This is a short book, more of a booklet really at 50 pages, however that doesn’t distract from its usefulness or readability.
Exactly as the title suggests, it covers the events around the battle of Midway on the 4th of June 1942, and as the author suggests in the subtitle, a fairly important one in the Pacific Campaign.
The book doesn’t cover a lot of the rest of the war but does summarise how the battle at Midway came to fought there and the strategic importance of the Battle of Midway, undoubtedly the turning point in the campaign with the losing 4 of their carrier fleet whilst the Americans lost only the one.
The style of writing is good and flowing, going from strategic to tales of individuals with ease. Mention is made of various acts of American heroism, mainly in aircrew who won various medals despite their high losses in aircraft and personnel.
It is not illustrated and there were no maps, at least not in the electronic version I was given to review, however the descriptions within the book covered the main elements and so maps were not essential.
The narrative is a concise summary of the dispositions of opposing forces and the main engagements centring on the aircraft carriers. The various commanders are well described. The author has successfully stuck to the main points and yet has also managed to include some of the finer details.
This book is currently a free download on Amazon and is well worth it.
The author’s contention is that if America had lost Midway then at that point in 1942, it would not have committed any troops or resources to the North African campaign, which would have postponed the eventual Western conquest of Europe but would have had little impact on the Eastern front thus Russia would have invaded even more territory and the face of postwar Europe would have been quite different.
I'd give it 4 Mr Mushroomheads.
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