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Nimitz Paperback – Illustrated, March 15, 2008

by Prof. E. B. Potter (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 629 ratings
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Called a great book worthy of a great man, this definitive biography of the commander in chief of the Pacific Fleet in World War II, first published in 1976 and now available in paperback for the first time, continues to be considered the best book ever written about Adm. Chester W. Nimitz. Highly respected by both the civilian and naval communities, Nimitz was sometimes overshadowed by more colorful warriors in the Pacific such as MacArthur and Halsey. Potter's lively and authoritative style fleshes out Admiral Nimitz's personality to help readers appreciate the contributions he made as the principal architect of Japan's defeat. Following the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, President Roosevelt named Nimitz as commander of the Pacific Fleet. An experienced and respected leader, Nimitz was also an effective military strategist who directed U.S. forces as they closed in on Japan, beginning in May and June of 1942 with the battles of the Coral Sea and Midway. Nimitz was promoted to the newly-created rank of fleet admiral in 1944 and became the naval equivalent to the army's General Dwight Eisenhower. The book covers his full life, from a poverty-stricken childhood to postwar appointments as Chief of Naval Operations and U.N. mediator. It candidly reveals Nimitz's opinions of Halsey, Kimmel, King, Spruance, MacArthur, Forrestal, Roosevelt, and Truman.
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  1. Print length
    544 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Naval Institute Press
  4. Publication date
    March 15, 2008
  5. Dimensions
    7 x 1.75 x 10.25 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    9781591145806
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1591145806
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

The late E.B. Potter, a longtime history professor at the U.S. Naval Academy and former naval officer who served in the Pacific during World War II, is the author of several books, including Nimitz, Admiral Arleigh Burke, and Sea Power: A Naval History, which he wrote with Admiral Nimitz.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 1591145805
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Naval Institute Press; Illustrated edition (March 15, 2008)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 544 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781591145806
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1591145806
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.12 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7 x 1.75 x 10.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 629 ratings

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E. B. Potter

E. B. Potter

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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
629 global ratings
Great book
5 Stars
Great book
Excellent book a lot of research over time.To bad Nimitz would not let book out till after his death.Would be great to hear what he would say in a interview 🤐
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Top reviews from the United States

Hamptons Redneck
5.0 out of 5 stars A Great and Good Man
Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2022
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As a Navy veteran and history buff I've been doing a lot of reading, both fiction and nonfiction, on war and the people involved when it struck me that I knew very little about Admiral Nimitz. He along with the egocentric MacArthur ran the Pacific War,after all, yet I knew very little about him. This is even after I've visited the National Museum of the Pacific War. As the Pacific War did mostly take place in the ocean and on islands Adm Nimitz had a VERY large roll to play. I knew a lot more about the admirals who served him and the ships named after them. Now I know why the largest of the ships was named after him.

He wasn't a man to seek the limelight but one who was steadfast in his mission. He was a leader who could see both the strategic and tactical picture and who knew the strengths and weaknesses of the men under him and how to utilize them. He knew that he might not have always been the smartest guy in the room and was open to suggestions but the final decision was his. His temperament was of a calm strength who knew he was sending actual humans into harm's way and never took that lightly. All the blame was always his and the glory belonged to those who made it happen.

All in all his goodness is what made him a great leader.

E. B. Potter has written a book that is an enjoyable read with truly nail biting battle reports as well as in depth details of the people involved.
5 people found this helpful
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Robert I. Hedges
5.0 out of 5 stars A Study Of Character And Leadership
Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2008
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With this book historian E. B. Potter has written the best biography ever of Admiral Chester Nimitz. Originally published by the Naval Institute Press in 1976, it is now available in paperback which will hopefully allow it widespread distribution. I have always admired Nimitz for his calm in crisis and his unassuming manner which gave credit to his men before taking any for himself. Even though Potter was personally friendly with Nimitz, I don't believe that his personal relationship with the Admiral degraded this book or led him to be improperly biased in favor of Nimitz in this work.

The book itself is quite compendious (my hardback edition is 507 pages long) and serves not only as a biography of Nimitz foremost, but as essential reading on the nature of leadership, both specific to naval operations, and generalized to other facets of life. After reading the book I appreciated Nimitz in contrast to the bombastic MacArthur even more than I previously had. I came to appreciate his ability to handle delicate negotiations, and to respect the feelings of subordinates, even when discipline was in order. His views on other leaders are clarified, and especially enlightening are learning his views on Halsey, Spruance, King, Kimmel, and of course, MacArthur. The more I read the more I understood and agreed with Nimitz, although to be fair, his views more or less confirmed previous views I had held, therefore readers with differing predispositions may not be as convinced as I was.

I appreciated the coverage of World War Two most, but also of his life outside of the conflict. His leadership style is applicable to all military officers and to civilians as well, and this book is insightful and inspirational. I recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone interested in history, leadership, or naval warfare on the grandest scale.
4 people found this helpful
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john flinton
5.0 out of 5 stars Book is excellent. New condition.
Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2023
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Would certainly recommend buying this book.
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Arthur Digbee
4.0 out of 5 stars A good first "comprehensive" biography, but needs more distance
Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2020
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In this almost-official biography of Nimitz, naval historian E. B. Potter emphasizes facts over interpretation. He has an understandable hesitation to second-guess the military decisions of Admirals Chester Nimitz and “Bull” Halsey, among many others. I was more disappointed that he did not really delve in Admiral Nimitz’s personality or values, since that’s generally the role of a biographer.

Potter knew Nimitz, and was part of a team who collaborated with him (and others) as a history of sea power. He clearly admires the admiral, but his portrait is often hagiographic – Nimitz loved the navy, was a gifted strategic thinker and administrator, and loved the family from whom he was generally absent. We get some hints of other characteristics – probably too obsessed with punctuality, leaning toward self-righteousness, gregarious but emotionally distant.

Since a five-star admiral must be a diplomat in dealing with allies, and a politician when dealing with Washington DC, I would have liked to learn more of Nimitz’s political values. He did not like FDR’s politics but got on well with the man, he had faith in the mission of the United Nations after the war, and he disapproved of McCarthyism though concerned about possible subversion. Nimitz was also out of step with American society in prohibiting women in uniform from serving at his headquarters (Pearl Harbor and then Guam). WACs, WAVEs, and WASPs obviously served with distinction in auxiliary roles during the war, but never in his sight. That’s a character flaw that his contemporaries may have pointed out at the time, but we do not hear such criticisms – nor really any criticisms – of the admiral’s character or values.

Potter makes an excellent decision when telling the story of World War II, the decisive part of Admiral Nimitz’s life. Recognizing that his biography could become just another history of the war, Potter avoids the role of omniscient narrator. Instead, we see the battles of the Coral Sea, Midway, the Philippine Sea, and Leyte Gulf through Nimitz in this war room. This means we see the fog of war, the imperfect intelligence, the frustration with subordinate officers hundreds of miles away. Nimitz tried not to give instructions to his admirals during battle, recognizing that the men on the scene were better placed to make all decisions. On those rare occasions he broke this rule, it’s interesting to see how he reached that conclusion.

The book draws on many oral history projects as well as the author’s acquaintance with his subject. That’s an important contribution. Later biographers will have the emotional distance and historical perspective with which to provide a more rounded portrait of the man.
14 people found this helpful
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Russell Bertrand
5.0 out of 5 stars a true hero
Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2023
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A comprehensive history of a great and humble man. WWII created the world we live in and it could easily have gone a different and much darker direction. Nimitz was arguably the most effective officer in guiding the ultimate victory of the allies, at least in the Pacific.
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Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
Je refuse la censure sur le contenu même des livres achetés et commentés
3.0 out of 5 stars Livre documenté d'un professeur d'Annapolis qui nie que les Américains savaient pour Pearl Harbor
Reviewed in France on August 18, 2020
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Ce livre mériterait 5 étoiles mais il nie, page 6, la responsabilité de ROOSEVELT et de tout américain pour Pearl Harbor.
Ce livre nous fait vivre la guerre vécue par NIMITZ, présente son intelligence stratégique et relationnelle.
Points remarquables :
page 1, NIMITZ annonce à son fils dès 1935 ce qui va se passer à Pearl Harbor.
page 232, les torpilles US ne fonctionnent pas jusqu'en septembre 1943.
page 261, la leçon de Tarawa sur les fortifications japonaises.
page 280, l'impudence de MACARTHUR.
page 304 le Marianas Turkey Shoot.
page 368, Iwo Jima sauve 27000 aviateurs de 2400 B29.
page 368, le raid sur Tokyo fait 83793 victimes.
page 369, un kamikaze touche le navire amiral de SPRUANCE.
Et le scoop en page 435/437, NIMITZ fait partie du Bohemian Club.

Lorsque j'avais 10 ans, je dévorais "Le survivant du Pacifique", de Georges BLOND, sur le porte-avions Enterprise. Suite à l’achat du DVD « Midway » d’EMMERICH, je me suis replongé, pendant le confinement, dans la bataille de Midway en achetant 16 ouvrages passionnants :
"Pacific payback" de Stephen L.MOORE : sur les aviateurs, le meilleur ouvrage.
« The final secret of Pearl Harbor » du contre-amiral Robert A.THEOBALD, sur ROOSEVELT responsable des 2403 morts.
« Admiral Kimmel's Story » de Husband E.KIMMEL : la défense de l'amiral commandant Pearl Harbor.
« A Matter of Honor: Pearl Harbor: Betrayal, Blame, and a Family's Quest for Justice » de Anthony SUMMERS et Robbyn SWAN : ouvrage paradoxal qui nie la responsabilité de ROOSEVELT tout en documentant le contraire.
« Days of Infamy: Macarthur, Roosevelt, Churchill-The Shocking Truth Revealed : How Their Secret Deals and Strategic Blunders Caused Disasters at Pearl Harbor and the Philippines » de John COSTELLO : sur la provocation bancale de ROOSEVELT, MARSHALL et MACARTHUR.
« The first South Pacific campaign » de John B.LUNDSTROM, sur la période du 7/12/1941 au 4/6/1942 : SPRUANCE retiendra que « Le 1er qui repère l’autre et qui tire avec ses bombardiers en piqué gagne » !
« Joe Rochefort’s war » d’Elliot CARLSON, sur les casseurs de codes.
« Never call me a hero » N.Jack « Dusty » KLEISS : souvenirs d'un des 2 pilotes qui a coulé 2 porte-avions japonais le 4/6/42.
« Midway l’incroyable victoire » de Walter LORD, ouvrage détaillé.
« La bataille de Midway » de Michel HERUBEL, ouvrage détaillé.
« Miracle at Midway » de Gordon W.PRANGE, ouvrage détaillé.
« Juin 1942 La bataille de Midway Le tournant de la guerre du Pacifique » de Mark HEALY, ouvrage très bien illustré, intéressant.
« The Battle of Midway (Pivotal Moments in American History) » de Craig L.SYMONDS : ouvrage synthétique et détaillé.
«  A Glorious Page in Our History: The Battle of Midway, 4-6 June, 1942 » de Robert J.CRESSMAN : ouvrage le plus complet.
« Shattered sword The untold story of the Batlle of Midway », de Jonathan PARSHALL et Anthony TULLY, somme exhaustive très technique.
"Nimitz" de E.B.POTTER.
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Mr. C. S. Shearman
5.0 out of 5 stars Nimitz showed that he was the supreme leader of his generation and was able to bring the best out of the men under him
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 4, 2014
Verified Purchase
Nimitz was a five star admiral and he has had a five star book written about him. A superb read which covers his whole life from ensign on the china station through to his command of the big blue fleet in the second world war. I could not put the book down and that is down to how the book is written. Nimitz showed that he was the supreme leader of his generation and was able to bring the best out of the men under him. Loved it.
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pstevenson
5.0 out of 5 stars great admiral
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 29, 2013
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a great book about a great admiral,E.B POTTER,is the best biographer of military subjects ever.i love books that cover a sujects full life.
One person found this helpful
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