- Paperback: 608 pages
- Publisher: Oxford University Press; Reprint edition (April 30 1999)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0195110382
- ISBN-13: 978-0195110388
- Product Dimensions: 23.4 x 15.5 x 2.8 cm
- Shipping Weight: 912 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
#72,767 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #51 in Books > History > Americas > United States > 20th Century > World War II > Naval
- #51 in Books > History > United States > 20th Century > World War II > Naval
- #51 in Books > History > Military > World War II > Naval
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
With authoritative analysis, and in one volume, Miller majestically relates the history of the last great sea war for the general reader, from the sinking of the passenger ship Athenia on September 3, 1939, to the surrender ceremony aboard the USS Missouri on September 2, 1945. The battle to secure the seas was the one campaign fought from the beginning of the conflict to its conclusion. The narrative covers the major operations of the American, British, Canadian, Soviet, German, Japanese and Italian navies, with recollections by those who manned the ships and planes. Miller's sweeping version of the Battle of the Atlantic?German U-boats versus Allied convoys?confirms that victory went to the Allies when American shipyards succeeded in producing merchant vessels faster than the Germans could sink them. His compelling account of the turning-point Battle of Midway reveals how the supremacy of carrier aircraft as the decisive factor in modern naval warfare was established. Miller is the author of FDR: An Intimate History. History Book Club main selection; BOMC alternate.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
Miller, whose book The U.S. Navy: An Illustrated History (Morrow, 1990. rev. ed.) is used as a text at the Naval Academy, has written a book that is as captivating and intriguing as a novel. It tells all sides of the history of naval warfare during World War II. Each chapter deals with a specific campaign or policy. A positive point of the work is that Miller didn't write a sanitized history. He clearly presents mistakes, both good and bad, and good or bad judgment from all sides. Extensive footnotes provide additional information, anecdotes, and clarifications of official accounts. Essential for libraries dealing with military and American history and highly recomended for other libraries.?Terry Wirick, Erie Cty. Lib. System, Pa.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most helpful customer reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Causal History,
By Whippis (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: War at Sea: A Naval History of World War II (Hardcover)
Solid, general history of the naval war of WWII. Would have liked for the maps to be included in the chapters instead of all grouped at the end. Also, Miller focuses heavily on air power and omits the contributions of the U.S. Submarine force in the pacific theater. The book is slightly to narrative for my tastes and only vaguely touches on the production of naval equipment or the rapid changes in technology and subsequent strategic and tactical changes. For the causal reader.
5.0 out of 5 stars
The best history on WWII naval warfare,
By
This review is from: War at Sea: A Naval History of World War II (Paperback)
I must concur with other reviewers that Nathan Miller's "War at Sea: A Naval History of World War II" is the best history on naval warfare during the Second World War. The book reads like a novel without getting bogged down in details. What I enjoyed most was Miller's recounting of the naval battles that took place during the European war's early years. When most individuals think of naval warfare in the Second World War, they tend to think of the Pacific war - Pearl Harbor, Midway, Leyte Gulf, etc. (for the simple and correct reasoning that the Pacific Ocean's great expanse required strong and large navies to ferry troops, equipment, aircraft, etc.). But Miller does an excellent job of educating the reader about the tremendous naval battles that took place in the Atlantic and Mediterranean. For instance, Britain's pursuit of the Bismark, the destruction of the Italian fleet and, importantly, the U-boat war. Thus, in essence, the European war was as much of a naval war as was the Pacific war. I highly recommend this history to all World War II history readers.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Easy reading, good coverage for a 1-volume history,
By Craig MACKINNON (Thunder Bay, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: War at Sea: A Naval History of World War II (Paperback)
As a 1-volume history of the naval war in all theatres in WWII, this book can by no means be complete or in-depth. However, if you read this book as an introduction to naval warfare, or as a look at the "big picture", this volume does the job very well. It is easy to read, informative, touches on virtually all the important events, and keeps up a good pace. Of course, certain events are relegated to mere footnotes, including the Dieppe raid and the loss of USS Indianapolis (where most of the deaths were from sharks and exposure, not enemy activity) in the interest of timing and length. However, Miller usually points the way to further readings in such cases, if the reader wants to know more. There is an extensive notes section at the end of the book divided by chapter, listing many primary sources, which gives the book a good deal of credibility.His analysis is generally brief as well, which is ideal for a book of this type, where pace important. This doesn't mean it's any less insightful, however. He convincingly argues that the use of the atomic bomb was a strategic, war-ending measure, not just an attempt to scare the Soviet Union; that the refusal of the Japanese to withdraw skilled pilots to train the next generation was a fatal error; and that the industrial might of the combined allies was too much for the Axis - they had to win in the first couple of years or be ultimately worn out. Another important point in praise of this book is the way Miller is careful to point out the involvement of the so-called minor allies. For example, by 1945, Canada had the 3rd largest navy in the world, but because the RCN primarily participated in the Battle of the Atlantic, they get ignored by historians who get caught up in Big Events storytelling. Miller is always very careful to point out these countries' contributions. Unfortunately, there are a few quibbling points that drop the book to 4 stars. First, the maps are conveniently located together at the back of the book, but are never referred to in the text, and are often of too large an area to be useful. For example, a lot of space is devoted to amphibious operations on Guadalcanal, Okinawa, etc., but these islands are merely dots on a "Pacific theatre" map. Even a 1/4 page sketch per island would have been very helpful. Secondly, Miller seems to have a vendetta against Winston Churchill - he is always quick to ridicule Churchill's wild ideas, but never to give credit to his good ones, instead saying, "The British wanted ...." Finally, there's an occasional confusion, such as mixing up the British cruisers Dorsetshire (that sunk the Bismark) and Devonshire. These quibbles do not really detract from the overall enjoyment of the book, however, and it's recommended for any armchair historian interested in the naval aspects of World War II.
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