Judgement at Tokyo: World War II on Trial and the Making of Modern Asia

Judgement in Tokyo is a monumental work of history that provides a comprehensive and balanced account of the postwar trial of Japanese leaders as war criminals. It is a landmark book that will be of interest to scholars and students of history for years to come.

Format: Hardback
Length: 912 pages
Publication date: 25 January 2024
Publisher: Pan Macmillan

A new work of immense scholarship and weight emerges every so often, making a significant difference to our understanding of the Second World War and its consequences. Judgement in Tokyo is one such monumental work, both in scale and detail, beautifully constructed and written. It leaves the reader not only moved but also disturbed.

James Holland, in The Sunday Telegraph, describes the book as "a monumental work in both scale and detail, beautifully constructed and written, leaving the reader not only moved but disturbed as well." Philippe Sands, author of East-West Street, praises it as "balanced, original, human, accessible, and riveting." History Today calls it "a breathtakingly ambitious and well-executed piece of history, unlikely to be bettered as a portrait of the trials and their place in postwar global history."

The trials after Japan's surrender were a crucial moment in the aftermath of World War II. The victorious powers saw them as an opportunity to render judgment on their vanquished foes and to create a legal framework to prosecute war crimes and prohibit the use of aggressive war. For the Japanese leaders on trial, it was their chance to argue that their war had been waged to liberate Asia from Western imperialism and that the court was no more than victors' justice.

Gary J. Bass's Judgement at Tokyo is a magnificent, riveting story of wartime action, dramatic courtroom battles, and the epic formative years that set the stage for the postwar era in the Asia-Pacific. The book is a comprehensive, landmark, and riveting read, according to The Washington Post, which includes it in its list of the 10 Best Books of 2023.

In conclusion, Judgement in Tokyo is a remarkable work of history that adds significantly to our understanding of the Second World War and its consequences. It is a testament to the power of scholarship and the importance of telling the stories of the past to shape our understanding of the present and the future.

Weight: 1126g
Dimension: 242 x 160 x 54 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781509812745