One of the most prophetic novels ever written.
The Great Pacific War tells the fictional history of a war between the United States and Japan between 1931 and 1933.
First published in 1925, Hector Bywater anticipated many of the details of the conflict in the Pacific during the Second World War.
Written in a manner only possible for the most devoted experts of the subject, Bywater presents an eerily plausible account of a war between these two great naval powers.
His account focuses on the naval actions of the war, describing great battles between a technologically-advanced and well-trained, but under-resourced Japanese fleet and an American navy that continues to grow in strength.
Exciting depictions of the Japanese invasion of the Philippines, the defence of Guam, and inventive American counter-attacks involving the use of dummy ships fill Bywater’s intriguing narrative.
Bywater makes use of all the conventions of the historian, including the use of quotations from many invented sources from both the American and Japanese sides.
His account is so convincing that at times it is surprising to remember that it was a work of fiction. From the implications of the Washington Disarmament Conference to the specifications of the Denver-class cruisers, his expert understanding of naval affairs shines.
The admirals, politicians and soldiers that drive the plot are a mix of complex, interesting characters, at once displaying great heroism and exasperating recklessness.
At a time when his contemporaries were often dismissive of the abilities of the Japanese military, his work stands as a startling warning of a conflict that would begin soon after his death.
Hector C. Bywater (1884-1940) was a British journalist, military author and spy, primarily focused on naval affairs. His 1925 work The Great Pacific War correctly predicted many of the actions that the Japanese and Americans took during WWII; indeed, it was later revealed that many military leaders had used it as a resource in their strategic planning.
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