Now in paperback, War Without Mercy has been hailed by the New York Times as "one of the most original and important books to be written about...
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reviews
Sep 27, 2011
Brad
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I haven't read a lot of books on World War II. Like most Americans, my education on the war comes largely from History Channel documentaries and the occasional magazine or Wikipedia article. This book makes one thing really clear: all of those sources are embarrassingly incomplete. Just reading the back cover copy, you'd think this was just a book on racism, and in a sense it is, but it's really more broadly about prejudice, tunnel vision, and the inability to see beyond one's cultural upbringin
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Jul 25, 2010
Amber
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Great book that I need to read for a World War II History class this fall, but even though it was very thick, I was fascinated by the information and skated through the 300+ pages easily. Dower's thesis is that the Pacific War was so brutal because of inherent racism on both sides (United States & Japan) and explores how this racism came about and how it manifested itself in cruelty and inhumane treatment of civilians and POWs. Cartoons and illustrations produced during the war are referenced an
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Feb 12, 2011
Degeorgetown
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This is one of the greatest books I have ever read. I majored in History, my main focus was Japanese History and this book was extremely useful for five different classes I took. It explores the racism that occured on the Pacific front of WWII. The most interesting thing about it is that it shows both sides of the conflict, not just the U.S. view or the Japanese view. There are even pages that show propaganda posters that were used back then, very interesting!
May 19, 2011
Becky
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Great book that deals with the rampant racism and biased ideologies on both the American side and the Japanese side during World War II. Dissects how nationalism and ethnic beliefs affect our actions. Also cites propaganda (posters and advertisements) in the media pursued our agendas. America's racism rooted in the differences of appearance between the whites and the Japanese; the Japanese racism rooted in the idea of being a superior race.
Oct 16, 2010
AC
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Much of this book I did not like. In fact, it is not really a book. It is two articles expanded and cribbed together (one on American racist perceptions of Japan; one on Japanese racist perceptions of the West) --to meet (I suspect) tenure requirements. Yet the two chapters on "The Pure Self" (ch. 8) and on Japanese War aims ("Global Policy with the Yamato Race as Nucleus" = ch. 10) are the clearest and most moving account of Japanese fascism I have found. They are brilli
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Mar 29, 2008
Genevieve
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This is a really thought-provoking and disturbing book that questions and complicates the American mythos of WWII. Dower uncovers the troubled and troubling history of race and racism in the Pacific theater, particularly the way in which the racialization of the Japanese facilitated wartime brutality. Contrary to criticisms that I've seen, I thought he was quite even-handed, considering the prejudices and atrocities of both sides (American and Japanese). Dower doesn't try to undermine or dis
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Aug 31, 2010
Amy
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Cultural history of the racism underpinning the fighting in the Pacific. Dower does an excellent job examining the conflict from both the Japanese and American side, plus there were pictures so the reader could see what he was seeing when he talked about specific political cartoons, etc. Really more my kind of history to do than anything else I read.
Jul 04, 2011
Jim
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I don't know why I was as surprised as I was by Dower's depiction of the racism of Americans towards the Japanese during WW II, and the racism of the Japanese towards the Americans and British. This was a fascinating account which delves into poloitical cartoons, folk tales and mythology to explain its story. An untold aspect of WW II.
Jul 09, 2009
Adam
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Today, we tend to view America's involvement in the Second World War through the lens of Europe and the Holocaust, which lends a sort of moral clarity to our conduct. Dower's book highlights just how essential the 'other' theater of combat in the Pacific was to American combat rationale. In the process, he highlights just how heavily invested (implicated?) in racially-fueled violence Americans and Japanese were when they met each on the battlefields. The anecdotes in this book are too jarring
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Apr 07, 2009
Vivian
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The power of racism during the Pacific Campaign in World War II. An eye-opener to the preconceivedd notions of the Americans and the Japanese. A must read for anyone interested in the war with Japan.
Dec 31, 2010
Kelly
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A well-researched, balanced and thoughtful book. Read it for class, and thoroughly enjoyed. Greatly strengthened my understanding of the Pacific Theater. Historical writing at its best.
Jan 03, 2012
Read MOST of this for a history class. Very, VERY thorough, if you catch my drift.
Jan 02, 2012
Genjiro
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The preminent scholar on modern Japanese history today, John Dower argues that racial animosity prolonged a war that was all but over, culminating in the obliteration of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Warmongering, bloodlust and visceral hatred for an impersonal enemy, perpetually dehumanized through sometimes elaborate systems of indoctrination and propaganda, atrocities perpetrated on both sides occurred with casual regularity. It is a sobering reminder to those who believe bigotry, racism, xenopho
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Jul 04, 2007
Maybama02
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Love the discussion after reading and although unenjoyable to actually read it, grateful that I did. It was assigned during a freshman seminar course (also a senior or graduate level AMS course) called "The Good War." It was THE MOST DIFFICULT class I enrolled in during college. However, next to the classes I took abroad, it was the most interesting challenge I have ever had in class.
This was the first time I was exposed to and informed in-depth, with the exception of Pearl Harb More...
This was the first time I was exposed to and informed in-depth, with the exception of Pearl Harb More...
Dec 16, 2009
stephanie
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all my books are going to be rated 5 in here, because i'm going off the books i kept all these years, but hell, they are so worth it.
dower is an excellent historian. this is more a look at american-japanese relations and how each side painted the other than a story of the war - which i think is necessary. so it's more of a cultural/social history of the pacific war, which provides such a needed light in a war that is largely defined and remembered by military history.
dower is an excellent historian. this is more a look at american-japanese relations and how each side painted the other than a story of the war - which i think is necessary. so it's more of a cultural/social history of the pacific war, which provides such a needed light in a war that is largely defined and remembered by military history.
Jan 20, 2008
Samantha
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A compelling presentation of the cultural manifestations of power and race issues in the US during WWII. Dower collects both explicit and subtle symbols of the inherent racism against the Japanese (such as: the US press' tendency to refer to the war against "the Japanese and the Nazis" as opposed to the "the Imperialists and the Nazis" or even the "Japanese and the Germans"). Richly done. Timely, still --unfortunately.
Apr 22, 2009
Andrew
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The last book for my Japan during WWII class, so far this is the best book of the class
May 08, 2007
Alice
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A well-argued, well-written treatise on the use of race in WW2 propaganda (by the U.S. and Japan). Contains a great section of political cartoons from both sides. Dower gets a little repetitive toward the end, but the argument packs a punch.
Jan 29, 2012
Chris
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An amazing book on race relations and how racism, both in the United States and Japan, fueled war policies and goals during World War II. This is a must read for anyone interested in the Pacific War during World War II.
Jul 26, 2009
S
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Great for undergrad classes in American colleges. His analysis and presentation of materials in Ch. 10 (Yamato as Nucleus Race) is outdated. Consult Oguma Eiji for a more nuanced explanation.
Mar 04, 2008
Paul
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This is the first history of the Pacific war I have read, but as a history text, it is extremely well organized and fair in its perspectives and conclusions. Dower is a master.
Dec 17, 2009
Elizabeth
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I read this in college - and I still remember it. It's an amazingly researched history of race relations between US and Japan leading up to and during WWII. An excellent history.
Dec 16, 2009
Ben
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I've been really interested in the different racial dynamics in WWII between the Pacific and European theaters, and this is a very good exploration of that.
Apr 24, 2011
Tara
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This was actually really interesting and insightful. I learned so much about the way that racism worked during WWII.
Jan 06, 2008
C
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Very interesting, at times too academic, but really makes you ponder the role of racism in wartime.
Mar 01, 2008
Tasha
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Want to read about war and its propaganda? Well, look no further. This is the book for you.
Feb 06, 2012
Sean
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Could have been a better read, but it is a great look at racism in the Pacific War.
