I read Barrett Tillman's Whirlwind: The Air War Against Japan 1942-1945 because, as I've mentioned before, I have sort of an interest in World War 2 aviation*. I don't think it was quite what I was expecting. I was expecting more of a focus on overall tactical decisions, and the problems faced, and there is some of that. However, the book feels more focused on specific missions (with a nod to how they factored into an overall strategy). The parts that do refer to the larger strategy and logistics problems were things I'd read in books I read over a decade ago.
I did appreciate the parts which discussed how unprepared Japan was to defend itself against the sort of bombardment it was subjected to once the United States had the B-29 (and once they had a base close enough they could reach some worthwhile targets). That's one thing most books I've read haven't touched on. The texts will frequently discuss the different forms of bombing: night, day, "strategic**", area bombing, precision, and there'll likely be mention of how the prewar belief that bombers didn't need fighter escort was completely mistaken, but there's rarely much discussion from the defensive point of view***. Here we get the challenges of trying to catch a B-29, of trying to adjust to a change in the U.S.'s tactics (they started coming in very low, at night, instead of at high altitude during the day), and most interestingly, the state of Japan's preparations in case of fire, which unfortunately for them, were not up to snuff.
I didn't find his final chapter, which focuses largely on whether to drop the atomic bombs or not, particularly useful, since it felt like a lot of editorializing. That wasn't what I was reading the book for. Otherwise, I don't have any complaints about his writing-style.
* I'm pretty sure I mention that every time I review a book about that topic, but since those reviews are usually a year or more apart, maybe that makes sense.
** The U.S. talked a lot about strategic high altitude bombing, but it's a bunch of bunk. They were entirely too inaccurate for most of the war. The British were much more honest when they talked of area bombing, because that was really the best they could hope for.
*** With Wings Like Eagles was an exception, because it was about British Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain, so it was naturally focused on the defender's side.
2 comments:
I wish I still had time to sit down and read a good book like this, it sounds fascinating.
There were some parts that were very interesting, because they remind that it's not just big battles that win wars. There was a raid that sank coal-carrying ferrys coming from Hokkaido, and laying mines in the passage into major harbors.
I kind of want to read more about the missions from the Aleutians, which he only mentioned in an Appendix.
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