The Battle of Midway is one of the most famous battles of World War II and one of the most famous naval battles in history. It was a turning point in the Pacific War between America and Japan. Most people know of the battle and that it was an overwhelming victory for the United States. Perhaps some even know the general score of the battle: four Japanese carriers destroyed to one American carrier. Some may even know a few of the major characters, like Adm. Chester Nimitz and Adm. Yamamoto Isoroku. But there is so much more to the Battle of Midway once one goes below the surface, and Mark E. Stille in his new work, “Midway: The Pacific War’s Most Famous Battle,” has gone very deep indeed.
Stille has written a masterful account of the major battle. To begin, in his prologue, he cleverly utilizes an early encounter in April 1942 between the Japanese and British navies, which provides a peek into the tactical considerations of the Japanese and how those same considerations, or lack thereof, led to pivotal mistakes during Midway. The author also retraces the historical record of the months and weeks leading to the attack on Pearl Harbor.
