Rising Sun, Falling Skies: The disastrous Java Sea Campaign of World War II (General Military)

This excellent book focuses on the men of the U.S. Navy's Asiatic (Surface) Fleet during the first three months after the attack at Pearl Harbor. That time period is also one that’s rarely mentioned in history books. .

Shortly after Pearl Harbor American leaders realized the Japanese intended to take over the oil fields of Java and Sumatra (now the main islands of Indonesia). Shortly afterward, political leaders in Washington ordered the ships and crews of the Asiatic Surface Fleet, to be placed under the full control of the Dutch Navy. The British and Australian also handed control of several ships over to the Dutch.

Each of the four allied navies were trained in different tactics, codes and signals. They also had no time to practice together. Worst of all, the ships could barely communicate together because their Dutch commanders could not speak English. None of those issues seemed to matter to the Dutch who were hell bent on going down fighting to retain control of their imperial possessions.

Eventually a mixed bag of allied ships and men were thrown up against a Japanese juggernaut that was fast approaching from the north. They arrived with ships in greater number that were also far superior in quality and weaponry. Thousands of astoundingly brave Americans and their allies immediately entered battle with full knowledge that they had virtually no chance of surviving.Sadly, by March 1,1942 the impromptu Allied fleet and the U.S. Asiatic Surface were virtually wiped out, and most of the men had been killed. A “lucky” few survived, but went on to endure 3 ½ years of torturous, deadly existence inside Japanese labor camps.

Afterward, the American public quickly shifted their focus onto U.S. victories like the Doolittle Raid and Battle of Midway. When WWII finally ended, the American public and most historians went on to act as if nothing of concern happened between Pearl Harbor and the Doolittle Raid. The most glaring example is the 2001 movie “Pearl Harbor”.

I am very grateful to the author and publishers for offering this wonderful book that preserves the honor and memory of many unsung heroes. I am especially grateful because I learned far more about the life and fate of my uncle whom I never met; F/C2 W.S. Jones, who went down with flagship U.S.S. Houston.

Veery Pleased with book and service

I am not sure how I feel about this work. Cox creates a compelling narrative and the author has a deep knowledge of the secondary sources regarding the Java Sea Campaign. But there are many problems with the work. There are a plethora of factual mistakes, the most glaring was the author’s statement the USS Houston was commission in 1930 as a light cruiser of Northampton Class, that was later converted into a heavy cruiser. Kind of a big mistake, especially for an author writing on naval history, The mistakes go on and on, ship armaments and sizes are misstated, etc. Many other reviewers have mentioned these problems and seem to accept that they are the result of poor editing. To me that is lazy, Osprey is a major publishing house with a long history on publishing works on Military History and the authors biography in the work states that he has written extensively on Military History. It is unacceptable that a publisher would allow this to happen. As someone who enjoys reading Military History, mistakes like will keep me from purchasing works from Osprey in the future. For Cox, I am torn, I like his style of writing, at times is has odd word choices, Japanese Heave Cruisers were described as being luxurious, why is never explained. He may be better served in the future to engage a series of readers to review his manuscript for factual errors.

For almost all of my life I have read books dealing with armored warfare in the ETO. Only recently have I found an interest in the war in the PTO. If I was not well versed on events in the PTO, I was totally ignorant on the topic of this book: the events in the Dutch East Indies and destruction of allied naval forces there. This story left me shaking my head and repeatedly wondering "what the hell?" No wonder there aren't a ton of books on this subject. Our performance was dismal, and yet the performance of our allied sailors and airmen in a lost cause was often heroic. This book did what a truly good books does, it left me hungry to find out more on the topic.

The author has done a very credible and thorough analysis of the early days before and after Pearl Harbor in the Java Sea regional area. This book is comprehensive, well researched, enjoyable to read, includes insight into the regional commanders on both sides, the surface and air units involved (also comprehensively) as well as the politics of what was a ridiculous back water failed effort to attempt a slow down to the Japanese advance. As an American, the truth of that time is hard to read along with the loss of life, ships, and territory but necessary to understand as to the how and why of what occurred. The author includes some personal observations (shared to some extent with other historians of this time and area) regarding military leaders which can sometimes be unavoidable. I recommend this book to any library or interested reader that wishes to have the war in the Pacific comprehensively detailed regarding this failed (for the regional Allies) area naval campaign.

Much information and accounts in a part of the pacific campaign usually bypassed.

An incredible read.

A

Bottomline up front; I enjoyed the read and purchased two more of his WWII naval history books.
The book is fairly well written some have disagreed with his style. Too descriptive the author is accused of fictionizing history; too many details the prose is too dry. I concur with other reviewers more and better detailed maps. His book sits well next to Toll’s WWII naval trilogy. Cox does need a copy Silverstone’s U.S. Warships of WW II it would have prevented some order of battle errors. Perhaps I am too critical over details of class, structure, capabilities and weapons system; but these errors distract from the narrative. Osprey publishing owe it authors and reader better support.
The American, British, Dutch, and Australian (ABDA) efforts in the Java region is viewed as a minor theater of operations. Most naval books covering this period usually short-change arena and jump from Pearl Harbor to Midway.

Really good read! Never had read about this battle very much before, this is probably the best work on this subject. Actually a very sad story, but needed to be told in detail. Never knew that much about the Dutch involvement in the Pacific, fighting ships, Dornier seaplanes, Brewster Buffaloes, P 36s, etc. Good read. Very frustrating to read how the US Navy Pacific fleet, as well as the Royal British & Dutch navies were basically thrown to the Japanese wolves in a strategic battle they had little chance of winning. Great read!