History of US Naval Operations in WWII, 15 Vols by Samuel Eliot Morison

History of US Naval Operations in WWII, 15 Vols Reviews

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  -ed- Erwin

  When I was in law school, I couldn't afford vacations during spring and winter breaks, so I read instead. I started Vol. 1 On Christmas Eve, 1980 and finished the entire set by the spring break, my senior year, 1983. Perhaps the greatest historical work, written and researched contemporaneous with the war itself. A monumental task achieved brilliantly.
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  Rays1944

  The definitive work on naval operations in WW2. Even with recent revelations after Morison's death, and occasional errata, it's a superb work. Deftly written, a wealth of both scholarship and his own experience during the war combine to make this a "must read" for any serious student of America's naval operations in WW2. The shorter version, "The Two-Ocean War," gives but an incomplete taste of Morison's skill as a writer as well as the technical and factual detail that make the 15-volume set worth acquiring.
  
  My Dad was a Navy fighter pilot in the Pacific during the war (June-December, 1944), and this series became a way for me to connect with him after he was killed in 1951. I started reading this (Volume 10) when I was 10 years old in 1954, and got one volume a year at Christmas every year for several years, each one devoured in a day or two immediately after Christmas. Once I graduated from college, I completed the set buy getting the final few volumes all at once.
  
  I've gone back to read each volume multiple times over the years, and this set might be my most prized printed possession.
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  Eric_W

  I discovered this set in my high school library, began reading and finished the whole set. If you have any interest in naval history at all, this is a must read. I really should go back and reread the whole set again.
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  John Lomnicki,

  OK, this took a while to get through. 15 volumes @300+ pages each around 5000 pages. It was not a ponderous read. Written in the narrative form it was downright fun. The detail and the background for the decision making was the most interesting part.
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  Bob Holland

  This is an invaluable, almost must-have reference/background source for any serious student of the U.S. Navy in WWII.
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  Edward Guillaume

  Quite possibly the greatest collection of the US Pacific Theater of Operations in existence. Morison compiled an amazing feat for the "normal reader" instead of the "professional sailor" as he puts it, yet provides a vast array of facts and information that can be appreciated at any level. While outdated, the collection still provides enough detailed information for anyone starting any type of research. I enjoyed Morison's conclusions, which are collectively agreed upon even today, although he keeps it to a minimum. I still read this collection today for cross referencing while reading other PTO related materials. Also, it can be argued that Morison's work was somewhat influential in the creation of the 1952-53 documentary "Victory at Sea."
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  Kevin

  Morrison's definitive account demonstrates the qualities of a great historian: In-depth research, passion for the subject and the ability to tell a good story. Not a light reading, Morrison's work delves into the depths of naval operations and focus on the why a battle occurred. Even so, his accounts of battles effectively provide a play-by-play narrative that helps one appreciate the flow of a battle and how perceptions of imminent victory or defeat shaped the outcomes.
  
  Morrison's work is not without its issues, primarily in the area of bias and age. Morrison is unapologetically subjective; he served as an American naval officer during many of the battles he describes. No doubt exists on who Morrison views as the protagonist and the antagonist in World War 2. Likewise, the work is somewhat dated and therefore lacks more recent contributions to the fields of study.