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In this, the concluding volume of the series, Admiral Morison examines two of the most famous campaigns in which he participated: Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He spares no details in describing the grim consequences of the kamikaze attacks on U.S ships. With his usual clarity and skill, Morison also discusses the strategy that led to the concluding campaigns of the war and to the dropping of the atomic bombs. He addresses the logistics problem of supplying fleets and armies thousands of miles from bases, the devastating prowls by submarines, and the controversial loss of the USS Indianapolis. His detailed account of the delicate negotiations that led to the surrender of Japan holds particular interest.
Samuel Eliot Morison taught history at Harvard from 1915 to 1955, except for active duty service in the Navy on board eleven different ships in all theaters of the war. In addition to this series, Rear Admiral Morison wrote many other popular and award-winning books on maritime history, including Two Ocean War. Morison, who died in 1976, was the recipient of two Pulitzer Prizes, two Bancroft Prizes, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom
