Book description
In this extremely vivid account of the Pearl Harbor attack, Michael
Slackman takes us right through the course of events. He starts by
scrutinising the circumstances and decisions that prompted the attack
and left the United States so unprepared, looking at Japan's
objectives in South-East Asia, the political and economic developments
which drew them into conflict, and at American strategic thought.
The core of the book, however, concerns the events of 7 December
1941 itself, as seen through the eyes of both Japanese and American
participants, Slackman recounts the experiences of these people and
included stories and anecdotes from over a hundred interviews with
survivors. His use of contemporary documents and firsthand personal
accounts presents us with a remarkably intense and detailed telling of
the attack.
He goes on to examine the aftermath of Pearl Harbour and all its
consequences. While it was a short-term success for the Japanese, the
attack led to the end of American isolationism and changed the course
of the war.
With its central focus on the unfolding human drama and its succinct
analyses of the events before and after the attack, Target: Pearl
Harbor is an absorbing and detailed account of one of the most
significant days of the Second World War.
Michael Slackman received degrees in history from the University of
California, Berkeley, and San Diego State University. He has worked as a
consulting historian for the US Navy and the National Park Service and
has published extensively on the Pearl Harbor attack, including
Remembering Pearl Harbour
, and
Pearl Harbor in Perspective
.
