First published 1987
John Dower explores the hidden racial dimension that fueled the Pacific War between America and Japan. The historian draws from songs, cartoons, propaganda films, secret reports, and other wartime documents from both nations to reveal how racial hatred intensified the conflict. Dower demonstrates that this four-and-a-half-year struggle involved more than military strategy and political goals. Both sides used racial stereotypes and prejudices to dehumanize their enemies and justify extreme violence. The book examines American and Japanese propaganda that portrayed the enemy as racially inferior and inherently evil. Dower shows how these racial attitudes affected combat, treatment of prisoners, and civilian populations. The analysis extends beyond the war years to examine how these racial legacies continued to influence American-Japanese relations in the postwar era. This National Book Critics Circle Award winner offers readers a new perspective on the Pacific conflict and its lasting impact on both societies.
Genres: history, 20th-century, non-fiction, military-history, academic, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-fiction, non-fiction
Period: 20th-Century
399 pages · Paperback · Pantheon
Content warnings: racism, violence, war