BOOKS:Combined Fleet Decoded

Midway, RG Smith

If you enjoy intelligence, this is the book, military intelligence that is and specifically World War II Pacific Theater military intelligence. John Prados book, now sadly out of print, “Combined Fleet Decoded, The Secret History Of American Intelligence and The Japanese Navy in World War II” (1995) reads like a well researched espionage novel. Based on an array of sources, Prados covers in detail how US military Intelligence out smarted the Japanese Navy step by step in their attempt to dominate the Pacific with their massive navy. He covers every aspect of Pacific intelligence, from radio intercepts to vital information from prisoners and document translation. Prados fill his 832 pages with much detail and skill and an espionage enthusiast has a lot to cogitate on due to the dazzling thoroughness of Prados’s research. Taking this information Prados does a major reassessment of the battles and campaigns of the Pacific Theater and how they played out in terms of the secret information available to the US Navel Command. This intelligence angle brings a fresh understanding to the Pacific War and its battles that have been written about many times before. In a broader sense Prados book reveals and proves the importance of quality intelligence in war. This book is a pleasure to read on every page and filled with many surprises. For example, a point that struck me was the poor ship recognition skills of Japanese pilots, which hurt them badly. Is it possible to report a spotted carrier as a cruiser? Apparently this happened often leading the Japanese to believe there were no carriers in sight. Mistake. Remember Midway? Prados fills the book with such unknown tidbits that make the book a treasure trove of new angles and facts. A used copy of this book can be had on Amazon.