Zimm, Alan D.
Attack on Pearl Harbor: Strategy, Combat, Myths, Deceptions
Havertown, PA: Casemate, 2011
Binding: Hardcover
Pages: 464
Recommended Reading selection
See also more books on the same topic(s):
Pearl Harbor raid, December 1941
Pearl Harbor raid, December 1941: Intelligence, deception, and conspiracies
See also references to this book:
Reference in news archive December 2010
Reference in news archive May 2011
Reference in book review/survey January 2012
Notes from Stone & Stone
Everything you know is wrong! Without becoming mired in controversies about conspiracies and nefarious schemes, Zimm's research demolishes myth after myth involving men, aircraft, bombs, torpedoes, battleships, and midget submarines.
Feedback from visitors
Feedback from Bainbridge on Thursday, 12 May 2011
Rates this book: 
This book is certainly on the list of essential reading about the Pearl Harbor attack. For the first time it analyzes the attack from the Japanese perspective, examining the Japanese strategy, planning process and plans, briefing, objectives, weapons and weapons effectiveness. It is marvelously documented and exhibits a profound knowledge of WW II combat systems. Most importantly, it comes to conclusions that are the opposite of what most historians have found: that attack was not well planned, it was not state of the art of aviation of the period, the accuracy of the torpedo attack and the dive bombing attack against the fleet was poor, the plan was inflexible and had a number of serious flaws, and lots more. I was particularly amused when the author addresses some of the myths surrounding the attack. My favorite is when the author includes about a dozen quotes where other historians state that a third wave attack against the shipyard would have been devastating and would have forced the US fleet to withdraw to California, and then in one deft calculation proves that the Japanese did not have the firepower to come anywhere near destroying the shipyard. In all, I found this book to be absolutely fascinating. It is written in a style that is easyly-accessible and great fun to read. The author has obviously done a huge amount of research, and it shows. Overall, this book will surely become one of the top five books ever written about Pearl Harbor, and will likely come to the top of those, since it reveals some of the errors contained in books that have formerly been considered to be Pearl Harbor essential reading. I highly recommend this book - five stars.
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