Urey Patrick's Reviews > Nimitz at War: Command Leadership from Pearl Harbor to Tokyo Bay

Nimitz is (was) arguably the most under-appreciated figure from WWII – he was instrumental in the successful campaign against Japan, and one of those uniquely relevant historical figures, the perfect man in the perfect place at the perfect time to affect the course of human history (as was Churchill!). And yet, the recognition due his time in command is lacking, certainly in the popular mind. Part of this may be the fact that he declined to write a memoir – he was confident in the correctness of his actions, and his decisions, and was content to let history judge his efforts without him putting a thumb on the scale. He may be the only major figure out of WWII to eschew the opportunity to tell his side of the story from his perspective with the underlying intent of making himself look as good as possible in the eyes of posterity.... that alone is illustrative of his extraordinary status and personal confidence. Even Churchill felt it necessary to “write history” in such a way as to make himself look even better than perhaps was warranted.

Nimitz was a leader in the Eisenhower mold – spending as much time greasing the gears of inter-service cooperation as he did the actual nuts and bolts of running the war. His decision-making and leadership were exceptional, and Symonds captures that. His ability to engage with and incorporate disparate egos, rivalries and command sensitivities was amazing, and essential to the war effort. As with so many huge, historically significant human undertakings, human nature always intrudes – and never in a way conducive to the efficient attainment of desirable or necessary goals. Nimitz juggled and manipulated and facilitated them all, for the ultimate sake of victory over Japan. Eisenhower did the same, although he had an even bigger chore given the necessity for him to manage conflicting international allies in addition to inter-service rivalries and assorted egos.

Symonds captures it all – explains it all. He gifts the reader with an intimate, perceptive and in-depth exposure to the issues, the personalities, and the command environment fostered by Nimitz and its consequences to the conduct of the war. This is a superb history – part biographical, part leadership and command oriented, and largely personality driven. Nimitz deserves far more recognition than he has been given... he was the indispensable man in the single most critical post of the war in the Pacific. Symonds gives him his due credit – and the book is totally engaging, often revelatory, inspiring and gratifying.... a must read as much for what you will learn about Chester Nimitz as what you will learn about his contemporaries in the Pacific campaigns!