Jutland: An Analysis of the Fighting

IN A NUTSHELL:A WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF NAVAL HISTORY AIDS UNDERSTANDING First, let me say that 'Jutland: An Analysis of the Fighting' by John Campbell is not an easy or quick read for someone with a passing interest in naval warfare. Without a knowledge of the nautical, era-specific jargon and the particulars of era-specific warships, this fine text is hard both to understand and to follow. However, if one is prepared for Jutland, this edition is probably the best account of the specifics of the battle, especially concerning the engagements of individual ships and the damage sustained and meted out. With over 300 ships actively involved, including over 80 capital ships, the encyclopedic scope of the detailed accounts of the actual shell hits to and by individual ships in thorough diagramed detail is remarkable. As you are reading this book, it is important to have access to a reference with all the particulars pertaining to the individual participants of the 'Battle-Line'. Antony Preston's, 'Battleships of World War I', is excellent as its concise format and accurate details make knowing the ships you're reading about easier, especially for comparison. WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT: THE MOST VALUABLE BOOK IN 1916 [HAD IT EXISTED] Reading this text imparts a working knowledge of the flaws and features of capital ships of the era and would be a crucial tool [had it existed at the time] in designing better capital ships after Jutland, as the lessons to be learned are all here for the reader to digest. In essence, this battle represented 'THE CLASSROOM EXPERIMENT' needed to measure the potency of the world's most lethal weapons, capital ships. From the results, carefully summarized in this text, we can determine the strengths and weaknesses of many of the experimental and theoretical design paradigms of the era that were installed in these Dreadnought and Super-Dreadnought vessels. BOTTOM LINE: I LITERALLY COULDN'T PUT THIS BOOK DOWN UNTIL IT DROPPED FROM MY HANDS While I couldn't put the book down, people without a compelling urge to analyze the battle in detail found this quite dry and totally uninteresting. Furthermore, some people find the use of terms and era-specific jargon [without a glossary] throughout the text frustrating in the extreme. Some of the text is written in a coarse style that seems to be lacking in articles and prepositions, but that is typical of real, unvarnished 'battle accounts'. Keeping all this in mind, 'Jutland: An Analysis of the Fighting' is a book written for highly motivated enthusiasts and historians whose strong background in naval history will facilitate fast comprehension of the unusual terms and jargon. For the specific niche that John Campbell is apparently addressing in his text, NO EQUAL yet exists to my knowledge. RECOMMENDED COMPANION: BATTLESHIPS OF WORLD WAR I, ANTONY PRESTON, 1972.

Sometimes described as *dry and technically slanted*, Campbell's meticulously wonderful study in the epic sea battle is to me the definitive word on all that is to know about what happened at Jutland. Unprecedented and unsurpassed, Campbell fills in the holes that so many naval historians have left behind while attempting to recount the story of Jutland. The bottom line is I don't see anyone else giving a DETAILED analysis of how and where EACH heavy shell hit a capital ship at Jutland and what happened afterwards. Campbell brings us in fantastically up close to examine the workings of guns, armour, propulsion, fire control and shell hits like no one has done before or after. Rather than saying it should be read with other people's efforts to compensate for its alleged dryness, I'd say all other accounts on Jutland would be woefully superficial without the anchorage of Campbell's immaculately researched findings. To a beginner, you may need to say only *British battlecruiser are weak in armour*. But to a true and seasoned enthusiast, nothing short of how H.M.S Lion suffered each of her 12 (16?) shell hits at Jutland would do. Campbell is the only one so far who has given us that. No one else has come close. I recommend his fabulous work with no hesitation. Only question : wonder why the drawings about hits on British ships much better than those on German ships???

This book describes almost every shot fired in the battle of Jutland anf its effects in the ships. One of the most attractive features of the book is that it is not particularly biased towards any of the contendants. This book is the result of a lifetime effort. Anybody interested in WWI naval warfare or battleship technology should read it.

As a military history buff, I am nearly awestruck by the degree of detail achieved by the author. Indeed, those with less interest in the subject may find the detail overwhelming to the point of distraction. I found the blow by blow account of the battle most impressive, particularly the descriptions of both the damage caused and the operational effect on the forces of both fleets. Perhaps a bit more attention should have been given to the human cost of the battle but those with any appreciable understanding of naval technology will be well able to imagine the effects for themselves. Besides, as the title states, this work is an analysis of the fighting, not a narrative and not a commentary. I found this volume to be of immense value to my better understanding of this pivotal engagement. For those whose interest includes such detailed considerations as the comparison of shell velocity and diameter versus extent of armored protection, plus the often overlooked contributions of superior fire control and damage control, this work is invaluable.A must for any true devotee of World War I naval warfare or the evolution of major surface warship types.

I gave the book five stars because it does a terrific job of achieving what it set out to do: describe the fighting in (unbelievable) detail. Of course this also means the book will be perceived as "dry" by most people and will appeal to a small audience. But if you're one of those rare people who wants to know the exact diameter of the hole punched into the second deck of the Barham by the shell that struck home at 5:21 PM, well, this is the book for you!