Retribution: The Battle For Japan, 1944-45
by Max Hastings /
2008 / English / Mobipocket
8.6 MB Download
Hailed in Britain as “Spectacular . . . Searingly powerful” (Andrew
Roberts,
Hailed in Britain as “Spectacular . . . Searingly powerful” (Andrew
Roberts,The Sunday Telegraph
The Sunday Telegraph), a riveting, impeccably
informed chronicle of the final year of the Pacific war. In his
critically acclaimed
), a riveting, impeccably
informed chronicle of the final year of the Pacific war. In his
critically acclaimedArmageddon
Armageddon, Hastings detailed the last
twelve months of the struggle for Germany. Here, in what can be
considered a companion volume, he covers the horrific story of the
war against Japan.
, Hastings detailed the last
twelve months of the struggle for Germany. Here, in what can be
considered a companion volume, he covers the horrific story of the
war against Japan.
By the summer of 1944 it was clear that Japan’s defeat was
inevitable, but how the drive to victory would be achieved remained
to be seen. The ensuing drama—that ended in Japan’s utter
devastation—was acted out across the vast stage of Asia, with
massive clashes of naval and air forces, fighting through jungles,
and barbarities by an apparently incomprehensible foe. In
recounting the saga of this time and place, Max Hastings gives us
incisive portraits of the theater’s key figures—MacArthur, Nimitz,
Mountbatten, Chiang Kai-shek, Mao, Roosevelt, Churchill, and
Stalin. But he is equally adept in his portrayals of the ordinary
soldiers and sailors—American, British, Russian, Chinese, and
Japanese—caught in some of the war’s bloodiest campaigns.
By the summer of 1944 it was clear that Japan’s defeat was
inevitable, but how the drive to victory would be achieved remained
to be seen. The ensuing drama—that ended in Japan’s utter
devastation—was acted out across the vast stage of Asia, with
massive clashes of naval and air forces, fighting through jungles,
and barbarities by an apparently incomprehensible foe. In
recounting the saga of this time and place, Max Hastings gives us
incisive portraits of the theater’s key figures—MacArthur, Nimitz,
Mountbatten, Chiang Kai-shek, Mao, Roosevelt, Churchill, and
Stalin. But he is equally adept in his portrayals of the ordinary
soldiers and sailors—American, British, Russian, Chinese, and
Japanese—caught in some of the war’s bloodiest campaigns.
With unprecedented insight, Hastings discusses Japan’s war against
China, now all but forgotten in the West, MacArthur’s follies in
the Philippines, the Marines at Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and the
Soviet blitzkrieg in Manchuria. He analyzes the decision-making
process that led to the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki—which, he
convincingly argues, ultimately saved lives. Finally, he delves
into the Japanese wartime mind-set, which caused an otherwise
civilized society to carry out atrocities that haunt the nation to
this day.
With unprecedented insight, Hastings discusses Japan’s war against
China, now all but forgotten in the West, MacArthur’s follies in
the Philippines, the Marines at Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and the
Soviet blitzkrieg in Manchuria. He analyzes the decision-making
process that led to the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki—which, he
convincingly argues, ultimately saved lives. Finally, he delves
into the Japanese wartime mind-set, which caused an otherwise
civilized society to carry out atrocities that haunt the nation to
this day.Retribution
Retribution is a brilliant telling of an epic conflict from
a master military historian at the height of his powers.
is a brilliant telling of an epic conflict from
a master military historian at the height of his powers.