Rating: 
Summary: A classic on the history of the Pacific War
Review: As far as I know this is THE classic on Japan in World War II (at least for those of us who don't read japanese), in the same way that William Shirer's 'The rise and fall of the Third Reich' is on Germany. As such, this book should be the starting point for anyone who wants to read about Japan in World War II, and maybe also for the Pacific War in general. This book deserves more reviews (like William Shirer's book, which anyone can see is a classic based on the number of reviews), but I guess most people who read about World War II are interested in the European theatre. A point of notice to those who are mainly interested in military history: The book has a slow start. The first 200+ pages is dedicated to everything that happened before Pearl Harbor, all the diplomacy etc. Once the war starts however, this is pure military history, and you will see that it was worth getting through those first 200 pages.
Rating: 
Summary: Solid, but a Little too Sympathetic
Review: As stated in previous reviews, the first section of this book is a little tedious. However, Toland's book is not unique in this way, for the events leading up to Pearl Harbor were indeed very complex. The pre-war events in Japan involve more characters than the average reader can keep track of. With this in mind, Toland's version of the pre-war events are very readable, at least when compared to other accounts. But Toland is highly critical of the United States in its alleged "blunders" leading up to the war. One example of this is Toland's depiction of U.S. Secretary of State Cordell Hull, who is presented as condescending and impatient. Toland also dwells on the alleged "misinterpretations" of Japanese diplomatic cables, suggesting that U.S. diplomats often overreacted to them because of incorrect translation. The cables themselves, however, (which he shows the reader) don't seem to convincingly prove this. In contrast to his harsh treatment of the U.S., he is very sympathetic in his presentation of the Japanese. Only a page is dedicated to the barbaric atrocities committed in Nanking. Though the world came to know this massacre as the "Rape of Nanking," Toland doesn't use this phrase even once. Toland doesn't really consider how such acts may have (rightfully) affected U.S. willingness to negotiate with Japan. Once Toland moves into the Pearl Harbor attack, however, this book picks up steam and makes for great reading. Toland's writing style is terrific, providing a great overview of the Pacific War.
Rating:
Summary: Solid, but a Little too Sympathetic
Review: As stated in previous reviews, the first section of this book is a little tedious. However, Toland's book is not unique in this way, for the events leading up to Pearl Harbor were indeed very complex. The pre-war events in Japan involve more characters than the average reader can keep track of. With this in mind, Toland's version of the pre-war events are very readable, at least when compared to other accounts. But Toland is highly critical of the United States in its alleged "blunders" leading up to the war. One example of this is Toland's depiction of U.S. Secretary of State Cordell Hull, who is presented as condescending and impatient. Toland also dwells on the alleged "misinterpretations" of Japanese diplomatic cables, suggesting that U.S. diplomats often overreacted to them because of incorrect translation. The cables themselves, however, (which he shows the reader) don't seem to convincingly prove this. In contrast to his harsh treatment of the U.S., he is very sympathetic in his presentation of the Japanese. Only a page is dedicated to the barbaric atrocities committed in Nanking. Though the world came to know this massacre as the "Rape of Nanking," Toland doesn't use this phrase even once. Toland doesn't really consider how such acts may have (rightfully) affected U.S. willingness to negotiate with Japan. Once Toland moves into the Pearl Harbor attack, however, this book picks up steam and makes for great reading. Toland's writing style is terrific, providing a great overview of the Pacific War.
Rating:
Summary: Toland Set The Standard For Readable History!
Review: For anyone truly interested in finding and reading one of the first definitive histories of Imperial Japan, this is the book. This work is at once carefully documented and scholarly yet is also eminently readable and entertaining. Although there is no single volume that adequately explains the mysterious story of how Japan rose to threaten the eastern half of the globe, author John Toland delivers a most informative and exhaustively researched manuscript that does help us to understand the essential elements stirred in the witches brew that poisoned most of Asia from 1933 until 1945. It has the unique and helpul tact of being written from the Japanese perspective, something Toland was able to accomplish with the help of his Japanese wife and collaborator. As with all his works, Toland spent several years researching this book with intensive interviews by surviving principals, and had access to a wide range of archival data and previously unpublished data and facts. The result is this magisterial work. As mentioned above, this is a book that concentrates heavily on interviews with a literal torrent of people who had significant contact and knowledge of the circumstance and conditions that fostered and expedited the rise of the militant and imperialistic military class within Japanese society, and of the ways their rise and interests coalesced and matched the long-term desires of the Japanese power elite, who mistakenly believed they could manipulate and control the military in their actions. Like the German aristocracy that climbed into bed with Hitler thinking they could do the same, they made the fatal error of underestimating the Machiavellian aims and purposes of the Japanese military. Toland faithfully traces the rise and growth of this military cult as it falls prey to a variety of venomous and unfortunate ideas and prejudices that marks it and Japan for an inevitable rendezvous with destiny. Toland makes a painful effort to be non-judgmental, and carefully presents all the facts as he can best determine them. This sometimes makes him err on the side of presenting personal and perhaps subjective opinions of others as fact, and this is typical of the Toland approach. While recognizing the dangers in presenting a lot of information into the record that might be inaccurate, twisted, or fanciful, he also wants us to hear the whole story from all of the participant's viewpoints so we can make our own informed judgment. In this sense Toland has a somewhat archaic belief in the historical reader's critical skills and to be well-enough formed as thinkers that he lets us judge for ourselves based on our interpretation of the 'facts' he presents rather than pre-digesting and coming to his own conclusions for us. The busman's tour he takes through pre-war Japan, observing and describing the collection of rag-tag malcontents using the military to facilitate and sanctify their own radical ideas and ambitions is quite interesting, as is his casual and matter-of-fact presentation of what is certainly a horrifying plethora of unbelievably provocative, ruthless and despicable acts on the parts of a number of elements within Japanese society. The horror later visited in Nanking, Singapore, and in the Philippines is all too predictable based on their savage conduct toward each other in years preceding the outbreak of the war. This is also history at its best, unblinking, without comment or sentiment, and in your face. Much of what you will read you can find elsewhere, but nowhere else can you find it presented in the style and grace that Toland brings to the printed page. Simply stated, this is an outstanding piece of historical biography, and is also truly the standard against which all other, more recent works on imperial Japan must be judged. Enjoy!
Rating: 
Summary: "Slow start" the best part
Review: I am intrigued to read in several reviews that the book gets off to a "slow start" in dealing with the period before Pearl Harbor. I have a keen interest in military history and sometimes feel this way about books that take too long to get to the action, but I didn't react that way here. Rather, I found the analysis of internal Japanese politics before Pearl Harbor to be the most engrossing part of the book, in part because I knew so little of this important area coming in, but in larger part due to the author's engrossing presentation. While the island-hopping and other military portions are extremely well done too, nothing distinguishes this work as surely as its insights to the internal functioning of the Japanese Govt. (and the minds of individual Japanese) as first war, and then the end of war, approached. I can see where the criticism of a "pro-Japanese" bias comes from, but I think it is ultimately unjustified. Toland lets his subjects' voices come through, in an informative and compelling way, and so we hear the voices of many of the key Japanese participants (or of those close to them.) Since that's a perspective we aren't normally exposed to in the U.S., I find it extremely useful and (to put it mildly) see no danger of the pro-Japanese perspective overwhelming the American understanding of the war.
Rating:
Summary: "Slow start" the best part
Review: I am intrigued to read in several reviews that the book gets off to a "slow start" in dealing with the period before Pearl Harbor. I have a keen interest in military history and sometimes feel this way about books that take too long to get to the action, but I didn't react that way here. Rather, I found the analysis of internal Japanese politics before Pearl Harbor to be the most engrossing part of the book, in part because I knew so little of this important area coming in, but in larger part due to the author's engrossing presentation. While the island-hopping and other military portions are extremely well done too, nothing distinguishes this work as surely as its insights to the internal functioning of the Japanese Govt. (and the minds of individual Japanese) as first war, and then the end of war, approached. I can see where the criticism of a "pro-Japanese" bias comes from, but I think it is ultimately unjustified. Toland lets his subjects' voices come through, in an informative and compelling way, and so we hear the voices of many of the key Japanese participants (or of those close to them.) Since that's a perspective we aren't normally exposed to in the U.S., I find it extremely useful and (to put it mildly) see no danger of the pro-Japanese perspective overwhelming the American understanding of the war.
Rating:
Summary: "Slow start" the best part
Review: I am intrigued to read in several reviews that the book gets off to a "slow start" in dealing with the period before Pearl Harbor. I have a keen interest in military history and sometimes feel this way about books that take too long to get to the action, but I didn't react that way here. Rather, I found the analysis of internal Japanese politics before Pearl Harbor to be the most engrossing part of the book, in part because I knew so little of this important area coming in, but in larger part due to the author's engrossing presentation. While the island-hopping and other military portions are extremely well done too, nothing distinguishes this work as surely as its insights to the internal functioning of the Japanese Govt. (and the minds of individual Japanese) as first war, and then the end of war, approached. I can see where the criticism of a "pro-Japanese" bias comes from, but I think it is ultimately unjustified. Toland lets his subjects' voices come through, in an informative and compelling way, and so we hear the voices of many of the key Japanese participants (or of those close to them.) Since that's a perspective we aren't normally exposed to in the U.S., I find it extremely useful and (to put it mildly) see no danger of the pro-Japanese perspective overwhelming the American understanding of the war.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome
Review: I picked up this book on something of a lark, but was quickly sucked in. I listened to it as a book on tape. It read like a page-turning novel, and is full of insight into the Japanese character. I felt it really improved my understanding of war and politics. It made me laugh and cry. I loved it.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome
Review: I picked up this book on something of a lark, but was quickly sucked in. I listened to it as a book on tape. It read like a page-turning novel, and is full of insight into the Japanese character. I felt it really improved my understanding of war and politics. It made me laugh and cry. I loved it.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent,I found it hard to put down.
Review: I rate Toland's book the best on Pacific war.Author has plumbed into the subject;traced the root causes which led to outbreak of hostilities between US and Japanese Empire.Toland offers penetrating insights into Japanese manners,philosophy and customs. Japan's expansionistic designs particularly Tokyo's decision to carve out an empire in China set it on a collision course with US.If the Japanese had confined their aggression to Manchuria it would not have antagonised the Americans .But army hotheads wanted whole of China under Tokyo's heel.This soured relations with US and can be said as the starting point of Pacific war. War in China proved disastrous for Japan and Chiang Kai-Shekh nationalist Kuomintang party ,forit enfeebled both.Power vacuum ensued and Communists under Mao stepped in .Author says Marcopolo bridge incident which led to full-scale war in China may have been a communist provocation .There are reasons to believe that it may be so. During summer of 1940 Tokyo firmly aligned with Axis powers.Tripartite pact was signed.With exit of pro Nazi foreign minister Matsuoka Japan's posture changed.Moderate Konoye govt sought an understanding with US.Author explains how attempts to resolve differences proved futile.American intrasigence is partially to be blamed for ensuing tragedy.To this can be added the intricacies of Japanese language;misinterpretation which crept into translated texts while decoding Japanese codes led to misunderstandings which finally wrecked negotiations.Author has given accurate translation of intercepted Japanese cables. Japan's defeat in Pacific war caN BE PINNED DOWN FOLLOWING REASONS.Japanese empire overextended and found forces woefully inadequate to defend its vast conquests.Remember big chunk of Japanese army was locked up in a debilitating ,inconclusive struggle to subdue China.IJN neglect of antisub warfare.Ships started sailing in convoys belatedly.Sub assests were frittered away;used for scouting and for attaCKING ENEMY WARSHIPS.Instead subs should have been used to attacking US navy's supply lines streching all the way from the western seaboard of US.Wheather IJN would have emerged triumphant had a such course of action been adopted is hard to say.But I feelTokyohad the chance of prolonging the war.America's overwhelming and superior fire power.Intelligence was America's trump card in Pacific war.At this point I recall Fredrick ,the philospher king of Prussia said about intelligence.'If you know enemy plans before you will be more than a match for him even with inferior numbers'.So it proved in the battles of Coral sea and Midway where Japanese were thwarted. War ended with the advent of atomic age.Nuking of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was totally uncalled for.Japan was willing to surrender despite oppositon from die-hard militarists. To sum up ,Toland's book is impeccably researched and richly detailed revisionistic account of Pacific war.Anyone interested in Pacific theatre ops[World War II] will definitely savor reading it.
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