William Halsey was the most famous naval officer of World War II. His fearlessness in carrier raids against Japan; his steely resolve at Guadalcanal; and his impulsive blunder at the Battle of Leyte Gulf made him the “Patton of the Pacific†and solidified his reputation as a decisive; aggressive fighter prone to impetuous errors of judgment in the heat of battle. In this definitive biography; Thomas Hughes punctures the popular caricature of the “fighting admiral†to reveal the truth of Halsey’s personal and professional life as it was lived in times of war and peace.Halsey; the son of a Navy officer whose alcoholism scuttled a promising career; committed himself wholeheartedly to naval life at an early age. An audacious and inspiring commander to his men; he met the operational challenges of the battle at sea against Japan with dramatically effective carrier strikes early in the war. Yet his greatest contribution to the Allied victory was as commander of the combined sea; air; and land forces in the South Pacific during the long slog up the Solomon Islands chain; one of the war’s most daunting battlegrounds. Halsey turned a bruising slugfest with the Japanese navy into a rout. Skillfully mediating the constant strategy disputes between the Army and the Navy―as well as the clashes of ego between General Douglas MacArthur and Admiral Chester Nimitz―Halsey was the linchpin of America’s Pacific war effort when its outcome was far from certain.
#501391 in Books Belknap Press 2010-03-30 2009-09-28Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.20 x 1.20 x 6.10l; 1.27 #File Name: 0674034732432 pages
Review
14 of 26 people found the following review helpful. Return from theory to praxisBy jmartinKaplan's thesis is that in post-Reformation western Europe; various modes of modi vivendi more or less naturally arose; and then only later; as with Locke and the rest of the enlighteners; did the theory of toleration become articulated. He describes several ways that the denominations (barely) lived with each other; especially after the 30 years war; among them sharing churches; services in embassies and court chapels for minorities; occasional conformity; don't ask; don't tell private dissenting services; as long as they had no public manifestation; etc.The only reason i gave this book 4; not 5 stars; is that I was looking for the Holy Grail; so to speak; what or who or why Catholic and Protestant belief slid into the so-called enlightenment; secularization; tolerance which became religious relativism; leading to the agnosticism and atheism which in my view led to their logical conclusion with Hitler and Stalin. This book contains many hints and pointers; but perhaps i'm asking for too much. My personal bogeyman; if one can point to one person as the key; is Spinoza; but he could not have flipped the world of belief to the world of skepticism all by himself.25 of 26 people found the following review helpful. Insight into history and our own eraBy Jonathan RubinI've found that this book; in its description of the history of religious tolerance and intolerance in early modern Europe; provides a better insight into our own era's challenges than almost any editorial I've read. The fascinating insight that Kaplan provides is that the turn toward religious tolerance in this period was driven; not by the high ideals of leading philosophers; but rather by common society's pragmatism and "everyday" moral values. The writing is more than clear and compelling; the book is forceful and riveting.14 of 16 people found the following review helpful. Excellent Historical ReadingBy History LuverDivided By Faith is well written and explains the deeper aspects of religious divisions I formerly knew little about. As a former high school history teacher; the topic was right up my alley.The author was detailed and specific in relation to the alliances created; and divisions caused by faith; politics; economics; and desire for power. This book has given me a more realistic; and understandable context for the information learned previously. I wish it had been part of my required reading in university (grad or undergrad.)
