Mary Holmes

HIS 305, Sec. 2: US, 1914-45

Nagel
19 November 2014
John W. Dower, War Without Mercy: Race & Power in the Pacific War. New York:
Pantheon Books, 1986. Notes, bibliography, and index.
Authors Purpose: John Dower wrote this book to discuss the events that took place in the
Pacific during the second World War. More specifically, Dower addresses the intense racism that
existed on all sides, and what that meant for American and Japanese relations, before, after and
during World War Two.
Chronological and Topical Scope: Dower begins A War Without Mercy by
immediately discussing the motives behind a second World War. The common justification given
to any of the peoples whose leader wished their country to join in on the war efforts, was to
defend their way of life and take pride in their government and themselves. However, Dower
presents a rawer truth, To scores of millions of participants, the war was also a race war. It
exposed raw prejudices and was fueled by racial pride, arrogance, and rage on many sides.
(Kindle Locations 115-116) Racism was the driving force behind a lot of peoples World War
Two motivations. Dower explores how mediums like songs, cartoons, movies, and even popular
articles may have contributed to negative sentiments of the axis people, especially in the
Pacific. New technology and weaponry offered a far more violent approach to dealing with such
sentiments, creating a new kind of total war. At the wars conclusion, new relationships had to be
forged in the wake of such mass destruction, bringing prejudices to the forefront of the conflict.
Sources: Dower utilizes primary sources by examining articles from newspapers and
magazines, as well as pictures, and other popular media presentations (radio, movies, songs)
from the time. He utilizes many secondary sources through a number of textbooks, and other
compilations, made in years after the conflict that reflect on the events that took place, and the
people who lived through them.

Authors Thesis and Main Points: Dower argues that the violence seen in the Pacific was
far more damaging and destructive than that in Europe, because Americans lacked far more
respect for the Japanese, as a race, than any Europeans. New weapons and technology aided
Americans in inflicting destruction against their enemy, as well as spread propaganda on the
home front to encourage Americans to support further destruction abroad. Because the Japanese
believed that their race was definitively better than any other Asian race, this only heightened
American hatred for the Japanese race, specifically.

Citing a number of physical traits as proof of their inherent inferiority, Americans were
surprised by the vigor and success the Japanese saw against their forces. Prior to the war,
American prejudices against Asian races were relatively common and only intensified during the
war. However, upon negotiating peace agreements, Dower asserts that America ended the war
with more respect for the Japanese race than ever before. This made the peace negotiations
between the two countries relatively peaceful and stable, especially considering the volatility
between the two warring nations in the preceding years. But because of the ferocity the Japanese
people as a whole had exuded, even in the face of surrender, Americans could not defend
previous intolerances as successfully as they once had, nor deny merit in the Japanese efforts.
Critique: I really enjoyed this book, and the Dowers perspective on the motivations behind
World War Two. However, I fail to believe that race was the primary cause of such a totally
destructive world war. I think denying the underlying resentments from World War One, the deep
desire many countries had for annexation and influence, as well as intense nationalism across
the board, is a huge oversimplification. Dower presents interesting sources that show how deep
hatred and racism for the Japanese ran in American blood, which did heavily influence American
conduct in the war, but would not have been the sole reason behind it.
Reviews:
Mitgang, Herbert. "Of Bias and War." New York Times (New York City), June 19, 1986.
Pearl Harbor, ''War Without Mercy'' is one of the most original and important books to be
written about the war between Japan and the United States. More than any official history and
beyond any novel written by American or Japanese authors, John W. Dower's book explains how
the prejudices and deceptions of racial and national pride - in both countries - were an underlying
cause of the Pacific War.
Montgomery, M. R. "Racism Goes to War." The Boston Globe (Boston), July 6, 1986, Books
sec.
Belongs in every general library...should be required reading for anyone interested in
understanding the trade wars that have mercifully replaced the killing fields in the Pacific.