The Doolittle Raid 1942: America's first strike back at Japan

Description

In early 1942, the strategic situation was bleak for the United States. She had been in continual retreat since Pearl Harbor, surrendering major areas such as the Philippines, and was preparing for the worst in Hawaii and on the West Coast. The Japanese, on the other hand, had secured a well-defended perimeter, and was set for further expansion. Something needed to happen quickly and be of considerable impact-and the combined-arms, April 1942 Doolittle Raid on Japan was a way to achieve this. This book examines the planning, execution, and aftermath of this innovative, daring and risky attack, which would show that the Japanese navy and air forces were anything but invincible.

Clayton KS Chun, PhD is Chair for the Department of Distance Education at the United States Army War College, Carlisle Barracks in Pennsylvania. He completed a full career in the United States Air Force with assignments in missile, space, strategy development, and teaching military and air power strategy. His book US Army in the Plains Indian Wars 1865-1891 was published by Osprey in 2004. Howard Gerrard studied at the Wallasey School of Art and has been a freelance designer and illustrator for over 20 years. He has won both the Society of British Aerospace Companies Award and the Wilkinson Sword Trophy and has illustrated a number of books for Osprey including Campaign 69: 'Nagashino 1575' and Campaign 72: 'Jutland 1916'. Howard lives and works in Kent, UK.

"Clayton Chun's book packs an enormous amount of historical detail into a deceptively thin volume... it reveals many surprises and forms an excellent basis for further study of one of history's most famous bombing raids." --Rowan Baylis, AeroScale "...includes a superlative selection of maps and outstanding illustrations by Howard Gerrard. There is much more to the story than the simple voyage and bombing runs, and all that is brilliantly told in this book. It is one of those that any student of the period must have in their library." --Scott Van Aken, modelingmadness.com