"An important addition toward understanding the actions and sacrifices of the American naval personnel who fought in East Asia in that period. . . . Fans of good naval history will want to read this book."—Russell K. Brown, Journal of America’s Military Past
"An important work for anyone seriously interested the opening phase of the Pacific War, naval operations, and the history of the U.S. Navy."—A.A. Nofi, NYMAS Review
"In the Highest Degree Tragic tells an even-handed, riveting story of the last days of a fleet that fought loyally against great odds in a chaotic time of sweeping defeats."—Jeff Schultz, Michigan War Studies Review
“Unsurpassed in its detailed, participant-based coverage of the ill-fated efforts of the Asiatic Fleet and its Dutch, British, and Australian allies to counter the Japanese attempt to seize Java, this vivid account stands as the authoritative work on the subject.”—William H. Bartsch, author of Every Day a Nightmare: American Pursuit Pilots in the Defense of Java, 1941–1942
“Don Kehn has produced here a first-rate history of an oft-neglected yet critical phase of that conflict. Kehn captures it vividly, drawing adroitly from both Western and Japanese sources. Excellent!”—Jonathan Parshall, coauthor of Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway
