ePub Struggle for the Middle Sea: The Great Navies at War in the Mediterranean Theater; 1940-1945 by Vincent P. O'Hara in History

Review

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Balanced Account of WWII Naval operations in the MediterraneanBy DemosthenesStruggles for the Middle Sea is a carefully researched; and very thorough; analysis of Italian naval activity in WWII. Perhaps not surprisingly; it is also a fairly through analysis of the conduct of the Royal Navy in the Med. When looked at; bit by bit; day by day; engagement by engagement; the handling of the Royal Navy in the Med in WWII does not come off very well. Indeed; one of the themes of this book; unstated by the author; might have been: "How could the Royal Navy have squandered so many resources?" Over and over; the Royal Navy is over confident; over aggressive; and overly prone to taking bad risks; and loses ship after ship for really doubtful gains. This is where the Royal Navy was bled white. The author says not a word of criticism of the conduct of the Royal Navy; yet the facts speak for themselves.59 of 61 people found the following review helpful. Handy Reference on WW2 Naval War in the MedBy Brandon MuslerSTRUGGLE FOR THE MIDDLE SEA is primarily a reference work focusing on surface naval actions in the Med during WW2. It covers the entire war and all the major powers including Britain; France; Germany and the US but best documents those actions which impacted Italy's maritime war (and so the period from 6/40 to 9/43 is of most interest.)To some extent this work is meant as an antidote for Anglo-centric (and German) accounts of the naval war in the Med which focus on Italy's failure to win; or even participate in; a decisive surface action in the Nelsonian tradition. O'Hara's thesis is that Italy ground out the naval war of attrition that was best suited to its war aims and limited capabilities. In the Central Med the Regia Marina generally succeeded in achieving it's goal of sea control. The author's view is that while the Royal Navy was certainly successful in winning "sea control victories;" strategically speaking it simply had its feet set wrong. His key point is summarized on page 259: "With regard to Italy's mercantile war ... 98 percent of the men and 90 percent of the material that set forth from Italian ports for Libya; Tunisia; of the Balkans arrived safely."Those who enjoy naval games and simulations will find a lot to like here regardless of whether they agree with O'Hara's overall thesis. By his definition Italian warships (from minesweepers on up to battleships;) participated in 34 of the 55 major surface actions fought in the Mediterranean (including the Red Sea;) during the 5 years of WW2. The accounts of all 55 battles includes an order of battle table listing the ships (by type;) formations; and commanders involved. And; as befits a work with a tactical focus; there are lots of maps and tactical illustrations (27 to be exact;) to help place the operations in perspective. Of course the fights sparked off by Allied attempts to run convoys through to Malta are included but; again; O'Hara's framework ALSO shows the many battles that were fought over Italian convoys etc...This book strikes me as a perfect complement for Greene and Massignani's THE NAVAL WAR IN THE MEDITERRANEAN 1940-1943 or (so I'm told;) De Belot's THE STRUGGLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN 1939-1945. The reason I say this is that things like grand strategy; economics; diplomacy; Taranto; special forces and the submarine war are mentioned in perspective but given very little direct focus or analysis in this work. Therefore it shouldn't be your first book on the Med. Overall; however; I think this will be a worthwhile addition to almost anybody's WW2 naval library; most particularly if you are looking for a detailed accounting of tactical surface actions fought by escorts; destroyers and cruisers of the Italian Navy.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. maybe it was Mare Nostrom after allBy Charles from Redondo BeachThis is an excellent story of an overlooked war. I hadn't realized how much the Italian Navy did during World War II. Until I read the book; I never knew the Italian Navy sailed with the Allies after the surrender. I must have been blinded by the Royal Navy bias that seems to populate many histories.