E. B. Potter - Nimitz (Unabridged)

Called a great book worthy of a  great man, this definitive biography of the Commander in Chief of the  Pacific Fleet in World War II is considered the best book ever written  about Admiral Chester W. Nimitz. Highly respected by both the civilian  and naval communities, Nimitz was sometimes overshadowed by more  colorful warriors in the Pacific such as MacArthur and Halsey. Potter's  lively and authoritative style fleshes out Admiral Nimitz's personality  to help listeners appreciate the contributions he made as the principle  architect of Japan's defeat. Following the Japanese attacks on Pearl  Harbor on December 7, 1941, President Roosevelt named Nimitz the  commander of the Pacific Fleet. An experienced and respected  leader, Nimitz was also an effective military strategist who directed US  forces as they closed in on Japan, beginning in May and June of 1942  with the battles of the Coral Sea and Midway. Nimitz was promoted to the  newly created rank of fleet admiral in 1944 and became the naval  equivalent to the army's General Dwight Eisenhower. The book covers his  full life: from a poverty-stricken childhood to postwar appointments as  chief of naval operations and UN mediator, and candidly reveals Nimitz's  opinions of Halsey, Kimmel, King, Spruance, MacArthur, Forrestal,  Roosevelt, and Truman.