Customer Reviews

Japan's Longest Day

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Great explanation of the Japanese point of view, by the Pacific War Research Society, a group of Japanese scholars.

This book allows us to look into the violently conflicting decision-making processes among the leaders, eventually leading to the surrender of Japan. After you read this book, you will understand what a close-fought thing that surrender was. Many of the Militarists were so opposed to surrender that they were willing to kidnap or kill the Emperor, who was regarded as God in their belief system! They were willing to do anything--absolutely anything--in order to prevent the Emperor from making the Surrender declaration. The best way to describe the efforts of the Militarists to continue the war is: insane and inhuman.

Many of the leaders absolutely KNEW that they were going to be totally defeated, but they intended to keep fighting to the last man, woman, and child in Japan. They had saved up weapons, ordnance, and fuel for the final battles. They did not care if their resistance forced the Americans to flatten and burn every city, factory, farm, house, human, crop, and animal in Japan. What would come after the war was of no concern to them whatsoever. These leaders had been pleased by the fanatic defense of Okinawa wherein thousands of civilians gave their lives willingly, even as their soldiers and kamikazes killed thousands of Americans and sunk or damaged 300 ships. They expected an even more fanatic and glorious defense of the main islands. The guaranteed deaths of millions of their own citizens through battle and starvation meant nothing to them, compared to the twisted concept of honor that they worshipped.

When you see the forces arrayed against the surrender, you can understand that only the atomic bombs (both of them; read the book) could end the war in a timely manner and with far less loss of life on both sides. Many people judge the morality or necessity of the atomic bombings without considering any context at all, and conclude that we didn't need to do it or that we were horribly immoral for having done it. These events took place in the midst of a war, not a historical vacuum. This book provides the context of the beliefs and attitudes that drove the Japanese to fight rather than surrender. Thankfully, the Emperor was sufficiently demoralized by the atomic bombs that he made the courageous decision to surrender.

Do not miss this book! It is an exciting story in addition to being a major work of historical reporting. Someone should make a major movie from this book.

A very well written account of the Japanese government in the last days of the 2nd World War especially on their difficult decision to surrender to the Allies.

As the Japanese never expected defeat, but as it became clear that they could not win, the surrender became one of the most difficult exercise for the Japanese government and for the Emperor to make. I have always thought it was a simple surrender but how wrong I was.

This book is a thriller, which pleasantly surprised me - it has the palace intrigues, asassinations, failed coups, sepukus, plots and sub-plots, acts of heroism as well as treachery. At times it became hard to follow and I had to re-read certain sections because so many characters were involved and so many discussions took place between them.

But in the end, it was well worth it.

This is the second copy for me. This has to be one of the best thing written about what REALLY went on with Tojo, Hirohito and other cabinet members regarding the "proper" response to the Potsdam Declaration after the A-bombs had been dropped.
Turns out that most of the pap spouted today about Hirohito being stubborn, intent on winning at all costs, and so on is just that - pap. His primary interest was the welfare of his people and the preservation of the polity. It was Tojo and others who wanted to fight to the death. Astonishing to learn that the broadcast of the "Voice of the Crane" (expressing his unwarlike wish to surrender so minimize destruction and death) had to be done in secrecy and so on. Astonishing insights from Japanese Historians examining their own documents first published in Japanese in 1965, 20 years after the war ended, when they were able to interview most of the many surviving principals - only one refused to be interviewed.
Should be mandatory reading for anyone seriously interested in the last 24 hours before the Surrender of Japan. Information was actually being withheld from Hirohito about the progress of the war by generals but he still got the picture and understood. The best thing he could do to discharge his sacred obligation to secure the welfare and interest of His People was to surrender -with conditions about preservation of the position of Emperor - but not because he was warlke, rather because he understood that the role of Emperor embodied the spirit of the populace and Its preservation was in the best inerest of the country. To lose the Emperor would be to lose the heart and soul of Japan.
The book actually reads like a gripping historical novel even though it is wriitten with the dry unembellished style of academicians & scholars.

This is absolutely the best book to read about the end of the Pacific War. Based on a newspaper series, it covers the last week and especially the last day of the war from the Japanese perspective. Never mind the revisionists, and never mind the flag-wavers--this is what the Japanese were thinking and doing as the Americans closed in, the atomic bombs blossomed over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and Russian tanks drove through Manchuria and Korea. -- Dan Ford

"Japan's Longest Day" is an invaluable historical resource for understanding Japanese wartime behavior, the end of the Pacific War and the decision to use nuclear weapons to end the war.

Much anti-A bomb literature is premised on Japan's supposed eagerness to end the war. This book shows the actual state of mind current in the Japanese military the week that the war ended. It also shows just how close Japan came to continuing the war even after the atomic bombings.

To understand how the war ended, one has to understand the ACTUAL conditions on BOTH sides. This book provides that context.

This book is kind of unique since it essentially covers only the last day or so in Tokyo prior to the surrender by the Japanese government at the end of the Second World War. Reading about this one day makes it seem like one of the longest days in history since so much happens: the government trying to surrender; the emperor under seige by the army; junior officers in the army trying for a coup d'etat; officers getting murdered; officers committing suiside. Very much detail and a very clear description of what happened that day in Japan. Reading this book you get to know the characters involved and also their personalities. It's almost like reading a novel. A very powerful one, but a true story. I'd recommend this as MUST reading for students of the Japanese War. For the general reader it might be a little too detailed, but it's worth the reading.

This book is probably the most detailed english account of one of the most fascinating events in modern Japanese history: the Japanese government's pained decision to surrender in August 1945 amidst falling atomic bombs. For a translation, this book is surprisingly readable. Although the story skipped around a little more than I would have liked, many of the details I was thirsting for were present. I particularly wanted to know how close the attempted coup d'etat came to succeeding, and why it didn't succeed. This book gives a complete accounting of the mind-set of both the young officers who attempted the coup, and the more numerous senior officers who made sure it did not succeed. Enjoy!

This book is kind of unique since it essentially covers only the last day or so in Tokyo prior to the surrender by the Japanese government at the end of the Second World War. Reading about this one day makes it seem like one of the longest days in history since so much happens: the government trying to surrender; the emperor under seige by the army; junior officers in the army trying for a coup d'etat; officers getting murdered; officers committing suiside. Very much detail and a very clear description of what happened that day in Japan. Reading this book you get to know the characters involved and also their personalities. It's almost like reading a novel. A very powerful one, but a true story. I'd recommend this as MUST reading for students of the Japanese War. For the general reader it might be a little too detailed, but it's worth the reading.

A unique view into the workings of the Imperial Palace, the struggle between the militarists and the civilian leadership. What is incredible is how uninformed Gen. Tanaka, Commander of the Eastern District Army, responsible for the defense of Tokyo and the Kanto Plain , was with regard to the coup taking place within the Palace grounds by dissidents in his own command until the final hours.Still a fascinating account of the last 24 hours before the Surrender. The Toho film of the same name, with an all-star cast, is worth viewing if you like the book.

I truly enjoyed this book. The structure, sort of like an episode of '24', is innovative. I was surprised at how the book kept me in suspense even though I knew the ultimate ending of the story. For those interested in the Pacific War 1941-45, this is a must read.