft, nese aircraft, kamikaze campaign, carrier engagements, pilot armor, multiengine bombers, tactical bombers, altitude advantage, cific war, bomber crewmen, fighter range, inline engine, carrier strike force, multiengine aircraft, hanger deck, multiple kills, carrier raid, great aces, fighter losses, superior aircraft, emergency strips, fighter combat, bomb group, operational losses Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
South Pacific, New Guinea, United States, Fifth Air Force, Pearl Harbor, New Zealand, Combined Fleet, Port Moresby, New Georgia, Thirteenth Air Force, New Britain, East Indies, Milne Bay, Marine Corps, New Caledonia, Southwest Pacific, Air Corps, Central Pacific, Coral Sea, South Seas Detachment, Santa Cruz, Bismarck Sea, North American, Southeast Asia, Coast Watchers New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 48
books:
See all 48 books this book cites
6
books
cite this book:
See all 6 books citing this book
- In My Sights: The Memoir of a P-40 Ace by James B. Morehead in Back Matter (1), Back Matter (2), and Back Matter (3)
- America's Hundred Thousand: U.S. Production Fighters of World War II by Francis H. Dean in Back Matter (1), Back Matter (2), and Back Matter (3)
- The First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign: Naval Fighter Combat from August to November 1942 by John B. Lundstrom in Back Matter (1), Back Matter (2), and Back Matter (3)
- Army Air Forces in World War II by Wesley F. Craven in Back Matter (1), Back Matter (2), and Back Matter (3)
- Report of Joint Fighter Conference: : NAS Patuxent River, MD - 16-23 October 1944 (Schiffer Military History) by Facsimile in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
See all 48 books this book cites
- Flyboys: A True Story of Courage by James Bradley in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- Flyboys: A True Story of Courage by James Bradley in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- First Blue: The Story of World War II Ace Butch Voris and the Creation of the Blue Angels by Robert K. Wilcox in Back Matter
- Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 2: WW II Pacific Theater: Inside Moves (EU-Inside Moves) by Jeff Van West in Back Matter
- Pacific Skies: American Flyers in World War II by Jerome Klinkowitz in Back Matter
See all 6 books citing this book
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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?
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88% buy the item featured on this page: Fire In The Sky: The Air War In The South Pacific $20.52 |
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4% buy Touched with Fire: The Land War in the South Pacific $12.24 |
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3% buy The First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign: Naval Fighter Combat from August to November 1942 |
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3% buy With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa $7.99 |
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