At Dawn We Slept - Gordon W. Prange - Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941 / World War II Pacific / AllNavyBooks.com

“AT DAWN WE SLEPT” The Untold Story of Pearl Harbor. By Gordon W. Prange. The most extensive and exhaustive historical study available to date of the December 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. It is an indispensable source for those who would seek the fullest possible understanding of those events in their historical context. The author, Professor Gordon Prange, was a trained historian as well as a former intelligence officer. In the course of his research for this book Prange went far beyond the usual sources. In addition to examining the archives and official documents of both the United States and Japan, he conducted a large number of interviews with individuals on both sides who were involved in the attack and its consequences. Prange's account begins in the Japanese political and military organizations in which the plans for the attack were first articulated and developed. Step by step the preparations unfold, from the initial decision through the selection and training of those who would be involved in the attack. At all points the actions and decisions of the Japanese high command are placed within the context of the expectations and imperatives of Japanese culture. The book narrative delves deep into the inner workings of the US military command structure and the systemic weaknesses that led to such a catastrophic failure as the sheer level of unpreparedness that was in evidence on that fateful day. The description of the execution of the December 7 attack is impeccable. The actions of Japanese and American forces are chronicled in superb detail. The author’s history does not stop with the attack and the subsequent declaration of war. The book also includes the author’s examination of the arguments of the revisionists, which for the most part he has found wanting. 1981 Hardback edition, NO dust jacket, as noted in the above photo. 873 pages, 11 black and white photos with maps. Includes a large appendix and an index.

Good Cond. ---- $9.88