The Ship Model Forum

By Richard Hough

ISBN 1 84341 015X

Has anyone read this book?

I picked it up from one of my local bookshops today and had a quick skim read through it. It's a nice narrative of the voyage of the Second Pacific Squadron on it's way to Tsushima.

Originally published in 1957, what, if any, new info has appeared to back-up/debunk what's printed in it?

Mike.

Yes, I've read it and enjoyed it. Good piece of writing but it is more of a social history of the event than a tactical/strategic one. Gives a good insight into what it must have been like for the Russian sailors and officers. I cannot tell you anything about new info but the book I would like to see is the Official Naval History of the conflict written for the Admiralty by Sir Julian Barnes I think. I do not think it has ever been republished but Naval & Military Press have thought about it in the past.

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Yours

Paul

I found it a good read as well.

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No Quarter Asked - None Given

I liked the book. Hough has written so many and his style is very entertaining. I have heard complaints over the years that he sometimes makes mistakes, but then who doesn't. His book on SMS Karlshrue was quite good, although I was shocked at how badly he got the events of Karlshrue's sinking wrong at the end. Made me question alot of what I had just read. The book published in the US in 1944 "Tsushima" by A. Novikov Priboy is probably the most famous first hand account of the voyage and battle.I found it the best book I've read on the subject. But I've also heard complaints about the accuracy of his account. It is first hand and translated into English , so maybe it isn't a definitive history, but it is a very interesting source on what the voyage and battle was like by one who was there. And in the end it is from those who were there that history is written. I still read any of Hough's books I come across, just take it for granted some errors may be found in his research.

Bob B.

GPaulC
You didn't happen to mean the two volume offical history written for the admiralty and kept to only a few copies for naval officers? This was kept out of private hands for many years until it's modern reprint. At any rate the two volume "Maritime Operations in the Russo-Japanese War 1904-05" by Julian S. Corbett was reprinted here in the US by the Naval Institute Press in 1994 and was also printed in the U.K. A huge and pretty detailed account of all naval operations in that conflict. I may do a search to look for the author you mentioned as writting an official history.
Bob B.

Yes, very sorry, I meant Corbett . Julian Barnes is an author not an historian. Could have been worse I could have got him mixed up with Julian Clarey, heaven forbid.

I didn't realise it had been reprinted. I'll have to search and see if an copies are still available!

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Yours

Paul

GPaulC,
Sure, I thought that was what you meant to say. I think on the usedbook search site you should have no trouble finding copies. I loved reading the detailed account of Japanese naval operations. As always in war, a desparate need for small ships always crops up. This whole Russo-Japanese war at sea was classic naval warfare. Blockades, destroyer actions, raiding crusiers, cruiser actions and full blown fleet actions. Have you ever heard of "Witnesses Of Tsushima"? A book that tells the Russian side of the voyage and battle from personal accounts along with historical comment. I forget the author, but a search by title should turn it up. I recommend it highly
Can get the author's name for you if you like?
Bob B.

Here is the best book about subject.

Tsushima (Soviet Literature in English Transaction)
By Aleksei S. Novikov-Priboi, E. Paul, C. Paul

ISBN : 0883554089
Binding : Hardcover
Publisher : Hyperion Pr

The author of the book served on Borodino class BB - Orel, as was witness of entire battle. It is amazing book with details about life on BB, accidents during long way to Tsushima, details of battle. Orel survied the battle to be captured by enemy.

Just a genric thanks for this thread. The Russo-Japanese war is a snowballing interest for me so, the books listed above are a great starting point.

Now, does anyone have any reccomendations for the Sino-Japanese war of 1895(6?)?

Cheers,
Brad

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Cheers,
Brad

bholderman,
Yes, thats a tough one as to a single volume naval history. I have found the war described in several different books. One that comes to mind is "The Influence of the Sea on the Political History of Japan" by G.A. Ballard. a book from 1921 but reprinted in 1973 by Greenwood Press. Also "Togo and the Rise of Japanese Sea Power" by E.A. Falk. A section of that deals in nice detail with the Sino-Japanese Naval battles. I'm not aware of a comprehensive naval history of the Sino-Japanese war. The Journal WARSHIP has had an article or two over the years. And "Ironclads in Action" an old book reprinted a few years back covers the conflict. For the Russo-Japanese war you can try "The McCully Report, russo-japanese war 1904-05" by N McCully and "The Tide at Sunrise " by Warner. a complete war history with good coverage of the naval war.

Bob B.

Hi all!

If anyone's looking for a general history of the Russo-Japanese War, I suggest:

"Rising Sun and Tumbling Bear" by Richard Connaughton

ISBN: 0-304-36657-9 (Paperback Edition)

Cassell Publishing.

It puts the naval ops in context, though the majority of the book concerns the land war. The chapters dealing with the seige of Port Arthur are particularly interesting.

Mike.

Thanks for the referneces.

I found this one at amazon if anyone is interested:

The Chinese Steam Navy 1862-1945 (Hardcover)
by Richard N. J. Wright

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1861761449/ref=ord_cart_shr/002-0538217-0173623?%5Fencoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance

Does anyone have this with any feedback?

Cheers,
Brad

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Cheers,
Brad

I purchased it a few months ago. The book is well illustrated and has chapters covering ship building during various time periods, Sino-French War, Sino-Japanese War, other historical periods, infrastructure, and appendixes on naval guns and ship names.

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No Quarter Asked - None Given

However, if, as I suspect you are Brad, you are trying to get information on the Chin Yuen's 25-ton Krupp guns, there's not much to go in that book, other than some scant data already available in the second link in the reply I made to your other post, and tiny drawings of the guns which form part of a couple of small scale drawings of the vessels.

Roger,

Actually, no. I am finding that I am interested in this period of naval history. Between the Sino-Japanes war, Russo-Japanese War and the development of the Great White Fleet/Spanish-American war, its an incredible period of technological change. As I have found little in regards to the CHinese navy, I thought this might be a good reference to have on hand.

Cheers,
Brad

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Cheers,
Brad

Ah, well, if you're generally interested, then I would definitely recommend it!

It's a very informative book on a very neglected (in Western terms, anyway) corner of naval history.

Plus, of course, there's a good bibliography for if you want to get really stuck in.

I am reading both of them right now and I am enjoying them.

I recommend both!

The Russo-Japanese war was one of the first conflicts where journalists were "embedded" in the field. A search in old book shops should reveal a large number of accounts written by the journalists that followed both the Russian and the Japanese army.

I have two of these books and they seem interesting (I haven't had tyhe time to read them yet). Of course they cover mainly the land operations, but on the other hand these guys were THERE (and survived).

Jack London was there too, and IIRC he even wrote an account of his experiences.

/Magnus

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