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Miracle at Midway Paperback – February 6, 2018
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New York Times bestseller: The true story of the WWII naval battle portrayed in the Roland Emmerich film is “something special among war histories” (Chicago Sun-Times).
Six months after Pearl Harbor, the seemingly invincible Imperial Japanese Navy prepared a decisive blow against the United States. After sweeping through Asia and the South Pacific, Japan’s military targeted the tiny atoll of Midway, an ideal launching pad for the invasion of Hawaii and beyond.
But the US Navy would be waiting for them. Thanks to cutting-edge code-breaking technology, tactical daring, and a significant stroke of luck, the Americans under Adm. Chester W. Nimitz dealt Japan’s navy its first major defeat in the war. Three years of hard fighting remained, but it was at Midway that the tide turned.
This “stirring, even suspenseful narrative” is the first book to tell the story of the epic battle from both the American and Japanese sides (Newsday). Miracle at Midway reveals how America won its first and greatest victory of the Pacific war—and how easily it could have been a loss.
- Print length582 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherOpen Road Integrated Media, Inc.
- Publication dateFebruary 6, 2018
- Dimensions5.25 x 1.46 x 8 inches
- ISBN-101504049268
- ISBN-13978-1504049269
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“Few better accounts of Midway have been, or are likely to be, written.” —The Houston Post
“The most detailed and comprehensive account of Midway.” —James D. Hornfischer, bestselling author of The Fleet at Flood Tide
“Epic.” —The New York Times
“Something special among war histories . . . No other gives both sides of the battle in as detailed and telling a manner.” —Chicago Sun-Times
About the Author
Gordon W. Prange (1910–1980) was a professor of history at the University of Maryland and a World War II veteran. He served as the chief historian on General Douglas MacArthur’s staff during the postwar military occupation of Japan. His 1963 Reader’s Digest article “Tora! Tora! Tora!” was later expanded into the acclaimed book At Dawn We Slept. After Prange’s death, his colleagues Donald M. Goldstein and Katherine V. Dillon completed several of his manuscripts, including At Dawn We Slept. Other works that Goldstein and Dillon finished include Miracle at Midway; Pearl Harbor: The Verdict of History; December 7, 1941: The Day the Japanese Attacked Pearl Harbor; and Target Tokyo: The Story of the Sorge Spy Ring.
Donald M. Goldstein (1931–2017) was a retired United States Air Force officer; professor emeritus of public and international affairs at the University of Pittsburgh, where he taught for thirty-five years; a winner of two Peabody Awards; and author of many books. He also taught at the Air Force Academy, the Air War College, the Air Command and Staff College, the University of Tampa, and Troy State University. He was considered the leading authority on the Pearl Harbor attack.
Katherine V. Dillon (1916–2005) was a chief warrant officer, United States Air Force (retired), and longtime collaborator with Gordon W. Prange and Donald M. Goldstein on their work. She served during World War II and the Korean War.
Product details
- Publisher : Open Road Integrated Media, Inc.; Reissue edition (February 6, 2018)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 582 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1504049268
- ISBN-13 : 978-1504049269
- Item Weight : 1.45 pounds
- Dimensions : 5.25 x 1.46 x 8 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #697,962 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #897 in Japanese History (Books)
- #1,593 in Naval Military History
- #6,828 in World War II History (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the authors

Donald M. Goldstein is a retired United States Air Force officer, professor emeritus of public and international affairs at the University of Pittsburgh, where he taught for thirty-five years, a winner of two Peabody Awards, and author of many books. He has also taught at the Air Force Academy, the Air War College, the Air Command and Staff College, the University of Tampa, and Troy State University. He is considered the leading authority on the Pearl Harbor attack. He lives in the Villages, Florida.

Gordon W. Prange (1910-1980) was a professor of history at the University of Maryland and a World War II veteran. He served as the chief historian on General Douglas MacArthur's staff during the postwar military occupation of Japan. After Prange's death, his colleagues Donald M. Goldstein and Katherine V. Dillon completed several of his manuscripts.

Katherine V. Dillon (1916-2005) was a chief warrant officer, United States Air Force (retired), and longtime collaborator with Gordon W. Prange and Donald M. Goldstein on their work. She served during World War II and the Korean War.
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Customers find the book well-referenced, well-told, and provides valuable biographical information. They also enjoy the reading experience and find the unexpected information interesting. Readers describe the book as superbly researched and easy to read.
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Customers find the book well-referenced, easy to read, and contains a wealth of detail. They also say it provides an excellent overview of the Battle of Midway, with a straightforward log of events. Customers also mention that the book provides valuable biographical information concerning key American and Japanese figures. They say it's the definitive history of the battle and mention that it provides a large amount of luck and tremendous courage on the part of the Navy pilots.
"...The action, even knowing what was coming, was tense and so well described that you felt like you could visualize it happening...." Read more
"...In typical Prange style it contains a wealth of detail. I just didn't like the writing styles of Goldstein and Dillon." Read more
"This was obviously well researched and extremely well written. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I would highly recommend it to anyone." Read more
"...If I had to make a recommendation,Lord's book is an inspiring, interesting narrative that by current standards lacks a lot of..." Read more
Customers find the book engaging, well-written, and useful. They also say the unexpected information is interesting.
"...The unexpected information was interesting too, but never felt heavy-handed or imposed upon the reader...." Read more
"...An excellent read for anyone who has even a moderate interest in World War II." Read more
"...However, overall I really enjoyed the book...." Read more
"...The result is an emintently readable story of good luck and great bravery on both sides of the conflict...." Read more
Customers find the book superbly researched, flowing with information, and comprehensive. They also say the author has done an excellent job researching Japanese sources to understand how the Japanese. Overall, they describe it as one of the best historical reads.
"...the perfect balance on those issues, it manages to convey a massive amount of information while telling a very interesting and compelling story...." Read more
"...It still contains the meticulously researched details that are typical of Prange but the writing style is very different...." Read more
"This was obviously well researched and extremely well written. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I would highly recommend it to anyone." Read more
"The book is well-written, highly readable, and obviously well-researched...." Read more
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I think what really impressed me here was not only the amazing level of research, but the fact they were able to present so much information in a way that was very readable and quite a page turner. The juxtaposition of the differing viewpoints created a deep and interesting picture of each action. The "characters" were brought to life. The action, even knowing what was coming, was tense and so well described that you felt like you could visualize it happening. The sense of humor was fantastic too... "downing 50 out of 26 targets was excellent shooting indeed."
The unexpected information was interesting too, but never felt heavy-handed or imposed upon the reader. For example, you slowly start to realize that the Japanese really had no plan whatsoever to win the war after Pearl Harbor, but the authors don't beat you over the head with it or moralize about it; they just show you how this was true, present various opinions from both sides and all levels of rank, and then they let you absorb what you've read. Bravo.
I honest can't recommend this book highly enough.
As other reviewers have noted, the authors tend at times to be a bit verbose and to throw in academic-sounding words here and there in order to sound, well, academic I suppose.
One thing that I found a bit annoying is that a few terms are used and references made to contemporary events without providing any explanation of them. If one is a history buff and has knowledge of these things then it's not a problem. But I pity the readers who aren't history buffs; many of these references will go right over their heads.
One other gripe I have is that the paperback is poorly bound. I hadn't gotten to page ten before a page fell out. It wasn't the only one. Many more fell out as I made my way through the book.
Overall I greatly enjoyed the book. In typical Prange style it contains a wealth of detail. I just didn't like the writing styles of Goldstein and Dillon.
This is the best account of US actions at Midway that I've ever read. His approach is to take the battle in chronological order, alternating chapters between the US and Japanese actions. He carefully presents the information as what each side knew at that point in time - and what logical options they have based on the information they have in front of them.
The US coverage is better than Shattered Sword. Shattered Sword has better Japanese coverage than Miracle at Midway.
His after action review of the decisions of the US and Japanese commanders at various levels and at various points in time is excellent. His view of how Nagumo ran the battle was very inciteful. He thinks Nagumo mostly made the right decisions at the right times using Japanese/US source materials. His primary faulting of Nagumo was a haphazard search pattern for possible US carriers - but the information that Nagumo had on the strategic level suggested the US carriers were far away.
His review of the US actions at Midway were:
1] The USA mostly had bad equipment (inferior fighters including the F4F, torpedos (of course), torpedo planes, aerial bombs, and unarmored flight decks.
2] US had much better strategic and tactical intelligence (radar).
3] Information sharing between the fleet and Midway was horrid.
4] US junior officers and men fought very well.
5] US got very lucky, but Spruance and Fletcher held nothing back on the attack so they made their own luck.
His review of the Japanese actions at Midway were:
1] Japanese had much better equipment (aside from Radar & strategic intelligence).
2] Japanese were very brave and skilled
3] Nagumo's "mistakes" were minor - except perhaps for the search planes.
4] Yamamoto made the big blunders: dividing his forces, not having the battleships as a screen, having a very unclear battle plan (is taking Midway the objective, or is destroying the US fleet), and poor planning for enemy response prior to the battle.
5] Not waiting for the two other fleet carriers to be repaired/replenished to concentrate his forces.
However, he says that Japs had all the time in the world to plan. Spruance had only a couple of days and Fletcher a day and a half less than Spruance - but they made the right decisions.
He credits a couple of instances of luck and good decisions that turned the battle.
This is the fourth or fifth book on Midway that I've read. If I had to make a recommendation,
Lord's book is an inspiring, interesting narrative that by current standards lacks a lot of information.
Shattered Sword is the best analysis of Japanese actions and doctrines.
Miracle at Midway is the best coverage of US analysis, options and actions.
This was well worth the $2.99 I spent on it.
Top reviews from other countries
Ce livre tire les leçons de la bataille de la mer de Corail : celui qui trouve l'autre le 1er et tire le 1er avec tous ses bombardiers en piqué, gagne. il faut avoir aussi ses pétroliers sous la main, pour refaire le plein en temps et en heure.
La bataille de Midway a été une corrida : de 7h à 10h20, les avions de Midway et les avions torpilleurs des porte-avions américains ont posé des banderilles non-stop, puis en 6 minutes les SBD Dauntless, bombardiers en piqué solides des porte-avions américains ont coulé 3 porte-avions japonais.
Le livre offre de beaux portraits de NIMITZ, HALSEY, SPRUANCE, ROCHEFORT. SPRUANCE, homme des canons, est bien conseillé par BROWNING qu'il a hérité de HALSEY, NAGUMO, homme des torpilles, l'est mal par GENDA.
Les pages 250-252 présentent le moment-clé : le 4 juin 1942, les Japonais sont repérés à 6h03 et, à l'instigation de BROWNING, SPRUANCE lance une attaque en masse.
Page 136 : NIMITZ a plus de Dauntless que les Japonais n'ont de bombardiers en piqué et aussi 32 PBY Catalina, de reconnaissance et de sauvetage, à long rayon d'action (dont certains avec radar) contre 8 avions de reconnaissance pour les Japonais, employés à contre-temps.
Le combat courageux des chasseurs obsolètes de Midway est palpitant.
Le cinéaste FORD, présent à Midway, confirme que les 3 pistes en triangle sont peu touchées par le bombardement japonais.
Le torpillage du Yorktown par TANABE, le capitaine du sous-marin japonais I-168 agissant sur ordre de YAMAMOTO, montre de la part de ce capitaine un exceptionnel sens tactique.
Par rapport au superbe DVD "Midway" d'EMMERICH de 2019 : LAYTON donne bien à NIMITZ, à l'avance, cap, distance et horaire de la flotte japonaise prévisibles pour le 4 juin 1942 au matin, il y a bien des tueurs japonais de prisonniers américains. Par contre, EMMERICH fusionne 2 amiraux en 1 : UGAKI et YAMAGUCHI.
Le plus surprenant est que la presse japonaise crie victoire et que l'Armée américaine, dont aucune des 300 bombes de B-17 n'a mis un coup au but, revendique la victoire pour elle !
Lorsque j'avais 10 ans, je dévorais "Le survivant du Pacifique", de Georges BLOND, sur le porte-avions Enterprise de 41 à 45, en collection Rouge et Or. Je collectionne les ouvrages sur les porte-avions de la guerre du Pacifique (dont "Les porte-avions de la seconde guerre mondiale" de Jean MOULIN et "Le raid de Doolittle Le premier bombardement américain du Japon" de Clayton CHUN) et sur le Dauntless ("SBD Dauntless in action" by Robert C.Stern). J'ai une maquette de Dauntless dans mon salon. Suite à l’achat du magnifique DVD « Midway » d’EMMERICH de 2019, je me suis replongé dans la bataille de Midway, pour mieux tout comprendre de ce beau film, en achetant :
"Pacific payback" de Stephen L.MOORE : livre passionnant sur le cursus et le vécu des aviateurs de l'Enterprise de Pearl Harbor à Midway avec un superbe album photos et de bonnes cartes des îles attaquées.
« The final secret of Pearl Harbor » du contre-amiral Robert A.THEOBALD, sur ROOSEVELT responsable des 2403 morts.
« The first South Pacific campaign » de John B.LUNDSTROM, sur la période du 7 décembre 1941 au 4 juin 1942 : SPRUANCE retiendra la leçon de la Mer de Corail, à savoir « Le 1er qui repère l’autre et qui tire avec ses bombardiers en piqué gagne » !
« Joe Rochefort’s war » d’Elliot CARLSON, sur les casseurs de codes.
« Midway l’incroyable victoire » de Walter LORD, ouvrage détaillé.
« La bataille de Midway » de Michel HERUBEL, ouvrage détaillé et complémentaire.
« Miracle at Midway » de Gordon W.PRANGE, ouvrage détaillé en anglais, très bien écrit et très agréable à lire.
« Juin 1942 La bataille de Midway Le tournant de la guerre du Pacifique » de Mark HEALY, ouvrage très bien illustré, intéressant, avec quelques erreurs de légendes.
« Shattered sword The untold story of the Batlle of Midway », de Jonathan PARSHALL et Anthony TULLY, somme exhaustive et très technique, documentée sur le détail de l’attaque des bombardiers en piqué américains et de leurs frappes, avec schémas des impacts.
Reviewed in France on April 23, 2020
Ce livre tire les leçons de la bataille de la mer de Corail : celui qui trouve l'autre le 1er et tire le 1er avec tous ses bombardiers en piqué, gagne. il faut avoir aussi ses pétroliers sous la main, pour refaire le plein en temps et en heure.
La bataille de Midway a été une corrida : de 7h à 10h20, les avions de Midway et les avions torpilleurs des porte-avions américains ont posé des banderilles non-stop, puis en 6 minutes les SBD Dauntless, bombardiers en piqué solides des porte-avions américains ont coulé 3 porte-avions japonais.
Le livre offre de beaux portraits de NIMITZ, HALSEY, SPRUANCE, ROCHEFORT. SPRUANCE, homme des canons, est bien conseillé par BROWNING qu'il a hérité de HALSEY, NAGUMO, homme des torpilles, l'est mal par GENDA.
Les pages 250-252 présentent le moment-clé : le 4 juin 1942, les Japonais sont repérés à 6h03 et, à l'instigation de BROWNING, SPRUANCE lance une attaque en masse.
Page 136 : NIMITZ a plus de Dauntless que les Japonais n'ont de bombardiers en piqué et aussi 32 PBY Catalina, de reconnaissance et de sauvetage, à long rayon d'action (dont certains avec radar) contre 8 avions de reconnaissance pour les Japonais, employés à contre-temps.
Le combat courageux des chasseurs obsolètes de Midway est palpitant.
Le cinéaste FORD, présent à Midway, confirme que les 3 pistes en triangle sont peu touchées par le bombardement japonais.
Le torpillage du Yorktown par TANABE, le capitaine du sous-marin japonais I-168 agissant sur ordre de YAMAMOTO, montre de la part de ce capitaine un exceptionnel sens tactique.
Par rapport au superbe DVD "Midway" d'EMMERICH de 2019 : LAYTON donne bien à NIMITZ, à l'avance, cap, distance et horaire de la flotte japonaise prévisibles pour le 4 juin 1942 au matin, il y a bien des tueurs japonais de prisonniers américains. Par contre, EMMERICH fusionne 2 amiraux en 1 : UGAKI et YAMAGUCHI.
Le plus surprenant est que la presse japonaise crie victoire et que l'Armée américaine, dont aucune des 300 bombes de B-17 n'a mis un coup au but, revendique la victoire pour elle !
Lorsque j'avais 10 ans, je dévorais "Le survivant du Pacifique", de Georges BLOND, sur le porte-avions Enterprise de 41 à 45, en collection Rouge et Or. Je collectionne les ouvrages sur les porte-avions de la guerre du Pacifique (dont "Les porte-avions de la seconde guerre mondiale" de Jean MOULIN et "Le raid de Doolittle Le premier bombardement américain du Japon" de Clayton CHUN) et sur le Dauntless ("SBD Dauntless in action" by Robert C.Stern). J'ai une maquette de Dauntless dans mon salon. Suite à l’achat du magnifique DVD « Midway » d’EMMERICH de 2019, je me suis replongé dans la bataille de Midway, pour mieux tout comprendre de ce beau film, en achetant :
"Pacific payback" de Stephen L.MOORE : livre passionnant sur le cursus et le vécu des aviateurs de l'Enterprise de Pearl Harbor à Midway avec un superbe album photos et de bonnes cartes des îles attaquées.
« The final secret of Pearl Harbor » du contre-amiral Robert A.THEOBALD, sur ROOSEVELT responsable des 2403 morts.
« The first South Pacific campaign » de John B.LUNDSTROM, sur la période du 7 décembre 1941 au 4 juin 1942 : SPRUANCE retiendra la leçon de la Mer de Corail, à savoir « Le 1er qui repère l’autre et qui tire avec ses bombardiers en piqué gagne » !
« Joe Rochefort’s war » d’Elliot CARLSON, sur les casseurs de codes.
« Midway l’incroyable victoire » de Walter LORD, ouvrage détaillé.
« La bataille de Midway » de Michel HERUBEL, ouvrage détaillé et complémentaire.
« Miracle at Midway » de Gordon W.PRANGE, ouvrage détaillé en anglais, très bien écrit et très agréable à lire.
« Juin 1942 La bataille de Midway Le tournant de la guerre du Pacifique » de Mark HEALY, ouvrage très bien illustré, intéressant, avec quelques erreurs de légendes.
« Shattered sword The untold story of the Batlle of Midway », de Jonathan PARSHALL et Anthony TULLY, somme exhaustive et très technique, documentée sur le détail de l’attaque des bombardiers en piqué américains et de leurs frappes, avec schémas des impacts.




