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Hirohito's War: The Pacific War, 1941-1945
In his magisterial 1,152 page narrative of the Pacific War, Francis Pike's Hirohito's War offers an original interpretation, balancing the existing Western-centric view with attention to the Japanese perspective on the conflict. As well as giving a 'blow-by-blow' account of campaigns and battles, Francis Pike offers many challenges to the standard interpretations with regards to the causes of the war; Emperor Hirohito's war guilt; the inevitability of US Victory; the abilities of General MacArthur and Admiral Yamamoto; the role of China, Great Britain and Australia; military and naval technology; and the need for the fire-bombing of Japan and the eventual use of the atom bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Hirohito's War is accompanied by additional online resources, including more details on logistics, economics, POWs, submarines and kamikaze, as well as a 1930-1945 timeline and 178 maps.
Hirohito's War is accompanied by additional online resources, including more details on logistics, economics, POWs, submarines and kamikaze, as well as a 1930-1945 timeline and 178 maps.
1152 pages, Hardcover
First published June 18, 2015
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About the author
Francis Pike
3 books12 followersFrancis Pike is an historian and journalist. Born in 1955, he attended Uppingham School in Rutland and read Economics at the University of Paris before attending Selwyn College, Cambridge from where he graduated with a MA (Hons) in History in 1976. He lived and worked for 20 years in Japan, China and India as an economic and political strategist and in this capacity he advised a number of financial institutions as well as governments.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
September 19, 2020
An impressive, detailed account of the Pacific War, which gives a good overview of the Japanese point of view. Unfortunately, the account is a bit marred by the author's opinion of the character of MacArthur
After the desillusion from World War I, the embarrasing Washington naval treaty and the rise of Japanese nationalisme and the belief in the Japanese superrace, the second Sino-Japanese conflict (the incident at the Marco Polo bridge) can be seen as the start of World War II. In the first chapters the author deals with the run up to the crisis and the American view of the rise of Japan. Roosevelt - stuck between the isolationists and the hawks - could not act decisively. In the end it was the oil embargo that tipped the decision towards war with the United States.
Chapter by chapter, the author then deals with the main area's of battle in the Pacific. It also gives a good overiew of the fighting in New Guinea, where the Australians played a big part, often overseen by the American history writers.
It clearly shows that the battle of Guadalcanal, rather than Midway, was the decisive turning point. It also shows the great tactical mistakes the Japanese made and how they never could have won a protracted war against the United States.
One thing is clear: the author doesn't like MacArthur. That is clear, especially when reading this quote: "Remarkably in early 1942, Congress was already calling for MacArthur, this most preposterous egomaniac and liar to be awarded the Legion of Honor medal" - anyway, whatever your personal feelings are as an author on your subject, it is a deadly sin to let the vitriol seep out of your writing when writing a non fiction book.
After the desillusion from World War I, the embarrasing Washington naval treaty and the rise of Japanese nationalisme and the belief in the Japanese superrace, the second Sino-Japanese conflict (the incident at the Marco Polo bridge) can be seen as the start of World War II. In the first chapters the author deals with the run up to the crisis and the American view of the rise of Japan. Roosevelt - stuck between the isolationists and the hawks - could not act decisively. In the end it was the oil embargo that tipped the decision towards war with the United States.
Chapter by chapter, the author then deals with the main area's of battle in the Pacific. It also gives a good overiew of the fighting in New Guinea, where the Australians played a big part, often overseen by the American history writers.
It clearly shows that the battle of Guadalcanal, rather than Midway, was the decisive turning point. It also shows the great tactical mistakes the Japanese made and how they never could have won a protracted war against the United States.
One thing is clear: the author doesn't like MacArthur. That is clear, especially when reading this quote: "Remarkably in early 1942, Congress was already calling for MacArthur, this most preposterous egomaniac and liar to be awarded the Legion of Honor medal" - anyway, whatever your personal feelings are as an author on your subject, it is a deadly sin to let the vitriol seep out of your writing when writing a non fiction book.
August 2, 2017
Incredibly detailed and yet completely readable history of the Pacific theater of WWII. The author takes you from the semi-recent root history in Japan, through the build up and spread of aggression in the area, and all the way to the slow decline and end of the Japanese empire through the Allied resistance. Like many people I have been fascinated with World War 2 and read countless books about individual tales and people involved. And the focus of most of these has been the European front, both because of the size of this effort and the familiarity most Americans have with European locations and the Nazi party. But the Pacific front has remained such a complicated history full of obscure locations and people, it has been hard to get a full picture of what transpired.
Much in the same way The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich gives a one volume high level but detailed history of the war in Europe, I found this to give a thrilling and enlightening view of the Pacific (and having been written much more recently it gave even more follow ups and insights that only hindsight can provide) This book was also very unbiased and described not only the American views but gave first hand accounts of Australian, Chinese and Japanese experiences on the ground, sea, and air. Far from painting the Japanese as some faceless menace, it allowed for a human perspective of what motivated them and also explained their strengths and weaknesses in battle.
I've seen criticisms regarding typos and lack of maps, and those are really the only things I could possibly fault with this book. But anyone with a smart phone can look up the locations, and amount of typos were negligible in a book with over 1,000 pages. Otherwise I thought it was wonderfully written and gave me a new appreciation for the insane amount of planning and sacrifice that went into probably the most complicated and hopefully most destructive war we will ever see on this planet.
Much in the same way The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich gives a one volume high level but detailed history of the war in Europe, I found this to give a thrilling and enlightening view of the Pacific (and having been written much more recently it gave even more follow ups and insights that only hindsight can provide) This book was also very unbiased and described not only the American views but gave first hand accounts of Australian, Chinese and Japanese experiences on the ground, sea, and air. Far from painting the Japanese as some faceless menace, it allowed for a human perspective of what motivated them and also explained their strengths and weaknesses in battle.
I've seen criticisms regarding typos and lack of maps, and those are really the only things I could possibly fault with this book. But anyone with a smart phone can look up the locations, and amount of typos were negligible in a book with over 1,000 pages. Otherwise I thought it was wonderfully written and gave me a new appreciation for the insane amount of planning and sacrifice that went into probably the most complicated and hopefully most destructive war we will ever see on this planet.
February 26, 2021
1077 pages, Pike strives to write one book about the entire Pacific War. Pike outlines and narrates campaigns and battles, showing the geographical expanse of the Pacific from India to Hawaii. He also compares standard historical interpretations and further research that has come to light, highlighting the nationalities, personalities, technology, legalities and myths of the conflict.
Why I started this book: It's huge and it called to me, when it arrived at the library... reminding me that it's been a minute since I read a book about Japan.
Why I finished it: This book is dense. All footnotes, photos, maps and tables are online so that this book could be published in one book. That means that every page is full text and it took me a while to work my way through it. It's important to read history by historians from other nations. They trace different narratives and bring out points that can be downplayed by national bias. For example, Pike has no time for MacArthur's heroic reputation and gives an accounting of how he failed, lied, and manipulated statistics, leaving out his Australian soldiers casualties to compare his methods to Marine casualties in effort to gain complete control of the Pacific theater. For a battle by battle account of the war that starts with the end of WWI, this book ends abruptly with the surrender of Japan and the rescript of Hirohito.
Read along: Hiroshima Nagasaki: The Real Story of the Atomic Bombings and Their Aftermath written by an Australian was an interesting and eye-opening book as it explores the national myths and beliefs of both Americans and Japanese about the atomic bombs.
Why I started this book: It's huge and it called to me, when it arrived at the library... reminding me that it's been a minute since I read a book about Japan.
Why I finished it: This book is dense. All footnotes, photos, maps and tables are online so that this book could be published in one book. That means that every page is full text and it took me a while to work my way through it. It's important to read history by historians from other nations. They trace different narratives and bring out points that can be downplayed by national bias. For example, Pike has no time for MacArthur's heroic reputation and gives an accounting of how he failed, lied, and manipulated statistics, leaving out his Australian soldiers casualties to compare his methods to Marine casualties in effort to gain complete control of the Pacific theater. For a battle by battle account of the war that starts with the end of WWI, this book ends abruptly with the surrender of Japan and the rescript of Hirohito.
Read along: Hiroshima Nagasaki: The Real Story of the Atomic Bombings and Their Aftermath written by an Australian was an interesting and eye-opening book as it explores the national myths and beliefs of both Americans and Japanese about the atomic bombs.
July 11, 2018
An outstanding book - well worth the 1119 pages. Readable and thought provoking
October 14, 2024
Excellent
December 26, 2023
A masterful work which I have been chewing my way through since January of 2021. I was initially very overwhelmed, as Pike takes the time (and rightly so) to lay the groundwork for such a unique conflict.
There is no possible way I can prepare any other reader for the sheer amount of detail Pike adds to this conflict, while still maintaining overall perspective.
It was extremely liberating to read such a wide, non-American centric narrative. To be offered such insight into the mind of Chiang Kai-Shek and his Chinese forces, or the Australians who fought in the Kokoda Trail, who have been all but erased from mainstream histories, is a feeling of revelation.
I look forward to rereading the first half of this book already.
My only very minor complaint is that there is no conclusion, it simply ends. I would have liked Pike's final thoughts on the Pacific War as a whole although they are sprinkled throughout the book.
There is no possible way I can prepare any other reader for the sheer amount of detail Pike adds to this conflict, while still maintaining overall perspective.
It was extremely liberating to read such a wide, non-American centric narrative. To be offered such insight into the mind of Chiang Kai-Shek and his Chinese forces, or the Australians who fought in the Kokoda Trail, who have been all but erased from mainstream histories, is a feeling of revelation.
I look forward to rereading the first half of this book already.
My only very minor complaint is that there is no conclusion, it simply ends. I would have liked Pike's final thoughts on the Pacific War as a whole although they are sprinkled throughout the book.
December 11, 2023
The best history of the Pacific / Asian theatres of WWII that I have read. Unlike so many other excellent books this one does not ignore nor gloss over some secondary campaigns (like China, Burma, Papua New Guinea where the USA may not have played the primary role.
Even after reading countless histories I learned so much from the massive work.
Unlike other reviewers I was not that much turned-off by his regular criticism of General McArthur as it was always done in context and with plenty of evidence. The author was also prepared to praise McArthus when warranted.
Even after reading countless histories I learned so much from the massive work.
Unlike other reviewers I was not that much turned-off by his regular criticism of General McArthur as it was always done in context and with plenty of evidence. The author was also prepared to praise McArthus when warranted.
April 11, 2018
The finest military history I have ever read very thorough and in-depth. The author however seems to have a deep grudge against Gen. Douglas McArthur to the point of lambasting him for everything humanly conceivable.
Definitely a 5/5 read that transformed my personal substantial depth in the context of the Pacific War theater of WWII.
Definitely a 5/5 read that transformed my personal substantial depth in the context of the Pacific War theater of WWII.
September 12, 2023
Easily as good as Ian tolls Pacific war trilogy, probably better. Less focus on American achievement throughout the war.
October 27, 2024
an excellent book and a huge read, this is possibly the closest thing you could get to a complete account of all the different theatres over thousands of miles that made up the War in the Pacific, from Pearl Harbour to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, with some setting the scene up to 1941, going back as far as 1857. The author clearly has opinions on certain theatres, battles and personalities, which doesn't always agree with other books I've read (he disagrees with Max Hastings on the Australian efforts in the far east, for example) but agrees with them on other points (no one like McArthur, who in this book is painted as something of an egomaniacal monster, and American lives are thrown away to feed his ego). I have a few quibbles in what is otherwise an excellent read for anyone with the time and inclination; it appears to have been a few smaller books stitched together, and sometimes the joins show, with repeated phrases and paragraphs (nothing a decent author couldn't sort), and there is no real conclusion, just a suggestion to read the next book in the series - which might make me want to read the next one, but might not work every time.
June 21, 2025
This book is mind numbing in its comprehensiveness
June 1, 2025
A one volume history book that covers the Pacific theatre in WW2. The author does a good job diving into the Allied and Japanese leaders decision making, both at the strategic and operational level. Interweaved are accounts from individuals on the ground at battles. I learned a lot about non-American contributions and how important Chinese forces were in the war. Despite being 1000 pages the book plus several appendices available online, the book doesn’t really drag and in fact I would’ve enjoyed more chapters on post war Japan. As the name on the book implies, one of the author’s main points is Emperor Hirohito played a role in Japan’s conquests and should’ve been tried for war crimes after the war. That narrative gets lost a bit in the book and could’ve been covered better if the book didn’t somewhat abruptly end after the atomic bombings.
July 21, 2015
Lots of little typos mar this otherwise great book. For instance Chesty Puller is refered to as Chesty Pullar throughout the chapter on Guadalcanal but later on correctly during the chapter on Peleliu.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews