glorious way die glorious way die mission battleship april military history book suicide mission japanese battleship battle okinawa near end world war largest battleship world japan sacrificed final desperate attempt halt allied advance japanese archipelago book published united_states united_kingdom jackson british journalist editor hong_kong based interviewed japanese americans involved mission drew japanese naval documents records write book tells story japanese american points view glorious way die generally received critics historians american author journalist wrote new_york_times book strength ability create fear japanese desperation tactics resulted american perception prepared fight death reviewer canadian journal commended balanced treatment historical evidence tragic event said book deserves wide reading background world war lieutenant fighting japanese burma war february commonwealth occupation force stationed japanese naval base southern japan noticed huge drydock standing learnt built isolated burma years heard interested story started collecting information battleship returning england worked journalist sent japan china far_east correspondent found little time resume pursuit information fate mid-1970s returned far_east time writer began conducting interviews japanese naval commanders survivors battleship mission gained access japanese naval documents records seized united_states plus interrogation american story interviewed naval commanders personnel involved sinking satisfied began writing book late 1970s years found battleship introduction book said attempt facts added result trust presents story ship sortie offers insight dilemma courageous people persisted continuing hopeless war synopsis glorious way die recounts final mission japanese battleship describes events led decision japanese combined fleet headquarters send pride imperial_japanese_navy suicide mission battle okinawa near end world war tells story mission japanese american point view person narrative construction began secrecy naval base completed soon japanese attack pearl harbor december rendered obsolete japanese successful carrier based attacks pearl harbor largest battleship world inch guns range miles words reviewer ton white elephant japanese know march americans invaded okinawa eliminated final mission called operation operation heaven conceived japanese commanders combined fleet allied advance japanese archipelago plan send support destroyers cruiser okinawa given fuel reach okinawa air cover available series attacks aircraft carriers support craft beach assist island defenders air cover little chance reaching destination according american author journalist japanese high command perfectly prepared sacrifice remnants fleet avoid stigma surrender japanese naval officers agreed decision sacrifice choice comply committed act defiance secretly supplying battleship rest fleet fuel return home set sail okinawa naval base march april americans intercepted japanese fleet miles okinawa bombers torpedo planes waves attacks aircraft carriers americans sank battleship support ships hours went americans machine survivors water explains reason hatred japanese americans felt helpless foes fought racial war pacific japanese headline seeking brass hats openly declared killing worse killing reports japan atrocities war prisoners unnatural combined convince americans little mercy reached months later hiroshima planes left area remaining japanese support ships picked survivors water returned according total crew survived americans lost men attack japanese fleet reception writing described glorious way die dramatic absorbing account mission complaint book takes long pages deal background information heavily condensed finally leaves port said book chilling account japanese sailors sailed deaths knowing air cover american planes waiting review book new_york_times called compelling story said tells naval saga degenerated racial conflict point view people involved people little time getting killing american author journalist writing new_york_times said book strength ability create fear japanese desperation tactics resulting american perception prepared fight death kaiser added younger readers better understanding book led president decision use atomic bomb japan question morality decision reviewer internet said book dry historical record presented researched worthy addition world war history shelves called book gripping recreation days life said gives battleship live legend japan appropriately big picture treatment explains japan self philosophy brother experiences landing craft support ship world war memoir said book lots insight matter attacks review canadian journal noted book highlights fatal lack recognizing role air support aircraft carriers play naval warfare persisted construction investigates politics mentality japanese leadership morale spirit fighting men nation said hope book help explain japan refused surrender modest balanced treatment historical evidence tragic event opinion book deserves wide reading glorious way die selected literary guild alternate selection works citing book historiography isbn rose power sea volume breaking storm isbn gordon world war pacific island guide isbn gordon battle isbn smith world war memoir isbn
A Glorious Way to Die