Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Black Snow:
It wasn’t just two atomic bombs that were dropped.
Quick synopsis:
The story of how the U.S. bombing strategy evolved right before the dropping of the atomic bombs on Japan.
Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like:
More American airmen died in the skies over Europe than the Marine Corps would lose in the entire war.
Fun Fact for History Nerds:
“Little Boy” was 9,000 pounds and had the equivalent explosive power of 20,000 tons of TNT. It would take 2,000 B-29s to drop the same payload with conventional bombs of the day.
My Take on Black Snow:
Are you ready to talk military bombing strategy? It’s towards the end of World War II and the U.S is preparing for the final push to the Japanese home islands. The question becomes, how badly can the U.S. bomb population centers without seeming like villains at the end? One general would lose his job trying to be as precise as possible. The other would bomb all of Japan into oblivion.
Before you say, “military strategy bombing is boring,” let me assure you that it absolutely can be. This book, however, is not. James Scott knows how to write about the Pacific Theater of World War II. There is philosophy, there are character studies, and there are harrowing tales of bombing runs from both on the ground and in the air. There is no slow part to this book because Scott keeps the story moving forward while revealing facts you never knew before. His ability to also describe what life was like in Tokyo around this time is especially moving. You won’t be disappointed.
Verdict:
He’s one of my favorite authors for a reason. A must read. Buy it here!
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