Books with author Alan Zimm

“Uses modern methods of operational analysis to determine exactly how the Japanese planned and executed the great raid . . . a worthy, useful analysis” (Naval History).The December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor has been portrayed by historians as a dazzling success. With most American historians concentrating on command errors and the story of participants’ experiences, the Japanese attack has never been subjected to a comprehensive critical analysis of the military side of the operation.This book presents a detailed evaluation of the attack on the operational and tactical level. It examines such questions as: Was the strategy underlying the attack sound? Were there flaws in planning or execution? How did Japanese military culture influence the planning? How risky was the attack? What did the Japanese expect to achieve, compared to what they did achieve? Were there Japanese blunders? What were their consequences? What might have been the results if the attack had not benefited from the mistakes of the American commanders?The book also addresses the body of folklore about the attack, assessing contentious issues such as the skill level of the Japanese aircrew; whether mini submarines torpedoed Oklahoma and Arizona, as has been recently claimed; whether the Japanese ever really considered launching a third-wave attack—and the consequences for the Naval Shipyard and the fuel storage tanks if it had been executed. In addition, the analysis has detected for the first time deceptions that a prominent Japanese participant in the attack placed into the historical record, most likely to conceal his blunders and enhance his reputation.The centerpiece of the book is an analysis using modern Operations Research methods and computer simulations, as well as combat models developed between 1922 and 1946 at the US Naval War College. The analysis sheds new light on the strategy and tactics employed by Yamamoto to open the Pacific War, and offers a dramatically different appraisal of the effectiveness of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

The December 7th, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor has been portrayed by historians as a dazzling success, “brilliantly conceived and meticulously planned.” With most American historians concentrating on command errors and the story of participants’ experiences, the Japanese attack operation has never been subjected to a comprehensive critical analysis of the military side of the operation. This book presents a detailed evaluation of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on the operational and tactical level. It examines such questions as: Was the strategy underlying the attack sound? Were there flaws in planning or execution? How did Japanese military culture influence the planning? How risky was the attack? What did the Japanese expect to achieve, balanced against what they did achieve? Were there Japanese blunders? What were their consequences? What might have been the results if the attack had not benefited from the mistakes of the American commanders?The book also addresses the body of folklore about the attack, supporting or challenging many contentious issues such as the skill level of the Japanese aircrew, whether midget submarines torpedoed Oklahoma and Arizona, as has been recently claimed, whether the Japanese ever really considered launching a third wave attack, and the consequences of a “3rd wave” attack against the Naval Shipyard and the fuel storage tanks if it had been executed. In addition, the analysis has detected for the first time a body of deceptions that a prominent Japanese participant in the attack placed into the historical record, most likely to conceal his blunders and enhance his reputation. The centerpiece of the book is an analysis using modern Operations Research methods and computer simulations, as well as combat models developed between 1922 and 1946 at the U.S. Naval War College. The analysis puts a new light on the strategy and tactics employed by Yamamoto to open the Pacific War, and a dramatically different appraisal of the effectiveness of the Attack on Pearl Harbor.Dr. Alan D. Zimm is a member of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, where he heads a section in the Aviation Systems and Advanced Concepts Group. He is a former officer in the US Navy, completing his service as a Commander, and holds degrees in Physics, Operations Research, and Public Administration with a concentration on Policy Analysis and Strategic Planning.Table of ContentsIntroductionFolklore, Viewed with a Critical EyeCHAPTER 1 Strategic and Operational SettingCHAPTER 2 Targets, Weapons and Weapon-Target PairingsCHAPTER 3 WargamesCHAPTER 4 Planning the AttackCHAPTER 5 Pre-Attack: Training, Rehearsals, Briefings and Contingency PlanningCHAPTER 6 Execution of the AttackCHAPTER 7 Assessment of the AttackCHAPTER 8 Battle Damage AssessmentCHAPTER 9 What Might Have Been: Alerted Pearl Harbor DefensesCHAPTER 10 Assessing the FolkloreCHAPTER 11 The Fifth Midget Submarine: A Cautionary TaleCHAPTER 12 Reassessing the ParticipantsCHAPTER 13 Summary and ConclusionsAPPENDIX A: Tabulation of Second-Wave Dive-Bomber AttacksAPPENDIX B: Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Japanese TermsAPPENDIX C: Ships in Pearl Harbor and VicinityAPPENDIX D: The Perfect AttackAPPENDIX E: AcknowledgmentsBibliographyEndnotesIndex

“Nothing previously published has offered such a close examination of Japanese strategy . . . an in-depth study of the Japanese planning, preparation and execution of the attack with particular focus on factors not thoroughly considered by other historians, if at all . . . detailed analyses that lead to a much better understanding of what the Japanese did, why they did it, and especially how the attack was very nearly an abject failure instead of a stunning success."—Naval Institute Proceedings"For seven decades, conventional wisdom has extolled the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor as brilliant in its planning and execution . . . this masterful analysis topples that pillar of Pacific War history . . . with its amazing depth of meticulous research and analysis, this forceful book is essential reading for anyone with a serious interest in Pearl Harbor."—World War II "The first militarily professional description of the Pearl Harbor attack, and for those who are serious about military history and operations, it is a joy to read. . . . a superb military analysis of the attack . . . not only renders all other histories of Pearl Harbor obsolete, it has set the bar high for other histories of the Pacific War."—War In HistoryTable of ContentsIntroductionFolklore, Viewed with a Critical EyeCHAPTER 1 Strategic and Operational SettingCHAPTER 2 Targets, Weapons and Weapon-Target PairingsCHAPTER 3 WargamesCHAPTER 4 Planning the AttackCHAPTER 5 Pre-Attack: Training, Rehearsals, Briefings and Contingency PlanningCHAPTER 6 Execution of the AttackCHAPTER 7 Assessment of the AttackCHAPTER 8 Battle Damage AssessmentCHAPTER 9 What Might Have Been: Alerted Pearl Harbor DefensesCHAPTER 10 Assessing the FolkloreCHAPTER 11 The Fifth Midget Submarine: A Cautionary TaleCHAPTER 12 Reassessing the ParticipantsCHAPTER 13 Summary and ConclusionsAPPENDIX A: Tabulation of Second-Wave Dive-Bomber AttacksAPPENDIX B: Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Japanese TermsAPPENDIX C: Ships in Pearl Harbor and VicinityAPPENDIX D: The Perfect AttackAPPENDIX E: AcknowledgmentsBibliographyEndnotesIndex