The Rising Sun cover art

The Rising Sun

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

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The Rising Sun

By: John Toland
Narrated by: Tom Weiner
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About this listen

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. 20th Century Asia Japan Military Modern World War China Imperial Japan Russia Imperialism Japanese Empire

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Most relevant
Put the speed on 1.1 for the best listening experience and let John Toland take you to Japan during WW2.

Great overview of the Japanese Empire and the war in the pacific overall

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outstanding audio book for a person like me who loves military history it's fantastic and it's fascinating to hear the Japanese perspective

the rising sun

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Before listening to this book, I was unaware how much responsibility the United States had in the dismantling of the British Empire. Roosevelt, in particular, seemed to have a great dislike of colonialism, to the extent that he deemed it necessary to stick his, and therefore by definition the United States nose, into every aspect of Aisian politics. This came back to haunt the United States in the 1960's in the shape of the Vietnam War.
Much of what we have gone through and what we have today, both good and bad, can be traced, broadly, back to US foreign policy since 1941. Could the war against Japan been won without the atomic bomb? Yes it could if a deep understanding of Japanese culture and history had been recognised. Saving face, as we now understand it, was what the Japanese wanted, but the Potsdam declaration treated Japan in the same manner as Germany. In this light, inevitably, the war in the east would have ground on and on. It was American blood, mainly, that won the Pacific war and in this light, I for one would never denigrate those people but thank those men and women who sacrificed everything to buy that victory.

John Toland was an extraordinary historical writer. I have listened to three of his audio books now and they are required reading/listening for anyone who likes to understand the world we live in today. His comments in the Epilogue ring true, in my mind at least, wars can be avoided if we as nations decide to sort out our differences in more peaceful ways. Do we ignore evil? No, but we don't have to butcher millions of people in the process.

Excellent Account of Historical Events

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if you are interested in war time Japan this book is the best look into the subject I have ever read. I have a great interest in the Pacific war and I always wanted more of an understanding of the Japanese view/outlook on the war and this book delivered and then some. from the beginning of the Japanese invasion of China to its surrender this book gives fantastic detail of the battle's, people and political on goings. a simply fantastic read and I enjoyed every second

a very detailed look into wartime Japan

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Poor dull reading performance spoils this great book. Too many Japanese names without explanation spoils the narrative

First class research but too many Japanese names without explanation

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