This Is Pearl

The Road To War, years ago, placed Walter Millis in front ranks as a commentator. This aims to tell the story of Pearl Harbor and the march of events leading up to it-which might seem of questionable sales value today, with resistance what it is to war books. But if anyone could revivify that period, could draw from the masses of evidence presented before the Congressional Joint Committee the record of what happened, and why that one is Walter Millis. He does not place sole blame anywhere- though he feels that General Short and Admiral Kimmel cannot escape responsibility (and indicates that there are others who should share it, notably MacArthur, for his delaying tactics). There is some news value, for those who did not follow the record closely, in the pattern of events, the breaking of codes, the dispatching of instructions- well before the fatal date. It is a painful recapitulation of the heartbreaking effort to waken the people, to prepare- of the inadequacies of cooperation between branches of the Service- of jealousies and pettiness- of underestimating the Japs and overestimating our own strength- of hesitancy in engaging the United States in a firm alliance. The whole is done in lively style, biting, dramatic, completely readable-even to the twice told tales. (Kirkus Reviews)