Brendan Simms and Steven McGregor are the authors of several history books. The book The Silver Waterfall: How America Won the War in the Pacific at Midway was published earlier this month.

Due to some scenes of violence, I categorize this book as PG. This book covers the battle at Midway. Unlike many works of history, this story is told from both the Japanese and the US perspectives. The book tells the history of US dive bombers and, in particular, the Douglas SBD Dauntless. A lot of consideration is given to the development of the Dauntless. Many consider the battle at Midway the turning point of the war in the Pacific. The US Navy achieved an unexpected victory over the more experienced Japanese. The procedures and tactics of both the Japanese and US fleets are reviewed. Some of the exploits of individual pilots on both sides are followed.

I enjoyed the 6+ hours I spent reading this 354-page WWII history. Unlike so many books on history, this book was an exciting read. If you are interested in the history of the Pacific Theater or naval aviation, you will enjoy this book. I like the chosen cover art. I give this book a rating of 4.5 (rounded up to a 5) out of 5.

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This book is great for World War II buffs! I myself have only just started to dabble into history novels that do deep dives into the events that happened in this bloody war but found this one to be an exceptionally educational read. Anyone interested in the air resources that led to the victory in this pivotal battle will want to pick this up.


I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley.

Professor Brendan Simms has added a very important addition to the history of the Pacific War. Few instances can be identified in Military History that truly showed a clear victor and path forward. Midway is one such path. While this is no "Miracle at Midway" it is well written and provides a reminder of how pivotal this battle truly was. The United States Navy during this battle broke the back of the Imperial Japanese Navy and began the slow methodical slog towards Tokyo and victory.

I’ve read Shattered Sword. This book, The Silver Waterfall, concentrates on the performance of the Dauntless dive bombers at Midway. The dive bombers and their pilots won the battle. Both the plane and the pilots were mostly the result of prewar procurement and training.
Topics I found especially interesting: the Japanese belief in a decisive battle that would make the Americans sue for peace was mistaken. The war was won by a steady process of attrition. Even if Japan had won the battle, the war would have been prolonged but still an Allied victory. Lots of decisions were made by junior officers, like McCluskey’s search for the enemy and Best moving over to bomb the Akagi. Midway is a nowhere place of gooney birds; civilization did not suffer. The contrast in procedures between the two navies.
A long discussion ends the book of how the next war will be with China, which has a bigger navy.

The Second World War was not fought in a vacuum. Each nation had a starting point that influenced the armaments, armies, and machines they could bring to bear on their enemies and many works on specific battles often ignore this. It's refreshing to read something that gives these important factors their due.

Great for World War II buffs!

I have recently concluded my read of an illuminating book, sort of a technical history, entitled "The Silver Waterfall: How America Won the War in the Pacific at Midway." The ARC was provided to me by the publisher, Public Affairs. There have obviously been many books and even films on the Battle of Midway; superb narrative histories are out there for those of you looking to review the details of the battle itself. Even a spate of recent novels fictionalizing the action at Midway offer much to the discerning reader. This book, however, sets itself apart in that it examines at some length the weapons and tactical doctrines as well as procedures and protocols adapted by the warring powers. I found its discussion of weapons systems, principally the U. S. Navy aircraft and carriers and their Japanese opponents, a refreshing change from a more routine recitation of who bombed who when. Looking at things like the different procedures for storing aircraft on board and fire control procedures is very revealing in this context and had an enormous influence on the outcome of this crucial battle. For the reader who has never looked at these details, it is most enlightening. It is a very worthwhile addition to anyone interested not just in what happened but why it happened the way it did. I recommend it without reservation!