Eagle against the Sun

Ronald Spector’s Eagle against the Sun is both the best one-volume history of the Pacific theater of World War II I have encountered as well as a model for other operational histories. As with most other ambitious operational accounts – particularly for subjects as vast as the Pacific campaign – this is primarily a narrative rather than analytical account, and its strength lies not in new interpretations or revelations of previously undisclosed information. (Spector did take a strong position on some contested areas, however, including a solid debunking of MacArthur’s “genius.”) Spector did make several well-documented arguments based on his research. First, Spector argued that the American two-pronged approach was the show more product of interservice rivalries – neither the army nor the navy wanted to have their forces commanded by a member of the other service – and because MacArthur, as a towering figure in the public eye, had to be given a command. The two-pronged strategy thus emerged as a solution to these problems rather than as a strategy that was initially preferred. Second, Spector argued that victory over Japan was less a matter of strategic brilliance than a result of efficient logistical solutions and resource allocations. The Americans’ resource constraints heavily shaped their strategic decisions and led to a war of attrition, eventually leading to the defeat of Japan. This is an eminently readable (exciting, even) and thorough account of a complex set of operations. This may not be a definitive history in the sense that a multi-volume history could provide another level or two of detail beyond this work, but Spector’s well-organized and -synthesized account made as few compromises as are necessary to fit the war into a single volume. It is also important to note the book’s subtitle: The American War with Japan. This volume contains the American perspective on the war; those looking for a truly comparative account of the war will have to look elsewhere (I am skeptical that such a work even exists, however).

High recommended.

Review copyright 2009 J. Andrew Byers show less

Very informative, this book helps to provide a good overview of the Pacific Theater of WW2. The author helps to provide a good picture of the different dynamics, highs, lows, and struggles on both sides in the ward. Additionally, the book is thoroughly researched, with lists of sources and citations being scattered throughout.

I read Ronald Spector’s one-volume history of the American war against Japan in honor of last month’s VJ day.
Spector’s book received acclaim when it was published in 1985. He covers, in 589 pages, the Pacific conflict from pre-war planning to the conclusion of the war. In doing so, he must strike a balance between detail of action, strategic political decisions, intelligence and logistics.

He does this well and the book is easy reading. I found an appropriate balance between background behind the strategic and political decisions made (Why were we in Guadalcanal anyway?) and the salt spray of action in the air, jungles and on the seas. The advances across the Pacific rightly receive prime attention but action in China, India, and show more Burma are not neglected.

As a survey of the Pacific war, I recommend it.

As I read it, I found myself wondering how those images of leadership color our thinking now and how true were they. For example, we hear about Lieutenant Colonel Chesty Puller’s First Battalion, Seventh Marines critical defense against superior numbers of Japanese at the airfield on Guadalcanal. Yet, how much of that was accomplished by top down direction and how much was accomplished by deliberate planning, and distributed decision making by small elements of Marines in their individual foxholes?
I also found myself wanting more information on the industrial decisions made in wartime America. When and why did were the key decisions about the B-29 made? What about the Essex class carrier? I’m looking for a good follow-up read here.

The most exciting book I’ve read about the Pacific war is the recent Shattered Sword, The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway by Jonathan Parshall and Anthony Tully. It covers a specific battle but the depth of research is eye-opening and myth-busting! show less

Eagle against the Sun by Ron Spector turned out to be quite an informative book about some little known areas; Burma, Thailand, New Guinea, coastwatchers and submarines as well as interesting insights into the MacArthur vs Nimitz issues that were part of the Pacific scene. Well written with good documentation, at the end of each chapter, and seeded nicely with apt personal vignettes.

I think this is the best one-volume on the Pacific War that I have ever read. Wonderful Folio Society edition.

There were a few repetitive moments between chapters when the same factoid was presented or same transition repeated between events, but overall a great read - tore through it over a holiday weekend.

This is a generally excellent history of the Pacific theater in WWII from the (mostly) US perspective. Well written, carefully researched and thoroughly documented, it is exceptional as a bibliographical resource for further study.

I am sure there will always be dozens of both major and minor issues we, decades later, Monday morning quarterbacks who were not even there can debated but I would consider assessments and judgements in this book to be well balanced - with a couple of exceptions. Though Spector reports some of the tragedies stemming from the massively arrogant egos of too many ranking US officers resulting in inefficient command structures and foolish rivalries causing untold numbers of lost military as well as civilian lives show more he seems to excuse these as acceptable characteristics of war. Some of these desirve at least moral condemation. On another level of morality the decision to use the atomic bomb is a bottomless quagmire of issues but I think Spector gave short shrift to argument that dropping the bombs ended the war more quickly thanavailable any "not dropping" options available to the US and saved many lives both US and Japanese. show less

In the 1960s Macmillan began publishing a series entitled "The Macmillan Wars of the United States." Written by some of the nation's leading military historians, its volumes offered surveys of the various conflicts America had fought over the centuries, the strategies employed, and the services which fought them. Ultimately fourteen volumes were published over two decades, with many of them still serving as excellent accounts of their respective subjects.

As the last book published in the series, Ronald Spector's contribution to it serves as a sort of capstone to its incomplete efforts. In it he provides an account of the battles and campaigns waged by the United States against Japan in the Second World War, from the prewar planning and show more the assumptions held in the approach to war to the deployment of the atomic bombs that ended it. In between the covers all of the major naval battles and island-hopping campaigns in the Pacific, as well as America's military efforts in the China-Burma-India theater. He rounds out his coverage with chapters discussing both the social composition of the forces America deployed and the complex intelligence operations against the Japanese, ones that extended beyond the now-famous codebreaking efforts that proved so valuable.

Though dated in a few respects, overall Spector's book serves as a solid single-volume survey of the war waged by the United States against Japan. By covering the efforts against the Japanese in mainland Asia, he incorporates an important aspect of the war too often overlooked or glossed over in histories of America's military effort against the Japanese, one that often influenced developments elsewhere in the theater. Anyone seeking an introduction to America's war with Japan would be hard pressed to find a better book, which stands as a great example of what Macmillan set out to accomplish when they first embarked upon the series. show less