Target Tokyo

Jimmy Doolittle and the Raid That Avenged Pearl Harbor

De: James M. Scott

Narrado por: L. J. Ganser

The dramatic account of one of America's most celebrated - and controversial - military campaigns: the Doolittle Raid.

In December 1941, as American forces tallied the dead at Pearl Harbor, President Franklin Roosevelt gathered with his senior military counselors to plan an ambitious counterstrike against the heart of the Japanese Empire: Tokyo. Four months later, on April 18, 1942, 16 US Army bombers under the command of daredevil pilot Jimmy Doolittle lifted off from the deck of the USS Hornet on a one-way mission to pummel the enemy's factories, refineries, and dockyards and then escape to Free China. For Roosevelt the raid was a propaganda victory, a potent salve to heal a wounded nation. In Japan, outraged over the deaths of innocent civilians - including children - military leaders launched an ill-fated attempt to seize Midway that would turn the tide of the war. But it was the Chinese who suffered the worst, victims of a retaliatory campaign by the Japanese Army that claimed an estimated 250,000 lives and saw families drowned in wells, entire towns burned, and communities devastated by bacteriological warfare.

At the center of this incredible story is Doolittle, the son of an Alaskan gold prospector, a former boxer, and a brilliant engineer who earned his doctorate from MIT. Other fascinating characters populate this gripping narrative, including Chiang Kai-shek, Lieutenant General Joseph "Vinegar Joe" Stilwell, and the feisty Vice Admiral William "Bull" Halsey, Jr. Here, too, are indelible portraits of the young pilots, navigators, and bombardiers, many of them little more than teenagers, who raised their hands to volunteer for a mission from which few expected to return. Most of the bombers ran out of fuel and crashed. Captured raiders suffered torture and starvation in Japan's notorious POW camps. Others faced a harrowing escape across China - via boat, rickshaw, and foot - with the Japanese Army in pursuit.

Based on scores of never-before-published records drawn from archives across four continents as well as new interviews with survivors, Target Tokyo is World War II history of the highest order: a harrowing adventure story that also serves as a pivotal reexamination of one of America's most daring military operations.

©2015 James M. Scott (P)2015 Audible, Inc.

Amazing

What a story. I have listened to this book two times and am still in awe of the bravery and fortitude of these men. Definitely one of my favorite top 5 books I have listened to.

Excellent account, but no new information

Wow - Excellent! The final chapter really brings it all home and makes the book worthwhile. I am already moderately familiar with the Tokyo raid and the raiders themselves, so I can't say that I learned anything new from this account. However, the story is well-written and dives into details where appropriate. Every ship and every raider seems to be evenly treated; this is not simply a biography of Doolittle. And the impact of the raid on the Chinese population is also well-treated, showing the darker side of the raid. And yes, it gets grim as the fate of the eight captured raiders is retold; be ready for that. I highly recommend this book for those who are familiar with the raid as well as those who are getting their first introduction to this mission.

Gripping

This is a gripping account of the famed Doolittle raid on Tokyo early in World War II. It is also an extremely detailed account that chronicles the circumstances after Pearl Harbor that led to the raid, the raid itself, the aftermath of the raid, and its many ramifications.

The raid was bold and audacious. The ramifications, particularly in China, were horrific. The truly awful actions of the Japanese, both with respect to the raiders who were captured, and especially to Chinese civilians, explain why many Americans of the World War II generation (such as my father in law) were never able to reconcile with Japan or its people. Those actions (as well as others) also explain why relations between China and Japan are strained to this day.

This is a meticulously researched and well-written book. It is a long book, but well worth your time.

Excellent!

Excellent read. Terrific story about truly great and courageous Americans, the raid, and the positive and negative consequences.

Fabulous Telling of the Jimmy Doolittle Story

Everyone thinks they "know" the story of Jimmy Doolittle and his raiders. They avenged Americans when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and moved the USA into World War II.

This book makes you feel like you are right there with them. They are your buddies and you desperately want them to succeed.

The beginning and middle of the book was my favorite part as it told of the technological challenges of long range bombers, communication strategies in the "old days", no real way to get intelligence on the weather or what the enemy was doing. It was a miracle that it all came together due to the efforts of so many people working on a top secret project.

After the actual raid on Tokyo, the story is harder to take. Some of the airmen died quickly but some had a long tortuous road ahead of them.

Read this book- you'll never forget it. Doolittle and his raiders were HEROs in every way and helped a struggling America feel like Japan got a little payback for their treachery.