The Rising Sun

The Decline and Fall of the Japanese Empire, 1936-1945

De: John Toland

Narrado por: Tom Weiner

Duración: 41 h y 9 m

Resumen del Editor

This Pulitzer Prize-winning history of World War II chronicles the dramatic rise and fall of the Japanese empire, from the invasion of Manchuria and China to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Told from the Japanese perspective, The Rising Sun is, in the author’s words, "a factual saga of people caught up in the flood of the most overwhelming war of mankind, told as it happened - muddled, ennobling, disgraceful, frustrating, full of paradox."

In weaving together the historical facts and human drama leading up to and culminating in the war in the Pacific, Toland crafts a riveting and unbiased narrative history.

©1970 John Toland (P)2014 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

As Exasperating As It Is Tragic

I'm a military history buff with a focus on Vietnam and World War II, so when I finished Nagasaki: Life After Nuclear War, I was horrified, conflicted, and drawn back to revisit books on Japan, the Pacific War, the major players of the Pacific theater. Naturally that led me back to The Rising Sun.
It's a work that's awesome in its scope, painstaking in military, political, even social detail. And as it went on, I became more and more, exasperated is a kind word for it.
It fully explains the Japanese rationale for entering the war, but after the good, there's the tragic. The endlessly tragic. There's the defeat after defeat, and that just made the Japanese entrench themselves more in their dogma and in their drive to take ten Americans for everyone one man sacrificed. Even after horrific and atrocious bombings of Japanese cities (which are a tad rationalized by the fact that Japanese industry wasn't centered around a military complex as in Germany but was instead centered in home-factories), even after the destruction and devastation of two, TWO! atomic bombs, what did they do? They had a failed coup to continue the war, they offered up Twenty Million Suicides to take out as many Americans on the way out as possible, and after surrender, they had the executions of many POWs.
It was so aggravating to re listen to, but if you're in the mood for a truly brilliantly researched work, dive right in. Just don't expect to come out smelling like a rose...

I learned many new details about Japanese history and culture

The background of Japanese history and culture informed the rationale for Pearl Harbor and the extensively detailed biographical information about the military and civilian personalities in charge of the prosecution of the war all combined to enrich this listener’s understanding. No way could one remember all the Japanese names, but the stories of the individual life issues was fascinating and gripping. The author provided a new and humane lens through which the listener could regard the war in the Pacific without the prejudice this listener endured from a dad who served on Okinawa in the U.S. Signal Corps.

Excellent study

A very well done book and clearly portrays events as seen from Japanese viewpoint. Some of authors conclusions I find faulty and simplistic. Narrator was only adequate. Overall I enjoyed this book.

Long but good

Any additional comments?

This is definitely not a book for one setting, especially due to the length. At times really slow so it's hard to listen for more than a few hours. There was so much information passed along that really goes into the motivations of the war and why things came to pass that I wish was taught more in schools as it's always better to have a full understanding of something so complex.

A great look at the war in the pacific.

This book, although a bit long, provided an excellent look at WW2 from the Japanese perspective.

great overview pacific war

enjoyed this book immensely great overview of pacific war from japanese perspective, loved it, never bogged down

Viewpoint

This book has a Japanese point of view: for example, explaining the Bataan Death March without denying it, and delving into the politics and culture of Japan at the time. The same culture that honors death before surrender also explains the atom bomb as a life saving tool to end war. It is a well written and read depiction.

Japan Allowed Itself to Be Userped

The Japanese people I know are thoughtful & strive for excellence. Their leaders leading up to WWII were not of the mainstream but rather extremists. Their justifications for war hinged on an American oil embargo. Their occupying of other pacific island cultures modeled after British, French & American Colonialism. “We did not do anything the western powers had not already done” said many Japanese leaders. Whether true or not, Japan’s aggressive conduct of war acts were every bit as outrageous as those of Nazi Germany & were not in line with the true character of her people. Douglas MacArthur’s decision to leave the Emperor on the Throne was absolutely the correct one as Hirohito provided a return to native Japanese pacifist tendencies. John Toland remarkably captures the details of the Pacific War both battle by battle & the larger strategic picture in context. A very worthwhile read of significance.

Stunningly good

Would you consider the audio edition of The Rising Sun to be better than the print version?

I don't know. I did not read the print version.

What did you like best about this story?

The breadth and depth of the research is astounding. It would be a fascinating story to read about how Mr Toland got all this information.

Which character – as performed by Tom Weiner – was your favorite?

Hirohito.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, but impossible to do so. It was exhausting to hear so much information crammed into every chapter.

Any additional comments?

This should be recommended reading for all students in the USA.

You Cannot Finder a Better Account

I can find no fault with the writing and narration of this excellent account of the Japanese side in World War II. Toland does a superb job. I was, in fact, disappointed when it was finished. I highly recommend this title without any reservation