Recommended Books on the War in the Pacific:

If you purchase any books via these links I may get a small commission. That being said, these are still my recommended books and should be available across numerous platforms.

This book list is ongoing. I’m always adding things to the list as I read them. These books are my recommendations, and I’ll only recommend something I read myself and think are solid picks for any aspiring military or WWII historian. (Also, this is a brand new page as of 6/25/25 and my list of books on these subjects is long. I’ll keep adding when I can find the time! There’s plenty more to come)

WWII: War in the Pacific Reading list

Eagle Against The Sun: The american war with japan- ronald h. spector

the fleet at flood tide: America at total war in the pacific 1944-1945- james d. hornfischer

Given up for dead: america’s heroic stand at wake island- bill sloan

helmet for my pillow: from parris island to the pacific- robert leckie- first-hand account (primary source)

with the old breed: at peleliu and okinawa- eugene sledge- first-hand account (primary source)

red blood, black sand: fighting alongside john basilone from boot camp to iwo jima- first-hand accound (primary source)

islands of the damned: a marine at war in the pacific- R.V. Burgin- First-hand account (primary source)

samurai! japan’s greatest living fighter pilot tells his story- saburo sakai & martin caidin- first-hand accound (primary source)

ian toll’s pacific war trilogy

pacific crucible: war at sea in the pacific, 1941-1942 (vol 1)

the conquering tide: war in the pacific islands, 1942-1944 (vol 2)

twilight of the gods: war in the western pacific, 1944-45 (vol 3)