Review of "Lightning Strike: The Secret Mission to Kill Admiral Yamamoto and Avenge Pearl Harbor," by Donald A. Davis

 Review of

Lightning Strike: The Secret Mission to Kill Admiral Yamamoto and Avenge Pearl Harbor, by Donald A. Davis, ISBN 0312309074

Five out of five stars

Fascinating account of a daring mission

 Throughout the Japanese military in the lead up to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, there was no man more knowledgeable about the United States than Admiral Isoroka Yamamoto. He spent a great deal of time in the United States as a military attaché and was well aware of the tremendous industrial potential of the United States. He was also a student of history and knew that when aroused, the American men would fight and die for their country.

 Yamamoto was also far-sighted in that he understood that the day of the mighty battleship was over. The most powerful military forces on the seas were now the aircraft carriers, the battleship without air cover was almost helpless against an attack from the air. Yamamoto also knew that Japan could not defeat the United States in a prolonged war, he openly said that if war broke out between the United States and Japan, he would run wild in the Pacific for six months or so, but then the might of the U. S. would be unleashed, and Japan would have to go on the defensive.

 This book is a lengthy run-up to the American mission where the goal was to kill Yamamoto as he was traveling by plane on an inspection tour in the Pacific. The background lead-up to the actual mission is lengthy and detailed. One learns a great deal about the mindset of the greatest military mind that Japan had. He was a tactical genius, his strategic plans would have worked, grave errors were made by the local commanders. Specifically, the decision by the Admiral of the Pearl Harbor task force to not launch another wave of planes.

 The battles in the South Pacific, specifically the one for Guadalcanal, are covered in detail as the Japanese outward movements were blunted. The specific mission to kill Yamamoto was at the extreme range of the planes and was considered a “one-in-a-million” chance. The planes had to arrive within a window of mere minutes as the plane containing Yamamoto and the escorts would only be in the strike area for a short time.

 To the surprise of many, the American planes arrived at the right time and took the Japanese by complete surprise. There was a fighter escort, but it was largely ineffective in protecting the bombers containing Yamamoto and his aides. The rendition of this operation is riveting and is a demonstration of the fickle fortunes of war. A few minutes either way and there would have been no contact between the Yamamoto group and the American task force.

 The least interesting sections of the book deal with the ways in which individual pilots were either given or denied credit for shooting down the plane containing Yamamoto. The Navy was of course desirous of trotting out the specific pilot, and they did just that. Although, as the subsequent record clearly indicates, the pilot given credit for the kill almost certainly did not. This was a difficult section to read, as it dealt with inaccuracies and unsubstantiated claims of prowess.

 There is no question that the killing of Admiral Yamamoto weakened the Japanese navy and likely shortened the war. His strategic genius would have consolidated Japanese naval power and led to a much better performance as the Japanese fought to resist the Allied onslaught. All of that is made very clear in this definitive book of history.

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