Defenses of Pearl Harbor & Oahu 1907-50

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Binding: Paperback Dewey Decimal Number: 940 EAN: 9781841765723 ISBN: 1841765724 Label: Osprey Publishing Manufacturer: Osprey Publishing Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 64 Publication Date: 2003-06-20 Publisher: Osprey Publishing Release Date: 2003-06-20 Studio: Osprey Publishing
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Editorial Reviews: At the beginning of the 20th century, the military importance of the Hawaiian Islands became clear. Oahu in particular was a key bastion in projecting America's military power in the Pacific. The island was turned into a military fortress - and yet it also became the site of one of America's greatest defensive failures, the Japanese attack of December 7, 1941. By the end of World War II, the harbor itself was the most heavily defended in the world, and the island had earned the sobriquet "Fortress Oahu". This title documents the development of the coastal, air and land defense systems that served to protect Pearl Harbor and Honolulu from 1907 to 1950, and seeks to understand why these failed at a critical point.
Spotlight customer reviews: Customer Rating: Summary: A Must Have Comment: This book is an excellent companion to Osprey's Pearl Harbor 1941 by Carl Smith which provides Air strength and other related facts not covered in this book as well as the infamous raid itself. This book provides background and coastal artillery strength as well as insights into the military mindset that built this place while ignoring air defenses. Well written and well illustrated. Customer Rating: Summary: Coastal Artillery and Fortifications on Oahu Comment: I grew up in the shadow of Diamond Head shortly after WWII. As a kid I climbed up the crater and into all the fortifications and batteries I could get into. These days I remember fondly exploring the massive concrete fortifications and wondering what size gun was formerly in each casemate and which FDC pillbox controlled which battery. This book tells all and was worth the 45 year wait. I never lost interest and although it doesn't answer every question I had it provided me with more information on the defences of Oahu than I ever expected to lay my hands on. I was told about the book by the curator at the Military Museum at Ft. DeRussy built right into the former Battery Randolph (14 in.) The battery was amazing and finding out about this wonderful book topped off my first visit back to Hawaii since 1963. If this an area of interest for you....don't let this book escape you. Customer Rating: Summary: Excellent look at Fortress Oahu Comment: This Osprey Fortress series book provided some very interesting information on the development of military installations in and around the Hawaiian island of Oahu from 1907 to 1950. The book got some interesting photos, maps and drawing of many of these defensive positions all over the island. The book reflects on the design concepts, the cost and idea behind these fortifications. Its interesting to note that even during 1944 and 1945 when there was almost zero chance of Japanese invasion of Oahu, defenses on that island was stil being built, improved and redesigned. The book also shows that while many of these military forts are long gone, some still existed even to this day on Oahu. One of the more famous ones like the trail up to the top of Diamond Head, is a popular hiking trail that cut through the heart of the old military defense fort. This book was pretty handy in learning more about the Diamond Head installation. Overall, its an excellent book that relates to the history of military presence on the island of Oahu during the first half of the 20th Century. The book should interest anyone living on Oahu who got interest in military history or anyone visiting there with the same interest. Customer Rating: Summary: A Shallow Look at the Defenses of Pearl Harbor Comment: The harbor was believed to be too shallow for torpedo bombers and this book makes it seem like the Marianas Trench. Some good pictures and maps and a lot of the history of coastal defense works, but little depth in the actual integrated defenses of the island -- of which the Pearl Harbor defenses were key elements. When in high school, I have walked many of the installations when they were more accessible than today (development takes its toll) but had neither the information nor the time -- more important a lack of commitment -- to really understand the Fortress-Oahu concept. 50 years later I'm still looking and this book has helped very little. Customer Rating: Summary: Superb Study Comment: This is the best volume so far of the Osprey Fortress Series. It was written by two long time members of the Coast Defense Study Group, the preminent organization dedicated to the history and preservation of US Coast Defense Installations. The book is crammed full of details and facts, and is accompanied by beautiful drawings, plans, maps and photos. This book is a perfect example of how histories of fortification should be written. More Reviews