On the third day of the war with Japan; two Royal Navy capital ships were sunk off Malaya by air torpedo attack. They had not requested the air support that could have saved them and 840 men died in the battleship HMS Prince of Wales and the battle cruiser HMS Repulse. The authors re-create for the reader not only what happened; but also what it was like for the men involved. They dispose of several myths to explain the events of those confused hours; and address the uncertainty; controversy and strong emotions that surrounded the militarily disastrous sinkings.
#967598 in Books Osprey 2004-01-22 2004-01-22Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 245.87 x 2.29 x 7.23l; .38 #File Name: 184176636448 pagesReference Book
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Excellent short history; extraordinary illustrationsBy margotTony Bryan's illustrations for this series are their drawing card. Painfully precise in their detail; like architectural renderings or medical-textbook illustrations; they make clear what even the finest photographs obscure. Besides which; they're awfully attractive.But most of the book is text and archival images; and it must be said that Angus Konstam gives us a superb short history of the subject; including the remote origins of the blockade-runners; their designers and boatyards; their function; the geography of the Confederate ports; and in many cases the final disposition of the ships.Like the other short histories in the series; this is well researched and well produced; with the excellence in design and typography that we have come to expect of English books on transport and military matters.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. I recently bought the Lindberg model of the Harriett Lane ...By Richard E. RaderI recently bought the Lindberg model of the Harriett Lane and then bought this book hoping it included discussion of that ship. Unfortunately it did not. I realize that there were hundreds of such ships and Osprey cannot cover them all. The book was of the quality I've come to expect from Osprey -- I own all of their civil war naval books.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Terrific BookBy James D. CrabtreeThis is a must-have if you are interested in Civil War maritime history; the Blockade; or the Confederacy in general. Blockade runners rapidly evolved into a very specialized type of ship; capable of running their cargos at high-speed while adopting what would become known as stealth characteristics. This book; like most in the Osprey series; has a lot of information crammed into a small space; including information on early runners adopted from packet steamer designs; the evolution of naval technology at the time and even a little on the tactics employed by the small boats. The illustrations are what really makes the book though... beautifully done and technically accurate they make this book a unique resource.
