War Without Mercy

 While continuing my crash reading course on Japan, I read War Without Mercy: Race & Power in the Pacific War, written by John W. Dower, a 1986 nonfiction work, the content of which is explained in the title. While I’ve read hundreds of WWII novels and nonfiction texts based in the European theater, I realize now how little I’ve read about the Pacific War. I assume that I’ll get through a couple more Pacific WWII books before I head to Japan in late March 2024. I can’t say I would recommend this book to just any reader. In order to get through this book, you must have a strong interest in the material suggested by the title.

 

While I’ve been aware of the issue of racism as a driving force behind WWII, I really hadn’t given it nearly as much thought with regard to the Pacific War. Essentially, the author successfully argues that the mistakes made by Americans and Japanese were based on a complete misunderstanding of the other’s culture. Both Americans and Japanese took somewhat identical approaches to their war propaganda. Both sides looked at themselves as superior races to their enemy who were, at best, only subhuman. Hypocrisy was rampant in both cultures. Both sides committed substantial atrocities. While the post-war rapprochement was surprisingly nonviolent and did reach a deeper understanding of one anothers cultures, since WWII, there continues to be evidence of similar shallow pre-war language in both countries.