The Battle of Midway is about the events leading up to the actual Battle of Midway which took place on the 4th of June, 1942 during World War II. The book goes into depth about the weapons, innovations, and the major battle culminating eventually in the infamous battle that ended up being a turning point for the allies. The battle was five days long, between the United States and Japan, mere months after the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The surprise bombing of Pearl Harbor initiated the retaliation of the United States as it was called an “unprovoked and dastardly attack” since as far as the U.S. knew, the bombing was the truth behind talks of peace. However, an official declaration of war was sent to the U.S. but did not arrive until it was too late. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, America gathered up what remained of its forces and went on patrol. Meanwhile, most of the battleships sunk at Pearl Harbor were raised from the depths with the exclusion of one of the most famous sunken ships, Arizona. The battleships were repaired and sent on their way along with the rest of the fleet. Nevertheless, the U.S. still did not have a big enough force to combat the Japanese, thus began mass production of aircraft and ships. Previously, a plan was in place to increase the number of ships to treaty limits, but Pearl Harbor interrupted the operation. The aforementioned treaty was meant to limit the amount of weaponry a country could have, the limit being sixty percent of the specific country’s carrying capacity. This treaty was formally renounced by Japan since they saw no way to increase their forces to a point at which they can match the quantity of the U.S. Unfortunately for Japan, the quality of the product was more desired than the American desire of quantity. This set back Japan as they were unable to produce nearly as many planes as the Americans. The novel goes into further depth about the different kinds of airplanes used by each side, eventually moving on to the Battle of the Coral Sea. The Battle of the Coral Sea was crucial in the success of the American forces as the Japanese were planning to capture Fort Moresby in the Midway. The Midway was a specific area designated for certain ships to protect. With the success of the Americans, the Japanese power over the Pacific was officially eliminated. Towards the end of the scripture, the Battle of Midway takes place. The book describes the reactions and tense nature of the situation as the Battle of Midway would set a tone for many battles to come. The battle was hard fought, eventually becoming another American victory and marking a turning point for the entire war. As a whole, the book was not that interesting with its only saving grace being the fact that it is about World War II. I felt as if I were reading words on a page rather than an actual story. There was too much detail on exactly how each piece of machinery worked, listing too many names and exact purposes. The same level of detail crossed over to piloting techniques and the color of the shoes of different officers, which in my opinion was unnecessary. Overall, I would have not enjoyed the book if it were set in a different time period. I would not recommend this book if you dislike history or if you cannot get through a book that is boring even if it is about one of your favorite subjects. The novel was not a total loss but it was not a particularly pleasant read. In the end, I would probably not read this book again.
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