What are you currently reading ?

[kipt]

Finished "ACE! A Marine Night-Fighter Pilot IN World war II" by COL R. Bruce Porter with Eric Hammel and introduction by "Pappy" Boyington.

Porter joined in December 1939 while he was still in school (USC) and was 19. He became a Naval Cadet but was transferred to the Marines immediately by a Marine Captain who was also recruiting.  When the war started Porter flew F4F's and took a long time before he got into combat in the Pacific.  He had 3 kills but because he had been out so long was rotated back to the States to help train new pilots.

While in the States he volunteered for night fighters and eventually was sent to Okinawa.  He did get two more kills at night to become an Ace.  After the war he stayed in the Marines, eventually going into the Marine Reserve where he advanced to Colonel.

Good story told in the first person.  Shows the trials and tribulations of flying, losing friends to accidents and enemy action.

[kipt]

Finished "Hell By The Acre: A Narrative History of the Stones River Campaign, November 1862-January 1863" by Daniel A. Masters.  This is a great battle book. really into the details.  Good maps, good OB's and many quotes of those involved.

I heartily recommend this book if you are interested in the ACW.  General Sheridan was a division CO in Rosecrans' army and there is a scenario in Regimental Fire and Fury for his action.  Something that I will do later this year.

[paulr]

Finished "Defending Gallipoli - The Turkish Story" by Harvey Broadbent. Another fascinating other side of the hill book, in this case literally the other side of several hills. Broadbent had access to a lot of original Turkish sources and includes several maps from the time. It is interesting seeing the Turks in white and the ANZACs etc in black on the maps.

He quotes the original material extensively ranging from reports from Lieutenants to messages from Enver Pasha, War Minister. He also explores the challenges of mixed Turkish - German command. There are occasional lapses in the quality of the editing but overall a fascinating read for anyone interested in the Gallipoli campaign.

[kipt]

Finished "Civil War Field Artillery:Promise And Performance On The Battlefield" by Earl J. Hess.  Another good book by this author. This is a deep dive into Civil War artillery; guns, fuzes (proper with a 'z'), ammunition, crew, equipment, horses and dispersed vs combined.

He discusses infantry commanders vs battery commanders and how that played out (sometimes good, sometimes bad and sometimes indifferent).  Also discusses the well know artillery commanders; Hunt, Barry, Pendelton, Porter and many more.

[Ithoriel]

Just finished "The Storm Before the Storm: The Beginning of the End of the Roman Republic" by Mike Duncan. Like Rubicon it's  quite a hefty read but not a heavy going one.

If I have a complaint about "The Storm Before the Storm" it is that events from the formation of the First Triumvirate onward feel rushed. Almost as though the author got bored or realised there was a deadline looming.

I'd still recommend both "Rubicon" and "The Storm Before the Storm" to anyone with an interest in the history of the Later Roman Republic.

[kipt]

Finished two Ospreys, "US Fast Battleships 1936-47" by Lawrence Burr, illustrated by Peter Bull, and "The Japanese Army 1931-45 (2)" by Phillip Jowett, illustrated by Stephen Andrew.

Typical with pictures, OB's and descriptions.

[kipt]

Finished "Civil War in the Ozarks" by Phillip W. Steele and Steve Cottrell. Combat, bushwacking, raids, guerrilla warfare in Missouri, Arkansas, the Indian Territory and Kansas. Prior to the ACW there was much trouble between the abolitionists and the slave owners.  When the war started official "sides" were taken/developed.

Several outlaw bands came from the Confederate raiders after the war; Jesse and Frank James, Billy the Kid, Cole Younger and others.Some of the above rode with "Bloody Bill Anderson (killed in the war) and part of Quantrill's bunch.

High level, no tactics for the "regular" actions.

[kipt]

Finished "Japanese Carriers And Victory In The Pacific: The Yamamoto Option" by Martin Stansfeld. A very interesting book on carriers, both Japanese and US and a what if proposal. 

What if the Japanese had concentrated on carriers instead of super battleships?  The author posits that the Japanese could have taken Hawaii given more carriers for the attack and cover for an invasion force. The US could get Hawaii back but late in the game since all US power would have to come from the West Coast.

He also has a scenario for US and British carriers in the Indian Ocean, forcing the Japanese to fight a two ocean war (as did the US with the Atlantic and the Pacific).

Much more than IO have detailed here.  Highly recommended.

[hammurabi70]

Great stuff but I do not think the Japanese had the logistical lift capacity to mount an invasion nor to sustain it once the invasion had been completed.  They had enough difficulty in the Aleutians.

[kipt]

In reality, yes, but in the book there are prior years planning.  Reaching, but plausible.

[paulr]

The Japanese also had major problems sustaining the air groups they had, without extra carriers

Would have taken a massive shift in pilot and aircrew training

[kipt]

Which is also what the author proposes.

[kipt]

Finished "Operation Storm: Japan's Top Secret Submarines And Its Plan To Change The course Of World War II" by John J. Geoghegan. Japan planned these subs to perhaps bomb New York, Washington DC, the gates at the Panama Canal, the anchorage at Ulithi.  Ultimately none of these happened.

The Japanese had submarines that carried a plane for scouting.  These, however, were designed and built, to carry fighter bombers; originally 2 planes but when built, three.  They also modified the "scouting" subs to carry 2 scout planes.  They had planned 10 of the super subs, but due to wartime lack of materials and time, built three; I-400, I-401 and I-402.

The book is the story of the Japanese sub commanders and the pilots, as well as the US submarine people and subs that were involved in the Japanese surrender.

Good story and I heard the author speak at a Naval Order luncheon in San Francisco in November, where my friend purchased a couple of books and gave me one.

[Ithoriel]

Which is also what the author proposes.

I feel a lot of these "what if" scenarios ignore both the ethos of the protagonists and the resources available to them.

Interesting as thought experiments but in practice not a practical alternative.

In this case I don't see how the Japanese could have done this and still remained the Japanese. It would have taken a huge shift in world view and would have required resources the Japanese would have struggled to acquire.