An Analysis of John W. Dower's War Without Mercy

Race And Power In The Pacific War
1. Auflage 2017
ISBN: 978-1-912128-84-6
Verlag: Macat International Limited

Buch, Englisch, 96 Seiten, Format (B × H): 132 mm x 198 mm, Gewicht: 110 g

Reihe: The Macat Library

John Dower’s War Without Mercy is an attempt to resolve the problem of why the United States fought World War II so very differently in the Pacific and European theaters. Specifically, the author sets out to explain why there was such vicious hostility between the US and Japan during the conflict. This was not merely a matter of outrage at Pearl Harbor, and understanding the phenomenon required going beyond the usual strategic, diplomatic and operational records that fuel most histories of war. Dower looked instead for alternate possibilities – and found them.

His book argues that the viciousness that marked fighting in the Pacific had deep roots in popular culture which created frightening racial stereotypes of the enemy on both sides of the ocean. Dower's focus on ‘low culture’ proved to be a useful way of generating alternative possibilities to mainstream thinking about US-Japanese relations. The thinking underpinning the book was innovative, and was challenged by some peers who failed to recognise how profoundly revealing material such as cartoons and cheap magazines could be. But the result was one of the most significant studies of 20th-century history yet written – one that yields a strong, well-reasoned and persuasive solution to the problem posed.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Xidias, Jason

Sanchez, Vincent

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Literaturwissenschaft Literaturwissenschaft
• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Geschichtswissenschaft Allgemein

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Ways in to the Text Who was John W. Dower? What does War Without Mercy: Race And Power In The Pacific War Say? Why does War Without Mercy: Race And Power In The Pacific War Matter? Section 1: Influences Module 1: The Author and the Historical Context Module 2: Academic Context Module 3: The Problem Module 4: The Author's Contribution Section 2: Ideas Module 5: Main Ideas Module 6: Secondary Ideas Module 7: Achievement Module 8: Place in the Author's Work Section 3: Impact Module 9: The First Responses Module 10: The Evolving Debate Module 11: Impact and Influence Today Module 12: Where Next? Glossary of Terms People Mentioned in the Text Works Cited

Über Autor(innen)

Vincent Sanchez holds a masters degree in modern History from the University of Chicago.

Dr Jason Xidias has held positions at King’s College London, the University of California, Berkeley, and the New College of the Humanities in London.