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Afternoon of the Rising Sun : The Battle of Leyte Gulf

Afternoon of the Rising Sun : The Battle of Leyte Gulf

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Well written account
Review: Afternoon of the Rising Sun is a fabulous account of one of the major sea battles of WWII. The subject of Leyte gets kind of buried beneath the accounts of Pearl Harbor and Midway, so, thank the author for making your book available to those of us who would like to increase our knowledge on the Battle of Leyte Gulf. I found that the amount of detail is just perfect -- not too minute as to be boring, and yet plenty of information so that the reader will know exactly what is going on. Most people would not associate this subject matter as being of particular interest to a female, but I found it to be MOST interesting. The definitions at the beginning of the book, and the parenthetical inserts through out the book were a great touch. I especially liked the account of MacArthur fulfilling his promise to return to the Phillipines.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Compelling reading
Review: Interesting book that moves along at a fast pace. Highly recommended for those interested in history.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Where is Task Force 34? The World Wonders
Review: The battle of Leyte Gulf was the largest naval battle of World War II and for all practical reasons, the end of the Japanese navy as a fighting force. Kenneth Friedman has done a superior job of describing each encounter that took place between the Japanese and Americans off the Philippines.

The goal of the Japanese was to destroy the American troop ships anchored off of Leyte. They devised a bold plan to trap the Americans in a pincer movement. One force was to steam through the San Bernadino Strait and attack from the center, while a second group was to attack from the South out of the Surigao Strait. A 3rd force consisting of the Japanese carriers attempted to lure the bulk of the American carrier strength North from the Leyte beachhead, leaving it virtually defenseless. American submarines spotted the Northern force and sank 2 haevy cruisers. The force reversed course, but did not retreat, much to the later surprise of the Americans. Meanwhile, a group of American battleships, some of them Pearl Harbor veterans, thoroughly destroyed the Southern force. However, the center force had regrouped and continued through the San Bernadino Strait. The only force the Americans had guarding the beaches were 3 light carrier forces under the command of Admiral Clifton Sprague. What transpired over the next couple of hours can only be described as a naval miracle. Using sheer courage and excellent tactics, the tiny carriers managed to hold off a force consisting of battleships and heavy cruisers and kept the beachhead safe. Meanwhile, Admiral Halsey's tactics were severely scrutinized. He took the Japanese bait and led his entire force of fast battleships and fleet carriers north to attack the Japanese carriers while leaving the Leyte beachhead virtually defenseless. This prompted Admiral Nimitz to send his famous message: "Where is Task Force 34? The World Wonders". If not for Sprague's heroics, the outcome of this battle could have been much different.

I thought this book was very well written. The author included many tables and charts which helped me understand the battle much better. Perhaps my favorite part of the book was the story of Sprague's escort carriers. The author credits Sprague with saving the day for the Americans. I would highly recommend this book. It flows along at a good pace and does a good job of explaining one of the major battles in U.S. Navy history.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Where is Task Force 34? The World Wonders
Review: The battle of Leyte Gulf was the largest naval battle of World War II and for all practical reasons, the end of the Japanese navy as a fighting force. Kenneth Friedman has done a superior job of describing each encounter that took place between the Japanese and Americans off the Philippines.

The goal of the Japanese was to destroy the American troop ships anchored off of Leyte. They devised a bold plan to trap the Americans in a pincer movement. One force was to steam through the San Bernadino Strait and attack from the center, while a second group was to attack from the South out of the Surigao Strait. A 3rd force consisting of the Japanese carriers attempted to lure the bulk of the American carrier strength North from the Leyte beachhead, leaving it virtually defenseless. American submarines spotted the Northern force and sank 2 haevy cruisers. The force reversed course, but did not retreat, much to the later surprise of the Americans. Meanwhile, a group of American battleships, some of them Pearl Harbor veterans, thoroughly destroyed the Southern force. However, the center force had regrouped and continued through the San Bernadino Strait. The only force the Americans had guarding the beaches were 3 light carrier forces under the command of Admiral Clifton Sprague. What transpired over the next couple of hours can only be described as a naval miracle. Using sheer courage and excellent tactics, the tiny carriers managed to hold off a force consisting of battleships and heavy cruisers and kept the beachhead safe. Meanwhile, Admiral Halsey's tactics were severely scrutinized. He took the Japanese bait and led his entire force of fast battleships and fleet carriers north to attack the Japanese carriers while leaving the Leyte beachhead virtually defenseless. This prompted Admiral Nimitz to send his famous message: "Where is Task Force 34? The World Wonders". If not for Sprague's heroics, the outcome of this battle could have been much different.

I thought this book was very well written. The author included many tables and charts which helped me understand the battle much better. Perhaps my favorite part of the book was the story of Sprague's escort carriers. The author credits Sprague with saving the day for the Americans. I would highly recommend this book. It flows along at a good pace and does a good job of explaining one of the major battles in U.S. Navy history.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Abysmally edited...
Review: The pace of this book exceeds a Tom Clancy novel. So much happens in just one day that author has a real chore to get all the information to the reader. Kenneth Friedman does this with excellence. Every American with a sense of history and what this country is all about should read this book. Men named Ernst Evans, Copeland, and Clifford Sprague will be remember for thier uncommon valor. Another, Oldendorf has his high place in US Naval history, no matter how forgotten he may be today. The battle itself involved sound judgment, unsound judgment, and some plain good luck. Rain squalls sure helped. American ingenutiy was a factor. The concept of converting an old transport into an escort carrier perhaps saved the day. It was almost the first team regular Navy under Halsey/Nimitz operating with the mavrick second team Navy operated under Kinkaid/MacArthur. Herein lies the depth of the Freidman account. A huge organization like the US Navy has a tendency to overdue management. A small autonomous organization has much better control and the ability to quickly innovate. Destroyer tactics where never better than that which the K/M produced. The use of planes against capitol ships was likewise both bold and effective.

We owe much to the sailors and pilots who fought the battle of Leyte Gulf and Friedman's book is an appropriate memorial and a very good read.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Afternoon of the Rising Sun
Review: Wonderful narrative of one of the pivotal sea battles of WWII. My regret is that the modern generation apparantly has no sense of our history therefore the book will not get read by those who would most benefit from it. The heroism and dedication displayed by the participants in this great battle is the bedrock upon which this nation was built. Brilliantly told story, a MUST read!


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