Ships of World War II
by John Ward
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Motorbooks International (2000)
ISBN: 0760309353
This book lists most of the the major warships in World War 2, from carrier and battleship to destroyer level. Though brief, the histories say a good deal. It doesn't list any of the smaller boats or subs, but they're probably considered not as important as the big capital ships. But among the cons (which struck out one star), some other important ships are missing. I missed the Fuso and the Yamashiro, as well as Arizona and Gambier Bay. Also, the editing was not too good (The tonnage of the Takao was wrong - 41,000 for a cruiser!). The pictures were all black and white, and not all are very clear (there were some good shots, though). And it's thin, could have been filled with more. There are many references better than this, but buying this isn't really a loss. It's useful for those wanting a starter in surface warship history.