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Walter R. Borneman

The Admirals: Nimitz, Halsey, Leahy, and King--The Five-Star Admirals Who Won the War at Sea Paperback – Illustrated, May 7, 2013

by Walter R. Borneman (Author)

1,326 ratings

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How history's only five-star admirals triumphed in World War II and made the United States the world's dominant sea power.

Only four men in American history have been promoted to the five-star rank of Admiral of the Fleet: William Leahy, Ernest King, Chester Nimitz, and William Halsey. These four men were the best and the brightest the navy produced, and together they led the U.S. navy to victory in World War II, establishing the United States as the world's greatest fleet.

In The Admirals, award-winning historian Walter R. Borneman tells their story in full detail for the first time. Drawing upon journals, ship logs, and other primary sources, he brings an incredible historical moment to life, showing us how the four admirals revolutionized naval warfare forever with submarines and aircraft carriers, and how these men -- who were both friends and rivals -- worked together to ensure that the Axis fleets lay destroyed on the ocean floor at the end of World War II.

Print length

608 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Back Bay Books
Publication date

May 7, 2013
Dimensions

5.5 x 1.75 x 8.25 inches
ISBN-10

0316097837
ISBN-13

978-0316097833
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"The first book to deal with the four [admirals] together, focusing on their intertwined lives, friendships, and rivalries....A very well-crafted book."―John Lehman, Washington Post

"In his superbly reported new book, historian Walter R. Borneman tackles the essential question of military leadership: What makes some men, but not others, able to motivate a fighting force into battle?"―Tony Perry, Los Angeles Times

"Engagingly written and deeply researched... Mr. Borneman makes it easy to understand the complex series of maneuvers and counter-maneuvers at Leyte Gulf...which is not always the case with accounts of the battle."―Andrew Roberts, Wall Street Journal

"Borneman demonstrates comprehensive command of published and unpublished sources, fingertip understanding of the period, and a polished writing style in this unique collective biography of the four men who 'with a combination of nimble counsel, exasperating ego, studied patience, and street-fighter tactics' shaped the modern U.S. Navy to win WWII at sea."―Publishers Weekly

"Borneman deftly manipulates multiple narrative strands and a wealth of detail. He vividly fleshes out the numerous vain, ambitious men vying for power at the top and examines their important decisions and lasting ramifications. An accomplished, readable history lesson."―Kirkus Reviews

"Walter Borneman's The Admirals is an epic group portrait of Nimitz, Halsey, Leahey, and King. Not since the heyday of Samuel Eliot Morison has a historian painted such a fine portrait of the five-star admirals who helped America beat Japan during the Second World War. Highly recommended!"―Douglas Brinkley, Professor of History at Rice University and author of The Wilderness Warrior

"They were completely different in temperament and personality, but the U.S. Navy's four five-star admirals in World War II shared a sense of vision, devotion, and courage. Walter Borneman has written a rousing tale of victory at sea."―Evan Thomas, author of The War Lovers

"This is Walter Borneman at his best. The portrait of the forgotten admiral, Leahy, is worth the whole book. But there's scarcely a page where a reader won't learn something unexpected, and occasionally shocking."―Thomas Fleming, author of Time and Tide

About the Author

Walter Borneman is the author of eight works of nonfiction, including The Admirals, 1812, The French and Indian War, and Polk. He holds both a master's degree in history and a law degree. He lives in Colorado.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Back Bay Books; Illustrated edition (May 7, 2013)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 608 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0316097837
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0316097833
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.14 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1.75 x 8.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #118,509 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #240 in Naval Military History
- #480 in WWII Biographies
- #1,219 in World War II History (Books)

Customer Reviews:
1,326 ratings

About the author

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Walter R. Borneman

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Walter R. Borneman writes about American military and political history. His most recent book, Brothers Down: Pearl Harbor and the Fate of the Many Brothers Aboard the USS Arizona, will be published in May 2019 by Little, Brown. The Pearl Harbor story has never been told through the eyes of the seventy-eight brothers—members of the same families—serving together aboard the battleship that fateful day.

Borneman won the Samuel Eliot Morison Prize in Naval Literature for The Admirals: Nimitz, Halsey, Leahy, and King--The Five-Star Admirals Who Won the War at Sea (Little, Brown, 2012). A national bestseller, The Admirals tells the story of the only four men in American history to achieve the rank of fleet admiral. Together they transformed the American navy with aircraft carriers and submarines and won World War II.

Borneman's other titles include MacArthur at War: World War II in the Pacific (Little, Brown, 2016), a finalist for the Gilder Lehrman Prize for Military History; American Spring: Lexington, Concord, and the Road to Revolution (Little, Brown, 2014); Polk: The Man Who Transformed the Presidency and America (Random House, 2008), which won the Tennessee History Book Award and the Colorado Book Award for Biography; and 1812: The War That Forged a Nation (HarperCollins, 2004).

His commentary has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, and on FoxNews.com. He lives in Colorado and has spent many days climbing its mountains.

QUOTE: My overriding goal in writing history has been to get the facts straight and then present them in a readable fashion. I am convinced that knowing history is not just about appreciating the past, but also about understanding the present and planning for the future.

Customer reviews

5 star		76%
4 star		18%
3 star		4%
2 star		1%
1 star		1%

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Top reviews from the United States

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S. Taylor

A Great Read

Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2016

Verified Purchase

Since I rated this book with five stars, you can see that I found it to be well written, interesting, and even compelling at times. I had a hard time putting it down. I had several very late nights (reading prior to turning the lights off), and waking up rather sleep deprived the next day.

Borneman has given a gripping account of the four top Admirals that waged war on behalf of the United States in the Pacific theater of war during World War II. In the first few chapters he describes the background of each individual, from their grandparents up to their time at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. He then describes their first assignments through the positions they held and the Ships they served on as they rose in rank over their long service to our country.

The beginning of WWII comes next, beginning in 1939, laying out the different positions each held prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor. These chapters, in which each of the Admiral's positions are laid out and discussed, I found particularly interesting. To describe this periodI will cover William Leahy's time only. He was retired and FDR sent him to Puerto Rico as Governor. After France falls to Germany Roosevelt asks him to serve as the US Ambassador to Vichy France (after Pearl Harbor he is called back to act as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff).

Next of course, comes Dec. 7, 1941, Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor. From this point on the individual positions and duties of each officer is covered with care and interest. You even get a good picture of other leaders in Washington DC and in the Pacific. For example chapter 16 is titled 'Fighting the Japanese - and MacArthur' where you get a fairly clear picture of the personality of MacArthur and how the others found ways of working with him as they fought their way across the Pacific.

Even significant events are discussed with arguments from various sides, such as the decision to shoot down Japanese Admiral Yamamoto's airplane. Military intelligence uncovered he was making a moral boosting tour of the Pacific bases, along with his itinerary with accurate timing (Yamamoto was know for his punctuality). A number of P-38s was dispatched to intercept him and shoot him down. The questions about whether or not it was right to target a specific person to be killed (assignation?), as opposed to the killing of numbers of unnamed soldiers on the Battle Field. All opinions are covered in the 4 pages devoted to this event.

As can be expected the end of the war is also covered. I won't cover this even in a few words. Its more interesting to read it the first time for one's self, at least for myself, so I leave it for readers to learn where and how each Admiral ended the war, and what came after.

54 people found this helpful

Helpful

Ellen Toay

A Fascinating History Of Our Naval Heros of WWII

Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2017

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I am the daughter of a career naval officer who graduated from the Naval Academy in 1925. I knew of these admirals - had actually met Admiral Halsey. When I heard about this book I knew I had to read it,but I didn't realize what a treat I had in store. Walter Borneman has written in such a way that he brought history and these individuals to life. I would sit down to read a chapter and find that wasn't good enough - before I knew it I had read three or four chapters and was looking forward to learning more. This book is a tribute to the naval academy and to our navy. If you are interesting in learning about U. S.naval history during the first half of the twentieth century, this is the book to read. I also strongly believe that it should be required reading in our schools.

36 people found this helpful

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John H. Evans

Superb and very readable about the US Navy's highest leaders during WWII

Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2017

Verified Purchase

“The Admirals: Nimitz, Halsey, Leahy, and King--The Five-Star Admirals Who Won the War at Sea”
by Walter R. Bornean

A must read for those interested in WWII US Navy history. This superbly researched and well written book is both a biography of the principal US Admirals and a narrative history of their involvement in World War II. There is not a lot of new material here for King, Nimitz and Halsey, but I was fascinated to learn the details of Admiral William Leahy, known to history as FDR’s adviser and the first Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. When Leahy reached the mandatory retirement age of 64 in 1939 (as Chief of Naval Operations – CNO) President Roosevelt sent him to Vichy as America’s ambassador. When the Nazis invaded Vichy France following the US invasion of North Africa, the president recalled Leahy to Washington and returned him to active duty as his chief military adviser and eventually, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. For almost a year during 1944 and 1945 when both the President and his chief adviser Harry Hopkins were too ill to perform their duties, Leahy essentially served in the president’s stead in both foreign policy and military decisions.

Late in the war (1944) congress authorized five-star ranks in both the Army and the Navy to distinguish the highest commanders from the plethora of 4-stars at the time. Borneman explains (and I agree) that the forth 5-star Naval rank could have just as easily gone to Raymond A. Spruance who alternated operational command of the Pacific Fleet with Chester Nimitz. But Spruance was quiet spoken and shunned publicity – the opposite of Nimitz, the popular favorite of both enlisted personnel and reporters. Interestingly, Admiral King, the highest ranking officer in the Navy (who lacked nothing in self-respect to the megalomaniac Douglas McArthur) said on more than one occasion that Ray Spruance was the only man in the Navy smarter than himself.

Bornean’s analysis and critiques are spot-on and this is a very readable and informative book. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in American history.

Feb. 2017

18 people found this helpful

Helpful

Sammy Y.

If only about Nimitz, Leahy, and King, I'd rate it higher

Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2017

Verified Purchase

A very good textbook-type of book that gives good bio info on Admiral Nimitz, Halsey, Leahy and King, so as a retired Navy Chief, I found most of it very interesting and furthered my knowledge of them. However, the Author is another one of "those guys" that defends Halsey, even after he ran the 3rd Fleet into not one but TWO typhoons, and took the bait from a Japanese Navy trap to lure the 3rd Fleet away from covering the 7th Fleet that caused several ships to be lost unnecessarily. Halsey was awarded his 5th Star AFTER the war for these reasons, but the Author misses it completely. Sad only a few Authors have the guts to say it plainly- Halsey missed-out on Midway and was never the same man thereafter.

23 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Mark Pack

It is a sign of the book's strengths that it leaves you both informed and wanting to know more

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 1, 2012

Verified Purchase

Walter R. Borneman's book is a very ambitious one, trying to squeeze into one volume four different characters each of whom could easily fill a multi-volume biography themselves. It's an ambition Borneman succeeds in matching, with the inevitable omissions not detracting too much from the book.

The book tells us of the careers of the only American 5-Star Admirals, all of whom served with great distinction in the Second World War. They are wrapped together into a story that, despite the need to cover four different people, is still cohesive, showing the reader not only how the individuals developed but also how naval technology and tactics evolved during their four careers and how the war in the Pacific was won.

Several of the key battles in the Pacific have generated many books in their own right, and Borneman skilfully balances giving the reader enough of an understanding of the controversies over some of the battles without getting mired too much into the details. Chances are you will be reaching for the internet or the bookshelf to find out more about the particular controversies which most interest you when reading the book - and triggering that level of further interest is a sign of an author succeeding. Borneman's copious notes and bibliography help with that, with the notes also including some interesting side-stories to the main narrative, such as on the efforts to end segregation in the navy.

What is missing then? Well, pretty much all of the naval operations by the US outside the Pacific. In particular, the battle against German submarines in the Atlantic gets only brief mentions despite its crucial importance to the outcome of the Second World War. Two important related questions are implied rather than discussed head-on. A range of US naval commanders were at various times criticised for not being aggressive enough in the search for a decisive naval victory over the Japanese. Individual cases are discussed by Borneman. What we don't get is much discussion of the strategic context: with the long-run clearly favouring the US over Japan, especially giving the two nation's comparative ship building rates, would caution not have been the strategically smart strategy? As with the British navy at Jutland in the First World War, draws were really successes given that it was the opponent who needed to land a knock-out blow. Related to that, what impact did the frequent media demands have on the judgements of senior naval officers - did that help tempt them to seek risk and short-term glory? Given Borenman's range of understanding, it would have been great to hear more from him on this.

No book, however, can cover everything - and it's a sign of the book's strengths that it leaves you both informed and wanting to know more.

9 people found this helpful

Walter Yeo

The Admirals who defeated Japan

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 24, 2013

Verified Purchase

This book published in 2012 details the careers of the most important Admirals of the US Navy during World War 2 who became the then unheard of five star Admirals. The careers of each are discussed from their days in Annapolis, the United States Naval Academy which include personal stories / observations which enables one to understand these exceptional people as each developed the skills which enabled the eventual triumph of USA in the Pacific War. Also are discussed the political background and internal tensions between the various theatre commanders in the Pacific as to the strategy to be used.

Amazon Customer

Fascinating insight into some Great Men

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 25, 2018

Verified Purchase

Fascinating. Especially to hear about Leahy who remains much less well known. Gives a real insight into how high command functioned in the US Navy.

Andrew K.

Very good although a bit confused in places

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 5, 2017

Verified Purchase

Very good although a bit confused in places, I have since read Spruance's biog and things are becomin clearer

C Castleton

The Admirals: Nimitz, Halsey, Leahy, and King - The 5-Star Admirals...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 21, 2013

Verified Purchase

For a student of the Pacific Campaign absolutely indispensible and unputdownable! The biographical in warfare is inseparable from the logistical and the strategic. Great generals and admirals are both born and made, but I think probably more born.

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