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Rating: 
Summary: Best concise, single book history of WWII Naval War
Review: Admiral Morrison lived many of the events written of in his book. His telling of the tale is unequaled in any other single book, and is reflective of his much more extensive 15 volume set.
The research, the attention to detail and the commentary regarding the strategic and tactical importance of various battles and phases of the war at see is very well done indeed.
If the reader is not too familiar with the heroics, the savagery, the extents, or the sometimes very personal nature of war at sea , then The Two Ocean War is a must read. For that matter, for anyone wanting to get into the details of the epic warfare that raged at sea during World War II, start here. You will not be disappointed.
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Summary: A great one volume look at US naval operations of WW II
Review: Gleaned for his 15 volume history of US naval operations in WW II, Admiral Samuel Morison has penned an easily read and enjoyable work. Given the scope of the task at hand, the details of engagements necessarily were truncated. However, within these six hundred pages he gives more than a quick overview that would appeal to all but the most serious students. The entries for Guadalcanal and Leyte were particularly well done, as was the discussion of the contingent planing before the war and their modification as the war progressed.If there is a fault here it lies in his too kind treatment of Mac Arthur and Admiral Fletcher.
Rating:
Summary: A great one volume look at US naval operations of WW II
Review: Gleaned for his 15 volume history of US naval operations in WW II, Admiral Samuel Morison has penned an easily read and enjoyable work. Given the scope of the task at hand, the details of engagements necessarily were truncated. However, within these six hundred pages he gives more than a quick overview that would appeal to all but the most serious students. The entries for Guadalcanal and Leyte were particularly well done, as was the discussion of the contingent planing before the war and their modification as the war progressed. If there is a fault here it lies in his too kind treatment of Mac Arthur and Admiral Fletcher.
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Summary: A little too stripped down, but solid
Review: I think you have to take it in the context that at the time there wasn't such a wealth of contemporary books, and there was a need for a summary like this. Fifty years later battle incidents like Savo Island have been discussed and analyzed to death, and reading this for the first time didn't grab my attention. But give him credit for getting the analysis correct. He goes a little easy on Halsey at Leyte in my opinion (he likes him), but otherwise he doesn't spare stupidity at all, on our side or theirs. His dissection of Pearl Harbor should be required reading in history courses. I think most kids grow up thinking we lost that battle; I did, until reading books like this (now I would probably argue the Japanese pilots killed constituted the worst tactical damage done). The afterwords on the major battles are the best part of this book by far. Also, I didn't find the book to be that objectionable when it comes to race. He uses offensive language when referring to the Japanese, but he keeps it in context. He also keeps the tone from being jingoistic; patriotic, yes, especially for the admiration of courage under American arms, but never ignoring the idiotic things some of our leaders did for the sake of not smearing the flag. Very worthwhile, and sufficiently revealing of the author's talent that I will now invest in the multi-volume work. In that sense alone, just to give you a glimpse of what to expect, it's well worth having.
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Summary: Broadsides Aplenty
Review: If the "Two Ocean War" is any guide, Morrison's 15-volume series on the naval battles of WW2 must be a treat. Here is a writer of the old school, who fully expects an honorable loser to "go down with his ship," even if he characterizes this demise as the "cruel ritual of the Sea." More than one captain met that fate, especially in the early phases of the Pacific conflict. This is a splendidly told account of the Atlantic and Pacific conflicts, featuring U-boats, the Date That Will Live in Infamy, the Five Minutes at Midway, the Toyko Express, Island Hopping, Okinawa and Iwo Jima. An epic.
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Summary: A little too stripped down, but solid
Review: If the "Two Ocean War" is any guide, Morrison's 15-volume series on the naval battles of WW2 must be a treat. Here is a writer of the old school, who fully expects an honorable loser to "go down with his ship," even if he characterizes this demise as the "cruel ritual of the Sea." More than one captain met that fate, especially in the early phases of the Pacific conflict. This is a splendidly told account of the Atlantic and Pacific conflicts, featuring U-boats, the Date That Will Live in Infamy, the Five Minutes at Midway, the Toyko Express, Island Hopping, Okinawa and Iwo Jima. An epic.
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Summary: AN EXCELLENT SUMMARY OF NAVY OPS IN WORLD WAR II
Review: Morison provides excellent coverage of the role of the U.S. Navy during World War II. However, the coverage is very broad, rating a five star for those wishing to obtain an understanding of the Navy's role in World War II, but rating about a 2 or 3 star for serious students of the war. There are a number of excellent points to be made about the book: (1) it is easy to read; (2) Morison talks "Navy talk" without apology (so get out your dictionary at times); (3) maps are generally there when you need them, although more camnpaign maps would be appreciated; (4) Morison speaks with authority on the subject since he was really there; and (5) a nice touch: an evaluation, in the last chapter, of the U.S. Navy commanders who had a say so in how the war went. This is a very fine book for the general reader and those specialists wishing to get back to the "broad picture" or string of events. For the student of the war, the book lacks depth in specific events, and this is certainly excusable since volumes have been written on specific events, such as Okinawa, Tarara, Overlord, the sinking of the Yamato, and so on.
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Summary: Excellent
Review: Morison's book is unique in two ways: 1) he was an admiral, so he knows what went on and what was supposed to go on, and 2) he is careful to separate his opinion from history, but still gives you both. This is probably as good a short book as can be written about the naval war. If you want more detail, get a multi-volume set, but it was just fine for me being someone interested in what happened when and why. I also appreciated his personal assessment of naval commanders and their decisions.
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Summary: By jingo!
Review: Morrison was first to write about naval operations in WWII because he was able to monopolize materials at the expense of others. He writes with the jingoism of one who was fired upon and never got over it. Careful about his own career and politics attendant thereto, he isn't as objective as he might be about those with whom he served. While no Thucydides, he's still the one to read first for an overview of "the two ocean war," but records not available when he wrote have revised his estimates. Also, the aim of all Morrison's works is to establish the U.S. as the cultural and military equal of European powers. When one starts with a conclusion, it tends to color one's logic. Something to keep in mind while reading him: Would you want to go into battle under his command? Your answer speaks volumes.
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