excellent window into Japanese thinking

I do not read/listen biographies usually, and what I consume are sci-fi books, but this one is one of the best books I have came across in my life - an excellent window into prewar/war Japanese thinking, life, culture. Worth to listen to every second.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

Very interesting recount of an experience

This is a really interesting perspective i haven't heard before. Slightly questionable when the author refers to the japanese atrocities at Nankin to be blown out of proportion, which makes me question the rest of the authors experiences. However aside from that it is an excellent book.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Good Men In A Bad War

I came upon this second world war memoir by chance and immediately purchased
it. I have an interest in memoirs from the second world war and in
particular those from a naval perspective. However, what I find most
interesting are those accounts that come from what we in the west would call
the enemy at the time. There are plenty of war time accounts from those that
served in the Allies but rarer are those from the other side of this
conflict. With such memoirs the reader is able to obtain a fascinating
insight into how battles were fought as well as the internal politics of a
nation fighting to survive which brings some greater degree of balance to
the overall picture of many of the key events of such conflicts. This book
is an excellent and often captivating as well as revealing look through the
eyes of a Japanese naval officer and his participation in several key
battles of the Pacific war.

The author recounts in detail the successes and failures of the Imperial
Japanese navy in terms of its battles and policies and paints a picture of a
thoughtful man who is not afraid to question the higher echelons of command.
In addition, we see a man who belies the often fanatical portrayal of
suicidal Japanese military men that dispels the stereotype of the cruel and
pitiless Japanese fighter. This is a book that doesn't simply tell the story
of his days serving during this conflict but also lets us know the emotional
state of this incredible man too. It is not uncommon for the author to
recount instances of where he has wept over men lost under his command as
well as pay his respects to enemy sailors that perished at his hands.
Reading these memoirs from those that fought on the other side during the
second world war allows one to see that there were good men that fought on
both sides of that war as well as bad ones.

The narrator is clearly of Japanese herritage and does an excellent job with
all the Japanese references with his perfect pronunciation and this is
fitting as a non-Japanese English speaker would have butchered the correct
saying of the numerous Japanese places and names given in this book.

For those of you interested like me in naval memoirs of this time period it
might be of interest to note that this book briefly covers the actions which
sunk the USS Houston and HAMS Perth and so to compliment this memoir there
is a superb book telling the survivors stories of the men of the Houston and
Perth available on Audible entitled "Ship of Ghosts" that I urge those
interested to read.

Japanese Destroyer Captain: Pearl Harbor, Guadalcanal, Midway - The Great Naval Battles Seen Through Japanese Eyes is an utterly fascinating detailed account that really gives the
reader a flavour of what life was like at the time and is a highly thought
provoking read and an absolute must for anyone interested in this subject
matter. For those that might be interested, I can thoroughly recommend two
other naval memoirs that I am afraid are not available on Audible as yet but
are a great read and these are the excellent "Steel Boat, Iron heart" and
"Iron Coffins". Both titles deal with the German U-Boat war from those that
served aboard them and are equally insightful and fascinating.

Highly recommended.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

Interesting perspective.

Very interesting to hear of the Pacific war from the Japanese perspective. Fantastically read, this is a gripping account of ww2.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Fantastic listen

Well narrated and an interesting story. The author recounts some of the actions he was involved in during the Pacific War. As someone who appreciates naval history this comes highly recommended.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Great account of a remarkable Captain

Any additional comments?

I am disappointed that the book ends rather suddenly after the sinking of Cruiser Yahagi, no mention of the Atomic Bombings of Japan, or her eventual surrender.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!