BOOKS,
MOVIES, AND VIDEOS ON THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY
AND
RELATED TOPICS
Listed here are most of the
important references on the Battle of Midway, plus a number of secondary works
that anyone with a desire to learn about the battle may find interesting or
useful.
Books are listed in numerical order by their
approximate value as a Battle of Midway reference, as determined by feedback
from Roundtable members.
Note: The mention
or linking of various resources for purchasing books or other media is intended
only as a convenience to our members and not as an endorsement of any such
resource.
Please report any errors,
browser problems, or bad links on this page to the BOMRT moderator, or just click here.
(ranked
in approximate order of value as a Battle of Midway reference)
1: A Glorious
Page in Our History
by Robert Cressman and others (1990)
A
Glorious Page is considered by most members of the BOMRT to be the
essential reference on the Battle of Midway.
It was produced by a group of military historians who felt that nothing
then available provided full and accurate coverage of all of the important
elements of the battle. If you can only
afford one book on the Battle of Midway, Roundtable members will tell you to
get this one.
2:
Shattered Sword: the Untold Story of the Battle of Midway
by Jonathan Parshall and Anthony Tully
(2005)
The title of this book is a little misleading, for
it’s not another overall history of the battle. Instead, it is a definitive new work on the Imperial Japanese Navy
(IJN) at Midway, compiled with a thoroughness of research, documentation, and
perceptive analysis not previously seen.
The graphics are outstanding, with computer-generated charts and
diagrams that ably support and augment the text. Shattered Sword can justifiably be labeled as the new
essential resource on the Japanese side of the Battle of Midway, supplanting
Fuchida & Okumiya’s Midway, the Battle That Doomed Japan for that
honor. Indeed, Parshall and Tully
demonstrate that many of the points made by Fuchida were less than truthful,
tainted for the Japanese audience for whom the book was originally
written. For more on Shattered Sword,
please see the book’s web site.
3:
Incredible Victory
by Walter Lord
(1967)
Walter
Lord’s book is considered by most to be the classic reference on the Battle of
Midway. Virtually every known resource
available to the public in both the U.S. and Japan was meticulously researched
by the author, resulting in a superb and highly accurate accounting of the
battle. Its faults are few and minor,
and can generally be attributed to the limits of known and unclassified
information in 1967.
4:
And I Was There
by Rear Admiral
Edwin T. Layton (1985)
Layton was the
Pacific Fleet Intelligence Officer throughout the war. And I Was There is the whole story of
the U.S. communications intelligence effort prior to Pearl Harbor and
thereafter. The successes (and some failures)
of our ComInt forces prior to Pearl Harbor, Coral Sea, Midway, and the
interception of Admiral Yamamoto’s flight are detailed in depth. ComInt was the essential key to victory at
Midway, and this book tells the whole story completely and accurately. A few very minor points have proven subject
to correction or debate, but they do not detract from the book’s essential
value.
5:
The First Team
by John
Lundstrom (1984; revised 2nd edition 1990)
The
First Team is 560 pages of amazingly detailed fine print, covering everything one
might want to know about "Pacific Naval Air Combat from Pearl Harbor to
Midway" (the subtitle). John
Lundstrom knows this topic (U.S. naval aviation history) extremely well and his
writing shows it—the book is essentially devoid of the common errors found in
other works. The only reason it is not
higher on the list is because the Battle of Midway only comprises the last
chapter of the book, about 140 pages.
Nevertheless, its Midway chapter is widely regarded as one of the most
accurate accounts of the battle.
This review is based on the original 1984
edition. The author advises that the
second edition has some updates on the Battle of the Coral Sea, but the Midway
section is basically unchanged.
6:
Miracle at Midway
by Gordon W.
Prange (1982)
This
book has been the number one best seller among those that are exclusively
focused on the Battle of Midway, although it is not technically nor
historically the best of them. That
explains its ranking behind several other works. It does provide a good narrative description of the battle,
reading more like an interesting novel than a history reference. Knowledgeable readers will find a number of
minor errors in the text (and perhaps a couple of major ones), but most will
still find it highly interesting and an essential component of any Midway
library. The “Chronology” (timeline) at
the end of the book is a particularly useful resource.
7:
The Japanese Story of the Battle of Midway
U.S. Navy
publication OPNAV P32-1002 (1947)
This
is the official Japanese after-action report on the Battle of Midway. It includes a detailed chronology of each
event during the battle, and there is an abundance of supporting graphics,
charts, and tables. This work has
served as a fundamental resource for most of the books written about the
battle. It's readily available on the
Internet—to access it directly, click here.
8:
The Last Flight of Ensign C. Markland Kelly, Junior, USNR
by Bowen P.
Weisheit (1996)
Why
did all but one squadron (VT-8) from the USS Hornet fail to find the
Japanese carriers on the morning of 4 June 1942, while planes from Enterprise,
Yorktown, and Midway Atoll had no such problem? Bowen Weisheit, an experienced aerial navigator, presents
important new evidence in this fascinating study, culminating in a detailed
chart showing what he believes to be the true track of each of the ship’s squadrons
on that flight. If your only
understanding of where the Hornet air group flew during the battle comes
from the official record as related by Samuel Elliott Morison and repeated in
best-selling histories of the battle, this book may be an important revelation. For a look at Weisheit's constructed chart
plus a discussion of photos appearing in the book, click here.
As of September 2007, the book is available directly from the author for $25.00, which includes U.S. shipping. Sales to other countries are also invited; contact the author for details:
Mr. Bowen P. Weisheit
2636 Calvary Rd
Bel Air MD 21015-6616 USA
Phone 410-836-2593
9:
Black Shoe Carrier Admiral: Frank Jack Fletcher at Coral
Sea, Midway, and Guadalcanal
by John
Lundstrom (2006)
Lundstrom’s
latest book nicely complements The First Team (above). Its focus is the leadership of Admiral
Fletcher in the crucial carrier battles during the war’s first year, including
Midway. The author’s exhaustive
research into primary sources reveals a view of Fletcher that effectively
counters the highly critical opinions expressed by other writers and some of
Fletcher’s peers in the Navy.
The
book includes a significant bonus of importance to students of the BOM. Lundstrom offers a highly reasonable theory
as to why the Hornet’s squadrons flew their curious and futile course on
the first day of the battle, as described in Bowen Weisheit’s book
(above). Neither Weisheit nor other
historians to this point had offered a supportable rationale for the Hornet air
group commander’s failure to follow Enterprise and Yorktown planes
to the enemy fleet, but Lundstrom may have hit the mark in this book. (Readers will find it discussed on p. 248.)
10:
No Right to Win: a Continuing Dialogue with Veterans of the
Battle of Midway
by Ronald W.
Russell (2006)
FULL
DISCLOSURE: No Right to Win and
this brief review were both written by this site’s webmaster. That said, I have objectively attempted to
rank it at a level that is warranted by reader feedback plus the nature of its
content. The book has been unanimously
endorsed by the Roundtable’s Midway veterans, which merits a preferred
placement on this list. But it is
highly dependent upon several of the works appearing above it, so it cannot be
ranked ahead of them.
No Right to Win is a
compilation of eight years of veteran anecdotes and reminisces on the
Roundtable and the understandings (some of them quite new) that can be derived
from them. All of the principal
subjects explored and often vigorously debated on the Roundtable over the years
are covered in depth. Anyone having an
interest in both the BOM and the Roundtable itself will find the book to be an
essential primer on each. For more
information, click here.
11:
Marines at Midway
by R. D. Heinl
(1948)
The
whole story of the Corps at Midway. You
can view or download it on the Internet, although the book version has more
coverage, including Wake Island.
For the web version, click here.
12:
Midway: Dauntless Victory
by Peter C.
Smith (2007)
This
is British author Smith’s second attempt at a Midway history (see below), and
the only resemblance between it and his earlier work is his name on the
cover. The new book is a thorough
accounting of all aspects of the battle plus its impact on nearly every nation
engaged in World War II. It was
exhaustively researched through veteran interviews and archive examination in
both the U.S. and Japan. It excels in
the depth of its analysis of virtually every facet of the battle and of
virtually any circumstance in history for which the battle has some degree of
relevance.
Since the book is largely Smith’s personal
perspectives, it unavoidably contains a number of opinions that some historians
will find arguable, if not downright wrong.
There are also an unusually large number of typographical and structural
errors. But such issues are minor in
the broad scope of an enormous body of work.
The book ranks favorably among the most useful histories of the Battle
of Midway.
13:
The Barrier and the Javelin: Japanese and Allied Strategy,
February-June 1942
by H. P.
Willmott (1983)
This book was
enthusiastically endorsed by Jon Parshall as the source for much of his own
understanding of Imperial Japanese Naval strategy and planning. He rates it among his top three references
on the Battle of Midway exclusive of his own book, Shattered Sword (which
Roundtable members in general rate as number 2; see above). Other reviewers, i.e. on Amazon.com, echo
Jon’s praise of The Barrier and the Javelin, although some take issue
with a few of Willmott’s opinions on what the Japanese could have done in the
way of better strategies.
14:
Midway Inquest: Why the Japanese Lost the Battle of Midway
by Dallas W.
Isom (2007)
The author
presents important new insight to a couple of the BOM’s key details, (1) the
problems faced by the hangar deck crews of the Japanese carriers because of
Admiral Nagumo’s conflicting ordnance change orders, and (2) a new analysis of
the critical role played by the number 4 scout plane from the Japanese cruiser Tone. The painfully laborious procedure for
changing the Japanese Kates from torpedoes to bombs and back to torpedoes was not
adequately understood by Nagumo, which was a key factor in his failure to
launch a counterstrike before the U.S. dive bombers struck. And it turns out that Tone 4’s impact
on the battle was exactly the opposite of what has usually been portrayed in other
works.
These revelations add
significantly to the BOM’s historiography, and are alone reason enough to get
the book. But its supplementary
chapters are also excellent, providing concise overviews of the post-Midway
carrier battles in 1942 as well as a good explanation of America and Japan’s
march to war in the 1930s.
The book does have a number of
flaws regarding technical details and some of the author’s inadequately
supported conclusions, but these are minor complaints that don’t significantly
detract from its core value. Anyone
deeply interested in the BOM will definitely want to read it.
15:
Double-Edged Secrets
by Captain C.
Jasper Holmes (1979)
This book
nicely complements that of Edwin Layton (#4 above), since Jasper Holmes was an insider
in the unit at Pearl Harbor that actually decrypted and analyzed Japanese radio
traffic.
16:
That Gallant Ship
by Robert
Cressman (1985/2000)
That
Gallant Ship is the complete story of USS Yorktown (CV-5), from
its launch in 1936 to its loss at the Battle of Midway in 1942. All of Yorktown's operations in the
Atlantic, in the island raids of early '42, at Coral Sea, and at Midway are
thoroughly covered. The book is
extensively illustrated with photographs.
It's now in its 4th printing (Feb 2000), and the 4th edition includes
photos and text not included in the earlier ones. The format is 8.5 x 11 inches, soft cover.
17:
The Big E
by Edward P.
Stafford (1960)
The
USS Enterprise in WWII. The
whole history of CV-6, including complete coverage its role in the Battle of
Midway. Very highly recommended by
readers.
18:
Combined Fleet Decoded
by John Prados
(1995)
A
very highly regarded, detailed treatise on both U.S. and Japanese
communications intelligence during WWII.
19:
A Priceless Advantage
by Frederick
D. Parker (1993)
The
subtitle of this work is "U.S. Navy Communications Intelligence and the
Battles of Coral Sea, Midway, and the Aleutians." It's freely available in full on the
Internet: click here.
20:
SBD-3 Dauntless; the Battle of Midway
by Daniel
Hernandez (2002)
This
is a very unique and interesting book, published in Spain. The author, Daniel Hernandez, is a Spanish airline
captain who happens to have an intense interest in the Battle of Midway and its
principal weapon, the SBD. The book’s
primary focus, of course, is the SBD itself, but it also provides an in-depth
history of the plane’s finest hour, the Battle of Midway.
First
about the SBD: the diagrams and photographs are simply outstanding,
and there seems to be no end to them. The see-through color line drawings
are especially good. And as for the aforementioned every conceivable
detail: would you like to know the difference between the crankshaft
bearings used in the SBD-3 vs. the SBD-2? Or the number of degrees that
the trim tabs will move up and down? How about the amount of fluid
required to charge the hydraulic system? Or the engine's compression ratio?
The point is, the level of technical detail about the plane and its various
component parts far exceeds anything we’ve seen elsewhere. You're almost led to believe that, using
only this book as a guide, you could assemble an entire Dauntless yourself if
you had all the parts and the necessary tools. In summary, if you want to
dig very deeply into the nuts and bolts of the SBD (all of them!), this is a
book you're going to want to have.
As
for the Battle of Midway, this book isn't the best overall reference you
can find but it does quite a good job of covering the essential details, and
without falling prey to some of the myths and errors found in other
references. For example, the "Midway is short of water" ruse,
commonly mistaken as an attempt to learn the meaning of "AF" in
Japanese ciphers, is correctly explained here. And when a book, movie, or
video gets that part right, it's an indicator that the authors have done their
homework and know what they're talking about. You get that feeling
throughout this volume.
If the book has one noticeable flaw, it's the fact that the author, a Spanish
airline captain, wrote it in Spanish, then directly translated it
into English rather than paraphrasing it into idiomatic English. The
result is Spanish grammar and syntax using English words, and that can be
a bit odd at times. But it's a relatively minor flaw that you can live
with, particularly in view of the book's quality in every other regard.
In summary, Daniel Hernandez has done a very creditable job of relating
the Battle of Midway, and his exhaustive coverage of the SBD Dauntless is
simply something that you're going to have to see yourself to fully appreciate.
The book is sold on-line via the publisher's web
site. Purchasers have reported no problem ordering with a
credit card. The web site gives full details, including a lot of
interesting graphics.
21:
The Unknown Battle of Midway: the Death of the Torpedo
Squadrons
by Alvin
Kernan (2005)
Roundtable member Kernan’s main
focus in this book is the three torpedo squadrons at Midway, VT-8 from the Hornet,
VT-6 from the Enterprise, and VT-3 from the Yorktown. Kernan, who was an enlisted hangar-deck
crewman with VT-6 during the battle, tells a gripping story from the
perspective of one who was there at the time.
Knowledgeable readers will note several minor errors in the text that
should have been caught in the editing process. Nevertheless, the book is very popular among Roundtable members.
22:
Midway: the Battle That Doomed Japan
by Mitsuo
Fuchida and Masatake Okumiya (1955)
Until
the appearance of Shattered Sword (above), this work was long accepted
as the fundamental resource on the Japanese side of the battle, since one
of its authors (Fuchida) personally led the attack on Pearl Harbor and was
present on the Akagi at Midway.
However, new revelations show that Fuchida embellished his tale
significantly for the sake of his primary audience in Japan. But despite the book’s several faults (as
outlined in Shattered Sword), readers may still find it important for
its first-person Japanese view of the battle, however inaccurate it may be in
some of the details.
23:
Sole Survivor
by George Gay
(1979)
George
Gay was a TBD pilot in Torpedo Squadron 8 aboard the USS Hornet and the
only one of 30 pilots and radioman-gunners who survived the squadron's attack
upon the Japanese carriers. As such, he
was both a participant in and an eyewitness to one of the most daring,
aggressive, and sadly futile combat actions in American military history.
It should be noted that Gay's perspective on the
overall battle was rather limited, and he waited 37 years to write his book,
long after his recollection of the details could be considered as fresh. As a result, his text contains a number of
factual errors and a few claims or conclusions that have been contested by
respected historians. However, Gay’s
perspective on his squadron's action was that of one who was there, and therein
lies the value of this book. The last
chapter, focusing entirely on his commanding officer, VT-8 skipper John
Waldron, is especially good.
24:
Midway--Battle for the Pacific
by Edmund L.
Castillo (1968)
Although
this book contains a few of the historical inaccuracies that are typical of
those written in that early era, it actually excels when evaluated
within its own peer group--short treatises on the BOM intended as an overview
rather than a scholarly study.
Indeed, this may be the standard bearer for that group, as Castillo
covers the Midway story concisely but thoroughly, from the establishment of the
atoll as a U.S. possession to the aftermath of the historic battle. As an important bonus, the book has a very
good photo set, including a number of interesting images not generally found in
other works.
25:
Return to Midway
by Robert
Ballard (1999)
Undersea
explorer Ballard's search for the wrecks of Yorktown and Kaga. Published by National Geographic. See also the video version, below.
26:
Midway
by Hugh
Bicheno (2002)
Generally
well written. Includes a listing of all
ships engaged and their disposition after the battle. Compares the differences between Japanese and American cultures,
their intelligence resources, and their ships, planes and other military
hardware. Includes colorful map
graphics, although there are several errors in the placement of certain
defenses on Midway atoll.
27:
God Was at Midway
by Stanford E.
Linzey (1999, re-released in 2005 as The USS Yorktown at Midway)
Many adhere to the belief that the "incredible
victory" at Midway could only have happened as it did through some sort of
supernatural or divine intervention.
That theme is eloquently expressed by Navy chaplain Linzey, a survivor
of the USS Yorktown. His
harrowing tale of escape from the stricken vessel is typical of what a couple
thousand of the ship’s crew and air group experienced on the afternoon of 4
June 1942.
28:
A Battle History of the Imperial Japanese Navy
by Paul Dull
Dull
served in the Office of War Information during the war, and thereafter spent a
number of years researching Japanese archives in order to get a view of the war
as seen from the other side. The book
covers the entire war through 1945, but the 1942-43 segments are particularly
good. Approximately 10% of the book (56
pages) is on the Battle of Midway.
29:
Sunburst
by Mark
Peattie (2002)
Subtitle:
"The Rise of Japanese Naval Air Power, 1909-1941." This book is highly recommended for its
coverage of Japanese training and doctrine, and especially for its very
comprehensive appendices, which are packed with extensive information on key
IJN personnel, organizations, ships and planes, and much more.
30: Midway: Turning Point of the Pacific
by VADM
William Ward Smith (1966)
This narrative is told from an up
close and personal perspective by the commander of the TF-17 screening force
aboard USS Astoria (CA-34). Included is an overview of the period
from December 7, 1941 to the Battle of the Coral Sea, and a summation and
reflection of the post Midway years. The
primary focus is on Coral Sea and Midway.
John Lundstrom, in Black Shoe
Carrier Admiral, p. 512, says Smith picked up his pen about 1965 in
reaction to Samuel Eliot Morison's negativity and lack of knowledge of RADM Fletcher,
and in reaction to Samuel Griffith's total vilification of Fletcher [The
Battle for Guadalcanal, 1965]. In this work Smith is supportive of
Fletcher's approach, tactics, and command decisions at Coral Sea and
Midway. It was Smith's distinct recollection that Nimitz' "calculated
risk" principle existed and was followed.
by Ira Peck
(1976)
This is an excellent choice for
young readers. It tells the story of
the Pacific War from Pearl Harbor to Midway with rare accuracy for a book of
this early vintage. It includes a good
photo set.
32: Rendezvous at Midway: USS Yorktown and the
Japanese Carrier Fleet
by Pat Frank
and Joseph D. Harrington (1967)
Rendezvous
at Midway is a small, easily readable book, but it covers the
essentials in a colorful style. There
is a vivid character to accounts of shipboard and aerial combat that is lacking
in the more lengthy and scholarly works.
Although this book is quite dated, the authors make several editorial
observations that are remarkably consistent with current thinking. For instance, they credit VF-3’s dogfight
with the Japanese CAP as the decisive factor in leaving the SBD formations free
to attack, in contrast to the general view that the torpedo squadrons solely
deserve that credit.
by Peter C. Smith
(1976, 2nd edition 1996)
British author
Smith has produced a concise telling of the Battle of Midway story that in many
regards is among the best of its class (those written in earlier years without
the benefit of recent revelations). It
is told in a casual, informal manner that makes for very easy reading. The book is aided in large measure by some
excellent map graphics and a good photo set.
Unfortunately, it suffers from several errors of detail that will stand
out for any reader who is well informed about the Battle of Midway. But for those seeking only a good overview
of the battle, Smith’s tight little book is a worthy contender.
34:
They Turned the War Around at Coral Sea and Midway
by Stuart
Ludlum (2000)
This
book is the story of Yorktown's air group, from Pearl Harbor to
Midway. There are a number of factual
errors, but readers say the book still gets high marks for its first-person
accounts from Yorktown aviators, particularly at Coral Sea.
35:
Midway 1942: Turning Point in the Pacific
by Mark Healy
(1993)
The main value of this book is its excellent
illustrations of ships and aircraft—modelers will find it particularly
useful. Readers say that it is
relatively poor in other regards.
36: Climax at Midway
by Thaddus
Tuleja (1960)
One reviewer
reports that this book is an “easy read” and covers the story fairly well, but
a lot of the detail that readers are accustomed to seeing in other books is
absent—there is scant mention of the battle on the atoll itself, and almost
nothing concerning the vital role of communications intelligence. It also suffers from the usual inaccuracies
associated with reliance on Midway: the Battle That Doomed Japan (see
above).
37:
The Ship That Held the Line
by Lisle A.
Rose (1995)
Subtitle: "The USS Hornet and the First
Year of the Pacific War." Numerous
readers report that this book has an unusually large number of factual and
technical errors, i.e. incorrect details about the ship and its planes, and
wrong data concerning personnel. But
most give it credit for focusing entirely on the Hornet (CV-8), the only
full-scale book to do so. It tells the Hornet’s
story well enough in general terms, and excels in some regards. Knowledgeable readers will be taken aback by
some of the errors, though.
38:
The USS Enterprise
by Steve Ewing
(1982)
Subtitle: "The Most Decorated Ship of World War
II, A Pictorial History." Another
tribute to the Big E. Extensive photos. Reviewers rate it below Stafford’s The
Big E.
39: The Battle of Midway Island
by Theodore
Taylor (1981)
An exceptionally poor work
in several important regards. The
historical accuracy is worse than its competition and the images are simply
abominable. Among its peer group—brief
treatises on the battle intended for youngsters or as a general overview—this
is a clear last choice.
***
The following are listed for info only and are not ranked. Listed in chronological order. ***
by Charles
Mercer (1942)
Don't confuse this one with the Gordon Prange book by
the same title (see above). It first
came out in 1942, and is therefore possibly the earliest general market work on
the battle. The copyright was renewed
in 1977, at which time it was re-published.
(No additional info available.
Reader reviews invited.)
The Battle of
Midway
by Tom McGowan
(Scholastic Children's Series, 2002)
For ages 9-12.
Has very good reviews on Amazon.com.
***
The following are works of fiction centered on the Battle of
Midway—not ranked. ***