This book is a well written biography that also presents many lessons of leadership. Starting with how Nimitz "conceived the image of an ideal officer and consciously molded himself to conform to that image;" to his introduction of the circular formation to the fleet; to the way he ran planning sessions for World War II Pacific Theater operations. Nimitz was a master storyteller who used stories to convey knowledge and share humor. His political acumen in handling disputes between the Army and the Marine Corps on Saipan and, later, as Chief of Naval Operations testifying before congressional committees over unification of the services provide case studies in executive leadership. Although Nimitz's service in World War II is widely known, I was surprised to learn of his efforts in the late 1940's to mediate the dispute between India and Pakistan over Kashmir---an area that remains a hot spot today!

Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, a down to earth kind of guy. The kind of man who gave credit where credit was due. Unlike General Douglas MacAurther, he did not insist on "hogging" all the glory. He wasn't seen as much as a "hero" in the public's eye, like General MacAurther was, because of it. Unlike MacAurther, he did not complain about having to share part of the Pacific Theater. He made sure that the NAVY got the credit it deserved. That the NAVY and the NAVY's Marine Corps fought most of the war in the pacific. I think if you are interested in WWII, Pacific Theater, that this is a book you should read.

I read this book this past year and enjoyed learning about Admiral Nimitz. By all accounts, he was a real leader of men-self-effacing, competent, inituitive, confident, and by example. Unlike General MacArthur, Admiral Nimitz was not flamboyant or showy. He was a matter-of-fact officer who truly cared for his men. He had the knack for picking the right man for the right job every time. He knew when to employ a aggressive commander like Bull Halsey and when to use a cautious commander like Admiral Raymond Spruance. He was a sailor's Admiral and an Admiral's Admiral. He was Chester Nimitz.

Driskill pays tribute to E.B. Potter's official biography of Admiral Nimitz in the credits section of his book. Unfortunately his shorter biography adds little of substance to Potter's. Potter shows his admiration for Nimitz by showing many small incidents of the man's humanity, tactical intelligence, and quiet perseverance that let the reader conclude on his own that Nimitz was a great man. Driskill tries to achieve the same goal in less space by glossing over details and just _telling_ readers that Nimitz was a great man. At several points he resorts to one of my pet peeves, narrative sentences ending in exclamation points. That is! Such a lame way! Of trying to make a story more dramatic! The best parts of Driskill's book are the passages where he talks about Nimitz's Texas boyhood and later visits to the state. There, he brings up vivid local detail that invokes the real Fredricksburg and surrounding Texas hill country. (The Museum of the Pacific War in Fredricksburg, built in the old Nimitz family hotel, is well worth a visit.) Driskill clearly had the best of intentions in writing this shorter account, but I'm afraid a reader would be better served by biting the bullet and launching into Potter's longer biography.

Chester Nimitz, remembered most for his victories at Midway and the Central Pacific, is portrayed in a commendable fashion in this well-written and well-researched book. Beginning from his birth, the book discusses the development of the Admiral and the formation of his ideologies and ideals as he rose through the ranks to the top of the naval hierarchy, all of which is indispensable for the student who truly wishes to understand the command of the United States in the WWII Pacific Theatre. The portrayal of the admiral in both a personal and professional military light is superb, and one cannot help but be captivated by the truths presented in this book about the commander who has long been overshadowed by MacArthur despite the fact that Nimitz himself may deserve more credit for the American victory than his flambuoyant counterpart in the army. The relationship described in the book between these two is especially admirable, and Driskill does quite a job demonstrating how the Pacific Campaign was actually commanded.

I would highly recommend this book for anyone interested in WWII reading or modern naval history as this book doesn't present Nimitz as a ficticious hero of the seas like Nelson or Jones, but rather as a modern hero in the modernizing navy who held in his disciplined character the key to allied victory in the Pacific.

The U.S. command in the pacific theater is one of the most underreported of the war. And yet this command was the most innovative of any command of any power in WWII. They invented a totally new type of warfare and quickly learned to execute it exceptionally well.
And they also made do with so little, winning Midway and holding Guadacanal by the skin of their teeth. The ability to know exactly where to fight and how is an incredible story.
Does this book get that? Yes, some of it. But for a book that revolves around this, it gets suprisingly little. The U.S. submarine fleet sunk half the Japanese ships and basically isolated Japan from it's raw material sourced. Yet it's not mentioned in this book.
Add to that no real mention of how the Navy learned to develop amphibious warfare and to combine that with strong carrier support. And what you are left with is another book that just goes through the main battles of the pacific war, with a bit more emphasis on the admirals in charge.

Excellent detailed review of WW II in the Pacific with all the personalities and "backstabbing" of the commanders that went on.Much of the details were not released to the media at the time. Many of the leaders mentioned went on to become the Chief of Naval Operations later on. I had the privelege of calling on Nimitz and his wife in 1963 and he related the story of his ship grounding detailled in the book. This book was "released" in 1970. Why is it so late (2000) in being published? Would loved to have read it before meeting Nimitz and his son.Could have used more maps of some of the places being discussed.

Outstanding history of the war in the Pacific. Great profiles of Nimitz, Fletcher, Halsey, Spruance, and others. Easy to read. I hated to finish it!