Pictures tell the story
East Wind Rain

By Stan Cohen. Pictorial Histories Publishing Company. 298pp. $38.50.

Reviewer :: Cpl Jonathan Garland

The attack by Japan on Pearl Harbour was a turning point of World War II and remains one of the memorable military actions of modern history.

This book, in the author’s words, doesn’t seek to uncover anything new but to present the most comprehensive collection of pictures in print.

And there are lots of them.

Photos, sketches, maps and diagrams make up the backbone of this book. They show places, people and equipment before, during and after the attack.

While running second to the pictorial content, the text is not insignificant. It gives the reader a picture of the world situation of the time and some of the results of the action.

There are personal accounts from eyewitnesses, descriptions of aircraft used by both forces, damage suffered by the Americans and casualties from the attack.

The book is divided into sections, including Japanese plans, Ford Island, Aerial activity, Destruction, Japanese photos, Salvage operations and Aftermath.

In many ways, it has the feel of a family photo album, with photos accompanied by the stories of the happenings.
East Wind Rain was first published in 1981 and has been reprinted 10 times since then.

It’s an excellent coffee-table book and a good starting point for those interested in information about the attack on Pearl Harbour.

East Wind Rain is distributed by Crusader Trading.