No Battleship has yet been sunk by bombs!

books:

	• Day of Infamy, 60th Anniversary: The Classic Account of the Bombing of Pearl Harbor Walter Lord Holt Paperbacks, 2001 - 256 pages average customer review:based on 28 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

The Common People's Pearl Harbor

In "Day Of Infamy" Walter Lord gives the reader an insight into the events of December 7, 1941 as seen through the eyes of the participants themselves, Japanese and American, naval, military and civilian. Someone did extensive research for this book. Although the brass are not ignored, most of the observations reported are those of the common people involved. We read the observations of Japanese admirals, pilots and a midget submarine captain. On the American side we see through the eyes of sailors who barely escaped from ships, who struggled to return to their posts and who responded with anti-aircraft fire. Soldiers and airmen, both those on the ground and those flying into the war, tell their stories. Housewives seeking shelter and searching for their children and contribute their the stories. The impressions of children also add to the richness of the book.

I found particular interest in the misconceptions which occurred during and after the raid. Knowing what we know now, the extent of disbelief is surprising, but understandable. The number of service personnel and civilians who thought that the raid was a drill in which live ammunition was mistakenly used is shocking. Many thought that Naval and Air Corps personnel would be in real trouble. After the raid the wild rumors of further attacks and invasions seems incredible, but it is understandable given the shock of the attack.

At the end, Lord sums up the impact that the assault had on American attitudes toward the war in general and toward Japan in particular.

There are better sources for the big picture of Pearl Harbor, the story of the damage done to the fleet and the impact of the attack meant on the course of the war. "Day Of Infamy" is the place to look for the story of the participants whose lives were forever changed on December 7, 1941.

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No Battleship has yet been sunk by bombs!

The full quote is "It is significant that despite the claims of air enthusiasts no battleship has yet been sunk by bombs."

Those telling words appeared next to a photograph of the USS Arizona at sea and were printed in a US Army-Navy pamphlet dated 29 November 1941.

Just 8 Days later the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour in what President Roosevelt later called "This day of Infamy." During that attack the Arizona exploded and sank at her berth after receiving a direct hit from a Japanese bomb. Today the USS Arizona remains the permanent war grave for the 1,102 men who perished on board that ship that day.

My copy of this book was published in 1957. Since that time, many new avenues of research have opened for historians. One, of course, is the advent of the internet. Another is also the release of material after whatever 30 or 50 year rule were put in place. In other words, this author neither had the facilities afforded by the internet nor was he allowed access to some of the material which is available today - something which makes this book all the more remarkable for its content.

Author and historian Walter Lord clearly understood the art of research and put his skills to the best possible use in producing this book. It is an excellent work. With photographs used for the very first time, we have a moment-by-moment account of the attack and how it affected people on the ground.

This really was infamous for several reasons; Firstly the Japanese had not delivered any formal declaration of war against the USA. By not making such a declaration, US Forces had not been placed on a war footing and were, therefore, going about their duties - just as they would during any time of peace. Finally, not content with the knowledge they would be catching the US Fleet "unawares," the Japanese also chose to attack on a Sunday morning - a time when US forces would, for the most part, be enjoying a day off.

Infamy is one word, cowardly is another and, of all the accounts I have read, this ranks amongst the very best.

NM

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No Battleship has yet been sunk by bombs!

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Pearl Harbor blow by blow.

Day of Infamy by Walter Lord is an excellent book and personal favorite since I was a kid. Growing up, I was always fascinated by Navy Ships and who wouldn't love a Battleship. Of course the names of the USS Arizona, USS Oklahoma and USS Nevada became ingrained in my memory after watching Tora, Tora, Tora, the movie about the attack on Pearl Harbor and reading Day of Infamy.

Walter Lord spells out the stories of both the attackers and the defenders on a step by step basis. Everyone is shown doing there duty to there service and nation. Some books focus on the Commanders and the descriptions of battle, but Day of Infamy tries to tell a little of everyone's story. He shows the Japanese preparing for battle from the Aviation side to the Submariner side. Their doubts, nervousness and pride before battle. Then he shows how the Americans are given warning after warning, but all the pieces are never put together until after the bombs fall.

Walter Lord then tells the stories of both Officer and Enlisted and how each reacted initially, then how they coped, survived or even died. He explains it from the perspective of the sailors aboard the ships, to the Army personnel at the airfields and even to the civilian workers. He also gives some insight into the terror and coping of the wives of the military.

All in all, this book tries to tell the story of war from all those involved without getting into right or wrong. A great read to answer the why, how and what exactly happened. He includes great photos and a map of the ship placement in Pearl Harbor. This is a great book and must have for anyone looking for info on the battle of Pearl Harbor.

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A solid read

I think this book really gives an immediacy to the pearl harbor attack that brings it to exciting and tragic life. The hour by hour chapter structure and detailed info from interviews with survivors helps to accomplish this sense of immediacy. Some of the naval vessels may not be familiar to modern readers without some sort of military knowledge, but this is a worthwhile read nonetheless.

reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

A special 60th anniversary edition of the bestselling re-creation of the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, by the author of A Night to Remember.

Sunday, December 7, 1941, was, as President Roosevelt said, "a date which will live in infamy." Day of Infamy is a fascinating account of that unforgettable day's events. In brilliant detail Walter Lord traces the human drama of the great attack: the spies behind it; the Japanese pilots; the crews on the stricken warships; the men at the airfields and the bases; the Japanese pilot who captured an island single-handedly when he could not get back to his carrier; the generals, the sailors, the housewives, and the children who responded to the attack with anger, numbness, and magnificent courage.

In piecing together the saga of Pearl Harbor, Lord traveled over fourteen thousand miles and spoke or corresponded with over five hundred individuals who were there. He obtained exclusive interviews with members of the Japanese attacking force and spent hundreds of hours with the Americans who received the blow -- not just the admirals and generals, but enlisted men and families as well. He visited each of the Hawaiian bases attacked and pored over maps, charts, letters, diaries, official files, newspapers, and some twenty-five thousand pages of testimony, discovering a wealth of information that had never before been revealed. Day of Infamy is an inspiring human document and the best account we have of one of the epic events in American history.

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