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Black snow : Curtis LeMay, the firebombing of Tokyo, and the road to the atomic bomb Cover Image Book Book

Black snow : Curtis LeMay, the firebombing of Tokyo, and the road to the atomic bomb / James M. Scott.

Scott, James (James M.), (author.).

Summary:

"Black Snow brilliantly vivifies the horrific reality of the most destructive air attack in history, against Tokyo on the night of March 9-10, 1945. James Scott deftly employs sharply etched portraits of individuals of all stations and nationalities to survey the global, technological, and moral backdrop of the cataclysm, including the searing experiences of Japanese trapped in a gigantic firestorm. This riveting account illuminates an historical moment of profound contemporary relevance." --Richard B. Frank, author of Tower of Skulls: A History of the Asia-Pacific War: July 1937-May 1942.
"Seven minutes past midnight on March 10, 1945, nearly 300 American B-29s thundered into the skies over Tokyo. Their payloads of incendiaries ignited a firestorm that reached up to 2,800 degrees, liquefying asphalt and vaporizing thousands; sixteen square miles of the city were flattened and more than 100,000 men, women, and children were killed. Black Snow is the story of this devastating operation, orchestrated by Major General Curtis LeMay, who famously remarked: "If we lose the war, we'll be tried as war criminals." James M. Scott reconstructs in granular detail that horrific night, and describes the development of the B-29, the capture of the Marianas for use as airfields, and the change in strategy from high-altitude daylight "precision" bombing to low-altitude nighttime incendiary bombing. Most importantly, the raid represented a significant moral shift for America, marking the first time commanders deliberately targeted civilians which helped pave the way for the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki five months later." -- inside front jacket flap.

Record details

  • ISBN: 9781324002994
  • ISBN: 1324002999
  • Physical Description: 420 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm
  • Edition: First edition.
  • Publisher: New York : W. W. Norton & Company, [2022]

Content descriptions

Bibliography, etc. Note:
Includes bibliographical references (pages 395-410) and index.
Formatted Contents Note:
Part I: A Spark -- Part II: The Fire -- Part III: Inferno -- Epilogue.

Search for related items by subject

Subject: LeMay, Curtis E. > Military leadership.
Incendiary bombs > History > 20th century.
World War, 1939-1945 > Aerial operations, American.
Tokyo (Japan) > History > Bombardment, 1945.

Available copies

  • 4 of 5 copies available at Missouri Evergreen. (Show)
  • 3 of 3 copies available at Jefferson County.

Holds

  • 0 current holds with 5 total copies.
Show Only Available Copies
Location Call Number / Copy Notes Barcode Shelving Location Status Due Date
Jefferson County Library-Arnold 940.544 SCOTT (Text) 30061100082581 Non-Fiction Available -
Jefferson County Library-Cedar Hill 940.544 SCOTT (Text) 30031100082816 Non-Fiction Available -
Jefferson County Library-Windsor 940.544 SCOTT (Text) 30065100082590 Non-Fiction Available -
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