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The Last Mission: The Secret History of World War II's Final Battle - Picture 1 of 1

The Last Mission : The Secret Story of World War II's Final Battle by Malcolm McConnell and Jim B. Smith (2002, Hardcover)

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4 - 11/23 - CHDD. Book Type: Hardcover.

About this product

Product Information

A gripping account of the final American bombing mission of World War II and how it prevented a military coup that would have kept Japan in the war. How close did the Japanese come to not surrendering to Allied forces on August 15, 1945? The Last Mission explores this question through two previously neglected strands of late-World War II history, whose very interconnections could have caused a harrowing shift in the course of the postwar world. On the final night of the war, as Emperor Hirohito recorded a message of surrender for the Japanese people, a band of Japanese rebels, commanded by War Minister Anami's elite staff, burst into the palace. They had plotted a massive coup that aimed to destroy the recordings of the Imperial Rescript of surrender and issue false orders forged with the Emperor's seal commanding the widely dispersed Japanese military to continue the war. If this rebellion had succeeded, the military would have proceeded with large-scale kamikaze attacks on Allied forces, costing huge casualties and just possibly provoking the Americans to drop a third atomic bomb on Japan over Tokyoand continue to drop more bombs as Japanese resistance stiffened. Meanwhile, in the midst of an "end-of-war" celebration on Guam, Air Force radio operator Jim Smith and his fellow crewmen received urgent orders for a bombing mission over Japan's sole remaining oil refinery north of Tokyo. As a stream of American B-29B bombers approached Tokyo, Japanese air defenses, fearing the approaching planes signaled the threat of a third atomic bomb, ordered a total blackout in Tokyo and the Imperial Palace, completely disrupting the rebels' plans. Smith and his fellow crewmembers completed the mission, and a few hours later, the Emperor announced the surrender over Japan's airwaves, dictating the end of the war. The Last Mission is an insightful piece of speculative investigation that combines narrative storytelling with historical contingency and explores how two seemingly unrelated events could have profoundly changed the course of modern history.

Product Identifiers

Publisher
Broadway Books
ISBN-10
0767907787
ISBN-13
9780767907781
eBay Product ID (ePID)
2285502

Product Key Features

Book Title
Last Mission : the Secret Story of World War Ii's Final Battle
Author
Jim B. Smith, Malcolm Mcconnell
Format
Hardcover
Language
English
Topic
Military / Nuclear Warfare, Military / World War II, Military / United States, World / Asian
Publication Year
2002
Genre
History, Political Science
Number of Pages
368 Pages

Dimensions

Item Length
9.5in
Item Height
1.1in
Item Width
6.4in
Item Weight
23.1 Oz

Additional Product Features

Lc Classification Number
D790.M29 2002
Copyright Date
2002
Target Audience
Trade
Lccn
2002-022336
Dewey Decimal
940.54/4973
Dewey Edition
21
Illustrated
Yes

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Most relevant reviews

5 out of 5 stars
by goodh-2015Apr 08, 2018
Great research, very informative on a little know Historical event!
I Love History, especially Military History, and this book does not disappoint...thoroughly researched, this book tells both sides of the story, about the end of WWII. The end of Imperialist Japan, and the Allies who finally stopped them. This story is about a little known Coup attempt, that would have been disastrous, had it succeeded. Hard to put down, and highly recommended for anyone who cares about real History...
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
5 out of 5 stars
by wise-one2Dec 13, 2013
Interesting theories
I bought it as a present for my brother, who knows more about the WW II than any History professor I know. This opens up some interesting and thought provoking theory.

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