1945

A neighbor loaned me his copy of 1945 when he noticed that I had Conroy's "1901" book on my shelf. I think I liked this one even better. It lays out a plausible alternative sequence of events in a convincing manner. But it has all the literary pleasures of a good novel, with some moments of high emotion and dramatic tension. Sure it's pretty much the stock image of the supreme statesman George Marshall and the egotistical Douglas MacArthur, and nice guys Nimitz and Bradley and pugnacious Bull Halsey, and the no-nonense Missourian Harry Truman - pretty much two-dimensional character portraits of these guys. But alternative history doesn't lend itself to complex revisionist reimaginings of these icons; the whole thing depends on all of them acting in character. Conroy also has some fun along the way, putting statements in characters' mouths like how we'll never be dependent on Arabian oil, or how there will never be a Polish Pope, etc. Hey why not? That's part of what makes alternative history engaging. The sex scene of General Homma and his wife seemed like it was gratuitiously thrown in so there would be at least some sex in the book, and it seemed a little bit out of place in this work. And it's hard to imagine the Japanese submarine I-58 actually doing all the things it does in this book. But overall excellent, a fun and fasinating read. Hope Mr. Conroy writes more.

An excellent alternate history of the end of WW2 in the Pacific. The key to any alternate history is plausibility. Not just "could" it happen but could it have happened in this way? Mr. Conroy does a wonderful job of making the case in this "what if" scenario about the end of WW2 in the Pacific. He takes the real players, their strengths, weaknesses, and foibles, and weaves a very realistic story about what could have happened if Japan had not surrendered after the dropping of the second Atomic Bomb. To this mix of dynamic personalities he added several hypothetical lower ranking characters to flesh out the story. He combined fact and fiction, added a dash of heroism and a pinch of intrigue, to write a most entertaining story. Most alternated histories of WW2 are rather dry and filled with arcane facts and suppositions that may or may not be applicable. Mr. Conroy weaves fact with fiction to present a most plausible case for this alternate ending of WW2 in the Pacific. The battle scenes are realistic as are the soldiers who fight them; courage was a common virtue, death a constant companion. The strategies and tactics Mr. Conroy lays out are very believable. All in all an excellent historical novel. Character development was average for a novel of this scope. It is assumed that the reader is acquainted with the historical figures presented. If not, it could be a bit of a slog. The minor characters were adequately developed. No gratuitous violence, sex, or language. The battle narratives were graphic but led credence to this book about war. Highly recommended for the alternate history buff. Good fun. Have an atlas handy if you are not familiar with Japan it will help understand the overall strategy and tactics employed by Mr. Conroy. Enjoy.

But Japan refuses to give up. The fanatics have taken over, bullying the military into going for one last great try. As the Americans prepare for an invasion that the Japanese know is coming, they also prepare for defending their homeland. The scary part is how realistic and gritty the alternate events are. Could it have gone this way? Maybe. Japan had the resources and men left to make a last stand. From Washington to Tokyo, from the blood soaked beaches to the thick jungles, we'll follow not just the combat action but the brilliant acts of the key characters as each side fights for victory.

"1945" is the best of the recent spate of alternate history novels on the market. I personally think that it's great to see this genre gaining ground and look forward to even more in the future. It is interesting to compare "1945" with "MacArthur's War." "1945" is far more entertaining and readable. This is not great literature, but it is great storytelling. The major characters have some shortcomings; some are very well-done and multi-dimensional (Truman and Hirohito for example), while others lack depth and a sense of realism (Patton and MacArthur). The real strength in Conroy's novel are the "grunts" who have to carry out the war in Japan and the war at home. This book is the classic example of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts. If you analyzed this book in pieces (plot, character, dialogue, plausibility, etc) I doubt that any one part would garner five stars. Put it all together, though, and it works wonderfully. I have not previously read Conroy's other works, but based on "1945," I will. I highly recommend this book.

As a retired history teacher I love alternate histories. That is when the author shows scholarship and an understanding of his subject. This is more than just a "what if" story about the Japanese not surrendering after the dropping of the first two atomic bombs. It is an analysis of both American and Japanese society and philosphy and so much better than other authors have done in the past. Newt Gincgrich's understanding of the Japanese in his recent book on Pearl Harbor was well done, but not as good as Robert Conroy's 1945: A Novel. Harry Turtledove, the master of such tales was awful in his portrayal of Japanese in his own version of Pearl Harbor. This is not my opinion alone. I have had Japanese friends read those very same books and one is a recent immigrant from Japan. In 1945 the author looks at an attempt to subjugate the emperor who is about to agree to surrender. The revolt was attempted and failed in real time, but in this book it succeeds. That means a bloody invasion by American forces is required, one that divides the nation much as Iraq divides many Americans today. We actually had such plans in place had the Japanese not surrendered. The major players are well portrayed and there are fictional ones that make the reading especially enjoyable. My personal favorite is a Japanese American who works as a lone wolf for the OSS. His story alone would make a fantastic movie. I am concerned about only one thing. A reviewer before me wrote what seemed like a standard review. I seldom read what others have said before I review a book as afterall, our views are personal. I only read that review because there were over fifty comments about the reviewer, not the book, and there was an attack on the honesty of the reviewer. I trust that any comments made here will be based upon the merits of the book and the reader may of course agree or disagree with me. There's one area I confess that I don't know enough about. That is in regard to weaponry so I cannot evaluate the accuracy used by Robert Conroy in those descriptions. I just know when I enjoy a good story and I do write book reviews for a local newspaper. I know how to give my personal opinion without trying to force others to agree with me. I am no better and no worse than any other book lover. I can only bring my own past experiences and studies to the fore when reading and reviewing a book.