By Kevin Seabrooke

The author presents a study in contrasts: Imperial Japan’s internal struggle between military fanatics and those seeking peace amidst the continuous destruction of their homeland, balanced against America’s intense debate over using nuclear weapons to shock Japan into surrender and prevent a prolonged, bloody invasion. While President Harry Truman’s decision remains a point of intense discussion, Scott frames the bombing as the least abhorrent choice available to U.S. leadership, even while detailing the horrific scene on the ground and following the weapons and the men who delivered them to their destinations.

Empire of Ashes: Truman, Hirohito, and the Descent into Total War (James M. Scott, W.W. Norton, New York, NY, 464 pp. Aug. 4, 2026, $41.99 HC)