The Pacific War was the most traumatic experience for Japan in modern times. This book examines the politics and culture of Japan during this period: the establishment of the wartime regime, its character and limitations; the actions and reactions of the emperor, the bureaucrats, and the politicians; the deposing of the Prime Minister in the middle of the war; political developments under his successors; the role of the press; the behaviour of intellectuals; and prevailing attitudes towards the West.

Ben-Ami Shillony argues that the wartime regime of Japan, repressive as it was, was very different from contemporary totalitarian states. The political values of the Japanese were part of a wider cultural milieu, in which traditional concepts had already been affected by contact with Western civilization.