Warriors Of The Rising Sun [Paperback]

Edgerton B Robert (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 17, 1997

During World War II, many of Japan's soldiers committed such crimes against humanity that the world recoiled in horror. During the notorious six-week-long "rape of Nanking" in 1937, Japanese forces murdered at least 200,000 men, women, and children. Throughout the Pacific War, Allied prisoners were often starved, tortured, beheaded, even cannibalized. Although Japan's military-men fought bravely against outnumbering forces again and again, their astonishing brutality made them a loathsome, unforgivable enemy.

While this chapter of Japanese history is well known, few realize that earlier in this century the Japanese were celebrated throughout the West for their chivalry in warfare. During the Boxer Rebellion in China and the savage Russo-Japanese War of 1904-5, the Western Press lauded the Japanese for their kindness to the wounded and imprisoned enemy.

Warriors of the Rising Sun chronicles the Japanese military's transformation from honorable "knights of Bushido" into men who massacred thousands during the Pacific War. Crucial in bringing about this change was Western rejection of Japan as an aspiring colonial power, as well as the West's racist, anti-Japanese immigration policies. Japan's leaders chose military brutality as a necessary means to achieve a rightful place in the world. Today, Japan has the second largest military budget in the world. What lessons have her leaders learned from the past wars?

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In the Boxer Rebellion and Russo-Japanese War, the Japanese military rightly earned a reputation for chivalry in combat, showing generosity to their defeated foes. In both of those conflicts, conversely, European forces committed numerous acts of savagery that, were they repeated today, would be subject to international censure. Only a few decades later, the Japanese military was behaving barbarously to enemy soldiers and civilians alike, committing acts of murder, torture, and even cannibalism. Anthropologist Robert Edgerton examines this sudden reversal, locating it in changes in Japanese military culture. One Japanese general, following surrender in 1945, attributed those changes to a cult of young warriors who sought to recapture ancient--and largely imagined--martial virtues. Fascinating at turns, this book illuminates much of contemporary discussions regarding Japan's defense role in East Asia.

From Library Journal

During World War II, the Japanese military committed innumerable crimes against humanity. This is well known. What is not well known is that early in this century the Japanese were celebrated for their chivalry in warfare and for their kindness to enemy wounded and prisoners. Edgerton (sociology and anthropology, UCLA) attempts to explain why the Japanese changed so radically in the period between the Russo-Japanese War and World War II. Japan evolved from a nation of small peasant farmers to a major power in just 40 years and Japan felt inferior to European powers until its victory over Russia in 1905. Led by the new samurai, it began expanding in Mongolia, Korea, and China, and this aggression ultimately led to World War II. While Edgerton cites economic, social, and political reasons for the Japanese about-face, he does not make adequately clear why the Japanese became barbarians within a few years. Still, this is a fascinating work that should be in all World War II collections.?Stanley Itkin, Hillside P.L., New Hyde Park, N.Y.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 388 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton and Company, Inc.; 1st edition (July 17, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393040852
• ISBN-13: 978-0393040852
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.4 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,308,263 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars NOT a History of the Japanese Military, September 20, 2002

By 

Roger B. Coon (Bozeman, MT USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Warriors Of The Rising Sun (Paperback)

The first quarter of the book deals with European military actions in China with the occasional mention of the Japanese.
The next half of the book deals with the Russo-Japanese War,
almost entirely from the Russian perspective. He skims over
the period between the world wars and finally brushes over
World War II.
It has a number of extraordinarily glaring factual errors and it
is telling that his bibliography includes exactly ONE Japanese
language source.
...

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars APOLOGIST FOR BARBARISM?, August 25, 2006

By 

SUPPORT THE ASPCA. "PILUM THROWER!" (?????) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Warriors Of The Rising Sun: A History Of The Japanese Military (Paperback)

This is a provocative study, with some insights into how the Chinese and Japanese view each other and their respective views on the west. The broader theme is that "human nature can be shockingly dark." The early chapters describe Japan's military history. Next, came a litany of bad behavior by European and American troops during the "boxer rebellion." He sights this as one of the reasons Japan's military stopped following International law. Thus becoming scornful of both the western barbarians and their Chinese victims. The book is well documented with a fine bibliography. But, there are errors and it is sparse on much of Japan's military history before the boxer rebellion. Nevertheless, it was worth reading for its different slant on the subject. It leaves the reader with this? If Japan was a responsible military power once, why can't it be one again? After reading it I felt he was apologizing for Japan's unspeakable crimes during WW2.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, informative and easy to read., May 18, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Warriors Of The Rising Sun (Paperback)

I am a collector and student of the Russo/Japanese War. This is the first book, of many, that I could read that was unbiased and actually fun to read. I don't know what the problem the other people who read this book have. It seems like they have some kind of grand agenda or ? Maybe they should try writing, but then again maybe they have...Anyway, I think this is a great book!