Today is December 7th, the day we commemorate the bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese which marked the beginning of the U.S. war in the Pacific. We were already at war in Europe, and suddenly we found ourselves fighting on two fronts, torn in two directions, sending our soldiers all around the world in pursuit of the cause of freedom.
Along those lines I would like to recommend some books that take us from the beginning to end of the war in the Pacific.
1. “Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo” by Ted W. Lawson. In March of 1946, four months after the Pearl Harbor bombing, the United States retaliated by sending over a sneak attack that was named “The Doolittle Raid.” This book tells the story of that raid and the men who flew it.
2. “Day One: Before Hiroshima and After” by Peter Wyden. The war in the Pacific was brought to a grinding halt with the dropping of the atomic bomb. This book tells the story behind the inventing of the bomb, including the backgrounds of the men who made it and the things that happened to them after the war. Not surprisingly, after handling the nuclear chemicals, many of them died of cancer. A fascinating look into the minds of these scientists.
3. “Hiroshima” by Laurence Yep. This is a young adult novel that tells the story of the day the bomb dropped in Hiroshima. Well written and poignant, this book provides emotional details that sometimes miss the history books.
My greatest hope is that as we commemorate Pearl Harbor Day, we can take a moment to remember those men and women who died in the act of keeping our country safe, and who have perished in every war we’ve been engaged in. I honor and respect our military and hope that their great efforts will someday be rewarded to the extent that they deserve.
Related Blogs:
Pearl Harbor: An Unforgettable Trip
Interview with author Tristi Pinkston