JAPAN’S DARING ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR ON DECEMBER 7, 1941, WAS A CATASTROPHIC SURPRISE FOR THE UNITED STATES WHICH COMPELLED A RADICAL CHANGE IN BOTH AMERICAN AND JAPANESE STRATEGY.  ADMIRAL KIMMEL WAS REPLACED AS COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE PACIFIC FLEET BY A KEEN-WITTED BLUE-EYED TEXAN, ADMIRAL CHESTER W. NIMITZ, AND HIS PRIMARY TASK WAS DEFINED AS THE HOLDING OF A LINE RUNNING BETWEEN HAWAII AND THE VITAL AMERICAN BASE AT MIDWAY ISLAND, 1100 MILES SOUTHWEST OF PEARL HARBOR.  HE ALSO WAS INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN COMMUNICATIONS WITH AND BETWEEN AMERICA AND AUSTRALIA.  THE UNITED STATES WAS DETERMINED, AT THIS POINT, TO PREVENT A FURTHER JAPANESE ADVANCE TOWARD THE WEST, BUT NOT TO ATTACK.  THIS IS JUST THE START OF THE VERY INTERESTING PROLOGUE OF THIS BOOK.