What Books do you Think are Essential About WWII Japan?

[Wellgunde]

Has anyone read Rising Sun, Falling Skies: The Disastrous Java Sea Campaign of World War II by Jeffrey Cox?

[Haven]

I own this in a PDF file. -- Haven


JAPAN IN THE FASCIST ERA
E. Bruce Reynolds
Palgrave
Political & International Studies Collection 2004

In contrast to Euro-centric works on comparative fascism that set Japan apart from Germany and Italy, this book emphasizes parallels between Japan and its Axis Allies. Romantic nationalist ideologies attracted a strong following in all three nations as they emerged as modern states in the late 1800s. In both Germany and Japan these were, from the beginning, strongly racial in nature. Spurred by grievances against the "status quo" powers, all three took up aggressive policies in the 1930s, producing a short-lived "fascist era." Japan's prominent role demands a broader perspective and consideration of "fascism" as more than a purely European phenomenon.

Online sample: http://www.palgraveconnect.com/pc/doifi ... 1403980410

[Haven]

Not a book, but a diminutive analysis of "Japanese Fascism". -- Haven

Japanese Fascism An Issue of Definition?

Sean Queenan 998364201
His 483H5: Colonialism in East Asia
Department of Historical Studies
Instructor: Kyoko Sato
October 29 th , 2013

An analysis of scholarly deliberation on the definition of “fascism” and its historical feasibility in describing the case of early­Shōwa Imperial Japan.

Online Link: https://www.academia.edu/4927838/_4th_Y ... rial_Japan

[scotisle]

Hi there,

I am writing a paper on Americans collecting Japanese skulls for my MA thesis. I'm required to write up a historiography of books that deal with atrocities, either American or Japanese.

I have an extensive list, but I'm curious to reach out to the group and see if people have anything to add. Thanks so much!

[OpanaPointer]

I own this in a PDF file. -- Haven


JAPAN IN THE FASCIST ERA
E. Bruce Reynolds
Palgrave
Political & International Studies Collection 2004

In contrast to Euro-centric works on comparative fascism that set Japan apart from Germany and Italy, this book emphasizes parallels between Japan and its Axis Allies. Romantic nationalist ideologies attracted a strong following in all three nations as they emerged as modern states in the late 1800s. In both Germany and Japan these were, from the beginning, strongly racial in nature. Spurred by grievances against the "status quo" powers, all three took up aggressive policies in the 1930s, producing a short-lived "fascist era." Japan's prominent role demands a broader perspective and consideration of "fascism" as more than a purely European phenomenon.

Online sample: http://www.palgraveconnect.com/pc/doifi ... 1403980410

The "buy" link dead ends. Is there another way to get a copy?

[cstunts]

Has anyone read Rising Sun, Falling Skies: The Disastrous Java Sea Campaign of World War II by Jeffrey Cox?

I have it. Caveat lector.

It would be an acceptable introduction for the layperson, but highly unreliable as a source to use for research or to quote.

FWIW

[genstab]

For those of you into warships as I am, try "Japanese Cruisers of the Pacific War" by Eric Lacroix & Linton Wells It's a damn big book with lots of photos and covers all the cruiser classes. Published by the US Naval Institute

Also "Fading Victory; the Diary of Admiral Matome Ugaki". He was Yamamoto's chief of staff and was the last kamikaze on July 15, 1945.

I grew up on the sea war in the Pacific long before moving to the European land war. Lotta good reading on it out there.

Best regards,
Bill in Cleveland

PS- Hey David,we need to meet at USS New Jersey in Camden one of these summers.

[OpanaPointer]

Pearl Harbor as History: Japanese-American Relations, 1931-41 Paperback – August 1, 1973
by Dorothy Borg (Editor), Shumpei Okamoto (Editor)

[OpanaPointer]

Any suggestions not already made about the politics of war termination in Japan, 1945?

I have:

Togo Sheginori's THe Cause of Japan,,

Fighting to a Finish: The Politics of War Termination in the United States and Japan, 1945 (Cornell Studies in Security Affairs) by Leon V. Sigal (Author)


Japan Subdued: the Atomic Bomb and the End of the War in the Pacific by Herbert Feis (Author)

Japan's Decision to Surrender by Robert J. C. Butow (Author)

Japan's Longest Day by The Pacific War Research Society (Author)

[paulrward]

Hello All ;

I would recomend Prof. John J. Stephan's ' Hawaii Under the Rising Sun, which is an excellent acount of the conditions existing among the Japanese population in Hawaii, as well as the politics and the ultimate decision by the Imperial Naval and Army Staffs to carry out an invasion of Hawaii.

I feel it goes a long way to debunking the belief held by many people that Japan was fated to lose the war from the beginning.

Respectfully ;

Paul R. Ward

[genstab]

I'd like to second the recommendation for "Combined Fleet Decoded" by Prados. It's fascinating and very complete including backgrounds of American and Japanese officers who worked in military and naval intelligence. This is the story of Magic, the Pacific rival to Ultra, the German codebreaking.

Also for those naval enthusiasts I would consider "Japanese Cruisers of the Pacific War" by Lacroix and Wells indispensable. This is a complete history of all the IJN cruisers that fought in WW2 and has some beautiful photos.

I am pursuing an affordable copy of "He Gave the Order, the Life and Times of Osami Nagano", Chief of the Naval General Staff by Bradley. That should be a good read.

Best,
Bill in Cleveland

[Tahomatom]

Hey all, new to board & my in interest are from Africa to dropping the bombs in Japan.
Just finished a book called, "The Imperial Cruise," by James Bradly. He explained the involvement of U.S. with Japan, hawaii, Phillipines, Chine, Russia and Korea in 1895 which showed the Japanese how to become a world power.

[chinesefox]

https://www.jacar.archives.go.jp

if it was 10 years ago, I might name few books which I consider are essential about WWII Japan(military), now days no western published works can surpass the materials released by 国立公文書館 アジア歴史資料センター(in terms of value and essential).

[Barrett]

Paul Dull's IJN history has been recommended twice here, justifiably so. I got to know him somewhat at the University of Oregon early 70s when he was semi-retired. He said that translating his text into Japanese posed some problems, as there was no equivalent for "a Pier Six brawl." Had an intriguing story of getting a direct USMC commission as a linguist, trying to decipher the electrical panel in the Pearl Harbor min-sub. He was a genial host--probably astonished to find somebody at the home of The Fighting Red Ducks who (A) knew something about the Pacific war and (B) wanted to talk shop.

[wdgysin]

The Corts Foundation
July 3 ·

The Corts Foundation will present the English translation of Vol. 26 of the Senshi Sōsho series called: The Operations of the Navy in the Dutch East Indies and the Bay of Bengal. This will be done in Leiden, on Monday 24 September 2018 at 15.00 hours.

The next volume of the English translation of Senshi Sōsho will be available through Leiden University Press. If it's the same as last time they will
provide an open source E-Book for free download and a hardbound volume for sale.
http://www.cortsfoundation.org/en/news/ ... o-volume-2
https://www.lup.nl/