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Miracle at Midway Kindle Edition

by Gordon W. Prange (Author), Donald M. Goldstein (Author), Katherine V. Dillon (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,693 ratings
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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.
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  1. Print length
    732 pages
  2. Language
    English
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  4. Publisher
    Open Road Media
  5. Publication date
    May 6, 2014
  6. File size
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“A gripping and convincing account.” —Philadelphia Inquirer
 
“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

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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00JOW20UI
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Open Road Media; Reissue edition (May 6, 2014)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 6, 2014
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 21172 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 732 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,693 ratings

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  1. Gordon William Prange

    Gordon William Prange

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    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.

    See more on the author's page
  2. Donald M. Goldstein

    Donald M. Goldstein

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    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.

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  3. Katherine V. Dillon

    Katherine V. Dillon

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    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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Customer reviews

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Top reviews from the United States

Blu
5.0 out of 5 stars SUPERLATIVE.
Reviewed in the United States on September 30, 2023
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Have read many books regarding WWII Midway, but this one clearly surpasses all others. In fact, this notable synopsis is the sequel to the incomparable "At Dawn We Slept: The Untold Story Of Pearl Harbor" which is the unequivocal composition regarding the unprovoked surprise Pearl Harbor attack and the destruction of the U.S. Pacific Naval Fleet. Moreover, the former provides valuable biographical information concerning key American/Japanese higher command figures who are mentioned in this episode. An astonishing depth of research. Further, fascinating dialogue describing, in minute details, the plans/preparations/engagements from both American and Japanese perspectives regarding the epic WWII Pacific battle which decisively blunted the seemingly invincibility of Japan. (General Billy Mitchell is clearly vindicated by the inescapable sinkings of Japanese carriers by planes -- his unwavering premise of the value of planes sinking ships -- for which he had been court-martialed, and found guilty years earlier.) Prior to Midway after the infamous Coral Sea Battle, the Japanese press concluded: "...the American losses suffered in the latest battle ... suggests the doomed collapse of the United States" (p. 48). Midway proved otherwise.
7 people found this helpful
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AMP
5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Fantastic!
Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2020
Verified Purchase
Books about war are hit or miss for me. Many delve too deeply into minutiae to be readable. Others strive so hard to tell a human story that you never get a good feel for what really happened. This book not only reaches the perfect balance on those issues, it manages to convey a massive amount of information while telling a very interesting and compelling story.

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.
9 people found this helpful
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rico567
4.0 out of 5 stars Brings out the "fog of war."
Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2019
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The book is well-written, highly readable, and obviously well-researched. I read Walter Lord's "Incredible Victory" many years ago, and since have read several other accounts, both from the intelligence war perspective and in the overall sweep of the Pacific War.
This book does a good job of bringing out a tactical picture where both sides were doing what was expected of them, and the things that went wrong. What stands out is the Japanese ineffective scouting prior to the battle, and the Japanese fighters being pulled down to low altitude by the U.S. torpedo bombers, allowing the dive bombers to deliver their fatal blow nearly unmolested.
On the strategic level, while other books dwell on our breaking the Japanese code, this book does a far better job of portraying two sides feeling their way toward each other, lacking information about the other in ways inconceivable today. "Miracle at Midway" shows very well that if a few elements had proceeded otherwise than they did, the battle could have turned out differently.
An excellent read for anyone who has even a moderate interest in World War II.
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John Makilya
5.0 out of 5 stars IS wind in Second World War
Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2024
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The book gives a great account of the miracle at the Midway at the Second World War.
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Avery Abernethy
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Coverage of US Forces at Midway
Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2020
Verified Purchase
The author is the one who wrote "At Dawn We Slept" sort of. He died while finishing up all of the research and interviews. His staff finished up the book.

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.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Mr C Howells
5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent introduction to this epic battle
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 7, 2022
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A well-written, balanced and comprehensive account of Midway. Usefully, the book examines the battle from the perspective of both sides. It is a real page-turner. Like so many military books, the maps are simply not good enough. There was also quite a few typos, including a table which adds 27 and 115 to give 348 US aircraft. Nevertheless, I would recommend this book as a first-rate introduction to a momentous battle.
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Calanus
5.0 out of 5 stars Historic naval battle from both Japanese and US viewpoints
Reviewed in Canada on August 30, 2020
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Excellent documentation of a long-ago fought sea battle. Not that long in years but viewed from today's warfare strategy it could be from the dark ages. Excellent read and gives one a good view of what things were like "back then" Detailed, as all good historical works are but a worthwhile investment in time if you are interested in this genre.
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Je refuse la censure sur le contenu même des livres achetés et commentés
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent livre en anglais, très bien écrit, lecture très agréable, détail des combats documenté
Reviewed in France on April 23, 2020
Verified Purchase
Ce livre, de 559 pages denses, est écrit en un anglais très riche : j'ai cherché une vingtaine de mots dans le dictionnaire, ce que je fais rarement quand je lis, par exemple, Tom CLANCY.
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.
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Je refuse la censure sur le contenu même des livres achetés et commentés
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent livre en anglais, très bien écrit, lecture très agréable, détail des combats documenté
Reviewed in France on April 23, 2020
Ce livre, de 559 pages denses, est écrit en un anglais très riche : j'ai cherché une vingtaine de mots dans le dictionnaire, ce que je fais rarement quand je lis, par exemple, Tom CLANCY.
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.
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Juan P
4.0 out of 5 stars Buen libro, pero con investigación parcialmente obsoleta
Reviewed in Mexico on July 18, 2017
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Buen libro, pero con investigación parcialmente obsoleta ya que aunque las fuentes norteamericanas son excelentes las referencias japonesas que ya han sido desacreditadas.
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Mr Roger P Ward
5.0 out of 5 stars Very good.
Reviewed in Australia on May 31, 2021
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