Very good Pacific War history. Has a lot of detail. Educational. ( )

I started this book thinking that I was going to really enjoy it. The deeper in I got, however, the more disappointed I became. I adapted to the author's style of dropping the "to" when he, for example, said that someone was promoted captain (that may be the correct military phrasing, for all I know). I even overlooked the bad editing where words like continuing was placed at two spots in the same sentence, plus spelling and other areas. I even initially took his attack on MacArthur with a grain of salt until I realized that this was his slant with several high level commanders and statesmen. While I do not believe that any of the leaders of the time were perfect, his criticism seems extreme. Perhaps what upset me most was his criticism of tactics and accusations of cowardice. It is good to have someone look at events well after they occurred, but Schom seems to overlook the fact that the US -- including its admirals and generals -- were largely unprepared for war. His website does not indicate military service, so I wonder who is he to judge men who were thrust into a war they did not seek and faced the very real possibility of death at any moment. Schom should not be throwing rocks from inside his glass tower. ( )