The Fall of Japan
The last weeks of the Pacific war — the bombs, the Soviet invasion, the coup attempt to stop the surrender broadcast.
The Verdict
Everyone knows the bombs fell; far fewer know how close Japan came to fighting on anyway. William Craig reconstructs the chaotic last weeks of the Pacific war — the atomic strikes, the sudden Soviet invasion of Manchuria, and the desperate palace coup in which army officers tried to seize the Emperor's recorded surrender before it could be broadcast. That single night, with fanatics hunting for a phonograph record that meant peace, is one of the war's great untold thrillers, and Craig tells it with pace and clarity. The endgame as it actually teetered.
Who Should Read It
Read it if you want
- How Japan's surrender was nearly derailed
- The dramatic last weeks
- The attempted coup against the surrender
- The endgame from the Japanese side too
Look elsewhere if you want
- The atomic decision debated in depth
- A broad history of the Pacific war
- Analysis over narrative
Why We Rated It 4.4
Historical Context
The Fall of Japan (1967) covers the final weeks of the Pacific war in 1945 — the atomic bombings, the Soviet entry, and the attempted military coup to prevent the broadcast of Emperor Hirohito's surrender. The coup attempt sought to seize the recording of the surrender message before it could air.
Events Covered
Read It Alongside
Where to Buy
ISBN: 978-1480444140
Read This Against
The same events seen from a different vantage point. The fullest understanding often lives in the space between accounts that don't agree.
Other Books About the Same Events
More by William Craig
Frequently Asked Questions
- Was there really a coup to stop Japan's surrender?
- Yes — a group of army officers attempted to seize the Emperor's recorded surrender message and continue the war; the attempt failed and the broadcast went ahead.
- Does the book cover the atomic bombings?
- Yes, as part of the final weeks, alongside the Soviet invasion and the surrender crisis in Tokyo.