The Voyages of Japanese Navy Ships," a series serialized in J Ships magazine, is now available as a book with additional content and new writing. It reexamines the Japanese Navy from the perspective of ship type.
Following its victory over Russia in the Russo-Japanese War, the Japanese Navy continued to expand, and by the interwar period it had become a major navy rivaling the navies of the great powers in terms of size. However, while the ships that continued to be built after the disarmament treaties boasted powerful offensive capabilities, they also posed major problems. This book examines the shipbuilding philosophy, construction history, and performance in actual combat of each type of ship in the Japanese Navy, including battleships, aircraft carriers, cruisers, and destroyers. It explores the true nature of these famous ships.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: The Shock and Miscalculation of the Aircraft Carrier
Chapter 2: The Battleship that Determined the Rise and Fall of the Japanese Navy
Chapter 3: The Light Cruiser, Overshadowed by Prioritization of Tactical Use
Chapter 4: The Heavy Cruiser, Where Weaknesses Revealed in Times of War
Chapter 5: The Aircraft Cruiser, Where Expectations Were High
Chapter 6: The Air Defense Ship, Where Development Was Lag
Chapter 7: The Torpedo Squadron Destroyer, Where Craftsmanship Failed
Chapter 8: The Wartime Destroyer, Necessary for War
Chapter 9: The Torpedo Boat that Destabilized the Japanese Navy
Chapter 10: The Coast Defense Ship, Which Reflected the Navy's Transformation
Chapter 11: The Ad Hoc Air Carrier, Where the Difference Between Japan and the United States Divided
Chapter 12: The Seaplane Tender, Where the Cover for New Weapons Was Used
Chapter 13: The Submarine, Crushed by Excessive Expectations
Chapter 14 Submarine Tenders Supported by Special Purpose Vessels
Chapter 15: Minesweepers, the Foundation of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
Chapter 16: Transport Ships on the Frontlines in the Late War
Chapter 17: Special Purpose Vessels Supporting the Combined Fleet, Part 1: Oilers, Supply Ships, and Trooping Ships
Chapter 18: Special Purpose Vessels Supporting the Combined Fleet, Part 2: Repair Ships, Target Ships, Icebreakers, and River Gunboats
Chapter 19: The Naval Carrier Air Group, Emergeing as a Major Player in Naval Battles
Chapter 20: The Efforts and Desperate Measures of a Destitute Nation: the Naval Base Air Group and the Naval Construction Unit
Chapter 21: The Fierce Struggle of Requisitioned Ships on the Frontlines: the Special Surveillance Boat
