A Matter of Honor

New York Times-Bestselling Authors: An “outstanding” accountof the admiral scapegoated for the Pearl Harbor disaster—and the long effort to clear his name (Christian Science Monitor).

In this book, the authors of The Eleventh Day, a Pulitzer Prize finalist, unravel the mysteries of Pearl Harbor to expose the scapegoating of the admiral in command the day 2,000 Americans died, report on the fight to restore his lost honor—and clear President Franklin D. Roosevelt of the charge that he knew the attack was coming.

In the aftermath of the devastating 1941 bombing, Admiral Husband Kimmel, Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Fleet, was relieved of command, accused of negligence and dereliction of duty—publicly disgraced. But the admiral defended his actions through eight investigations and for the rest of his long life. The evidence against him was less than solid. High military and political officials had failed to provide Kimmel and his Army counterpart with vital intelligence. Later, to hide the biggest U.S. intelligence secret of the day, they covered it up.

Following the admiral’s death, his sons—both Navy veterans—fought on to clear his name, and now his grandsons continue the struggle. With unprecedented access to documents, diaries, and letters and the family’s cooperation, Summers and Swan’s search for the truth has taken them far beyond the Kimmel story—to explore claims of duplicity and betrayal in high places in Washington—in a provocative story of politics and war, of a man willing to sacrifice himself for his country only to be sacrificed himself.

“The most comprehensive, accurate, and thoroughly researched book of events leading up to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor ever written.” —Admiral James Lyons, former Commander-in-Chief, US Pacific Fleet

“Reads like a thriller.” —Publishers Weekly

“Meticulous, eloquent, and compelling—and hugely readable.” —Simon Winchester, New York Times-bestselling author of Knowing What We Know

“The amount of fresh research is deeply impressive.” —Douglas Brinkley, New York Times-bestselling author of Rightful Heritage

Includes forty black-and-white photos