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Empire of Ashes: Truman, Hirohito, and the Descent into Total War
At 9:15 a.m. on August 6, 1945, an American bomber pierced the skies over the Japanese city of Hiroshima. The single bomb it dropped unleashed an atomic hurricane that toppled homes, vaporized birds in flight, and carbonized humans. Three days later, a second bomb flattened the port city of Nagasaki. In the span of a mere seventy-five hours, the United States―a nation once morally opposed to the bombing of civilians―killed 120,000 men, women, and children, dooming tens of thousands more to agonizing death in the weeks and months ahead.
Empire of Ashes explores the final brutal months of the war in the Pacific, featuring the voices of never-before-heard victims of the atomic bombs. Through interviews with survivors and accounts gleaned from Japanese sources, New York Times bestselling author James M. Scott combines the attacks' heart-wrenching details with their causes and consequences, from debates within the Manhattan Project at Los Alamos, Oakridge, and Hanford to the fallout that would alter decades of life in Japan. Scott also delves into the political maneuvering in Washington and Tokyo between two seemingly unlikely leaders―President Harry S. Truman and Emperor Hirohito―that led to unprecedented violence and, eventually, surrender.
Scott grapples with questions that still haunt the detonation of the atomic bomb to this What justified the first and only use of nuclear weapons in armed conflict? And how does a nation reconcile the pride of liberating millions with its own unprecedented violence? With startling immediacy, Empire of Ashes illuminates the moral dilemma at the center of America's decision to inflict total war upon Japan.
Empire of Ashes explores the final brutal months of the war in the Pacific, featuring the voices of never-before-heard victims of the atomic bombs. Through interviews with survivors and accounts gleaned from Japanese sources, New York Times bestselling author James M. Scott combines the attacks' heart-wrenching details with their causes and consequences, from debates within the Manhattan Project at Los Alamos, Oakridge, and Hanford to the fallout that would alter decades of life in Japan. Scott also delves into the political maneuvering in Washington and Tokyo between two seemingly unlikely leaders―President Harry S. Truman and Emperor Hirohito―that led to unprecedented violence and, eventually, surrender.
Scott grapples with questions that still haunt the detonation of the atomic bomb to this What justified the first and only use of nuclear weapons in armed conflict? And how does a nation reconcile the pride of liberating millions with its own unprecedented violence? With startling immediacy, Empire of Ashes illuminates the moral dilemma at the center of America's decision to inflict total war upon Japan.
17 pages, Audible Audio
First published August 4, 2026
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James M. Scott
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Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I have a weird hesitation before I start James M. Scott's books. There are thicker books while there are others which are going to be more emotionally fraught. It's not either of those things, but rather that I know his books end up so immersive that I need to be in the right headspace to fully enjoy them. I don't want to be distracted or rushed. I know I am going to love them, but I want to be able to experience them fully. This is especially true for Empire of Ashes as it is (what I assume to be) Scott's last book on the Pacific Theater of World War II. I've been on this ride since his Rampage, and I wanted him to stick the landing. As always, any concerns or hesitations I had were not well-founded.
Even people who don't read World War II literature should be somewhat aware of the setup. FDR has died, Truman is taking over, and Hirohito is the last of the Axis powers. The U.S. is about ready to invade the Japanese Home Islands and a bloodletting never before seen is about to commence. Then, an alternative emerges after hiding in the shadows. Well, perhaps I should say two alternatives: Fat Man and Little Boy.
Yes, everyone had to read everything above in school ad nauseam. I wouldn't recommend anything to you that didn't bring something new to the table. Scott is all about the humans at the center of the drama. Truman gets the most attention, but Hirohito is put into focus as well. Most importantly, Scott illustrates just how horribly dysfunctional Japan's government was at the end of the war (Side note: The perfect complement to Scott's book is Evan Thomas' Road to Surrender which gets into the minute details of Japan's hopelessly disordered decision making). Scott has a lot of ground to cover, but by being character-driven, he doesn't need the nitty gritty of every decision. You don't have to spend dozens of pages on Truman's decision to drop the bomb when you've already thoroughly explained who this man was and how he thought about everything.
When Scott does step away from the characters, his visceral writing gets to shine through. His description of what happened when the bombs were dropped will not soon to be out of my mind. As for whether dropping the bombs was the right thing to do, well I firmly believe no book will ever be able to convince everyone one way or another. Instead, we get great books like this one.
(This book was provided as an advanced reader copy by W.W. Norton.)
Even people who don't read World War II literature should be somewhat aware of the setup. FDR has died, Truman is taking over, and Hirohito is the last of the Axis powers. The U.S. is about ready to invade the Japanese Home Islands and a bloodletting never before seen is about to commence. Then, an alternative emerges after hiding in the shadows. Well, perhaps I should say two alternatives: Fat Man and Little Boy.
Yes, everyone had to read everything above in school ad nauseam. I wouldn't recommend anything to you that didn't bring something new to the table. Scott is all about the humans at the center of the drama. Truman gets the most attention, but Hirohito is put into focus as well. Most importantly, Scott illustrates just how horribly dysfunctional Japan's government was at the end of the war (Side note: The perfect complement to Scott's book is Evan Thomas' Road to Surrender which gets into the minute details of Japan's hopelessly disordered decision making). Scott has a lot of ground to cover, but by being character-driven, he doesn't need the nitty gritty of every decision. You don't have to spend dozens of pages on Truman's decision to drop the bomb when you've already thoroughly explained who this man was and how he thought about everything.
When Scott does step away from the characters, his visceral writing gets to shine through. His description of what happened when the bombs were dropped will not soon to be out of my mind. As for whether dropping the bombs was the right thing to do, well I firmly believe no book will ever be able to convince everyone one way or another. Instead, we get great books like this one.
(This book was provided as an advanced reader copy by W.W. Norton.)
October 12, 2026
Ever since the film, “Oppenheimer” was released a few years ago based on the book by Kai Bird and Martin Sherwin there has been an uptick in interest in the decision making in Washington and Tokyo that led to the dropping of two atomic bombs on Japanese cities and its impact on its victims. Numerous books have been written on the topic ranging from Gar Alperovitz’s controversial revisionist history ATOMIC DIPLOMACY to Chris Wallace’s recent COUNTDOWN 1945 and Ian MacGregor’s THE HIROSHIMA MEN. The latest entry into this genre is James M. Scott’s EMPIRE OF ASHES: TRUMAN, HIROHITO, AND THE DESCENT INTO TOTAL WAR.
Scott, a Pulitzer Prize finalist and the author of a series of monographs focusing on events and personalities in the Pacific Theater during World War II entitled BLACK SNOW zeroes in on the role of General Curtis LeMay and the firebombing of Tokyo, RAMPAGE which delves into MacArthur and Yamashita’s roles in the Battle of Manila, and TARGET TOKYO centering on the Doolittle Raid designed to avenge the attack on Pearl Harbor. In his latest effort EMPIRE OF ASHES Scott explores the final months of World War II in the Pacific, from the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt to Harry Truman’s ascension to the Presidency, and the decision making and actual bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. What separates Scott’s work from previous books is his deep dive into the views of the Japanese leadership and his integration of Japanese survivors of the blasts along with employing traditional American sources.
A key element in Scott’s rendering is his exploitation of the ethical and moral dilemma faced by those who had to decide whether to use the atomic bomb, and once they did, how it would be dropped and which cities would be targeted. The book is fast paced and is told from both sides of the conflict focusing on the actions and beliefs of Harry S. Truman and Emperor Hirohito, in addition to ordinary civilians caught in the crossfire.
Scott begins his story with the sudden death of FDR and Truman’s awkward assumption of the presidency. Truman, a political infighter who learned how to deal with bureaucratic infighting under the auspices of the Pendergast political machine in Missouri suffered from certain insecurities, but never over making important decisions. Two weeks after entering the White House he would learn of the existence of the Manhattan Project which would lead to the greatest dilemma of his life.
Scott writes with an easy prose that allows major events and historical figures to flow across the page. The reader might feel at times as if they are reading a novel, however the author has written an exemplary work of non-fiction based on impeccable research. Scott’s chapters dealing with the first half of August 1945 are exemplary of the author’s approach as he lays out how the Japanese delayed and delayed accepting the end of the war and were willing to risk further American bombing. Scott’s recreation of the bitter debate within the Japanese leadership is exceptional and reads like a thriller and reflects his approach to the presentation of history.
Truman was fully cognizant of FDR’s declining health, and he realized that he could soon replace him in the not too distant future. FDR purposefully isolated his Vice President, even forgoing any briefing by the President or his Secretary of State Edward Settinius as to what was discussed and decided at the Yalta Conference. Truman himself had doubts about becoming president and had little faith in Stettinius seeing him “as dumb as they come,” and soon replaced him with James Byrne who Truman beat out for the Democratic Vice Presidential nomination in 1944 but was probably the most qualified candidate for that office.
Scott effectively relates Truman’s own doubts about becoming president as well as the concerns exhibited by FDR’s cabinet, members of Congress, and the military leadership. The most important topics for Truman to immerse himself with was centered around Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin and his plans for eastern Europe, particularly Poland. If that were to come to pass there was no way the Senate would approve US membership in the United Nations, the focal point of FDR’s post war world. Another key component of the US-USSR relationship was FDR’s desire for Soviet troops to enter the war against Japan once Germany was defeated. For Truman, in all meetings with Soviet officials he wanted to make sure they honored their commitments. This is exemplified by Truman’s confrontation with Soviet Minister of Foreign Affairs Vyacheslav Molotov who responded to Truman’s desire that agreements with Russia would not be “the basis of a one-way street,” by stating “I have never been talked to like that in my life,” with Truman firing back, “carry out your agreements, and you won’t get talked to like that.”
Scott does an excellent job presenting biographical sketches of the most important figures of the period. Apart from Truman and Hirohoto, the author introduces Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson, and General Leslie Groves who informed Truman of the existence of the Manhattan Project. The scientific community responsible for the development of the bomb is presented on an individual basis. Scientists like Leo Szilard, who opposed dropping the bomb, Robert J. Oppenhiemer, Enrico Fermi, Ernst Lawrence, and Glenn Seaborg are all discussed in the context of their contributions to the Manhattan Project. Other important biographies center around the roles of General Curtis LeMay whose incineration of Japanese cities and advocacy of dropping the bomb and Colonel Charles Tibbetts who flew the B29 named the Enola Gay dropping the bomb on Hiroshima are deeply explored. Scott presents the arguments, pro and con as to whether the bomb should be dropped in the first place and once it was what would be the criteria for choosing which cities would be struck. The ethical and moral issues are explored deeply and the implications for the post war world where a nuclear arms race most probably would result.
After about a quarter of the book Scott finally delves into the military and political leadership in Japan. Hirohito serves as the jumping off point and his role in Japanese society and culture. For Hirohito domestic conflicts were more dangerous than an escalation toward war as the civilian leadership was increasingly afraid of assassination and the influence of the military on all aspects of Japanese society based on movements and events of the 1930s. This was due to the Japanese army’s ability to curb dissent as it implemented its expansionist agenda. Scott explored the individual concerns of the Japanese military which centered on launching a war against the United States without a plan for total victory amid much doubt by senior leadership that such a fight could even be won. According to Admiral Osami Nagano, chief of the navy’s general staff, “We can fight effectively for two years, but no prediction can be made after that.” According to Prime Minister Hideki Tojo, “in war a reasonable prospect of victory is enough…even if there is apprehension that we may be defeated, the nation should trust the military and move ahead. Scott reiterates the Japanese plan for the US Navy and the Pacific that is recounted in numerous books, but he does an exceptional job delving into the meetings of the Cabinet Liaison Conference and Hirohito’s decision not to oppose the military leadership.
Later in the monograph Scott will explore the Japanese decision making process once it is clear that after Saipan, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa the United States was about to embark on an invasion of the home islands and that the war was lost. Scott presents an Emperor who wanted to end the war before his kingdom was totally destroyed but did not have the fortitude to stand up to the extreme militarists who wanted to fight until the death. Their rationale is clear that by inflicting a blood bath on the Americans they would obtain better terms in a diplomatic solution, totally rejecting the “unconditional surrender” that Washington offered. Scott describes the Japanese homefront before the war which helps explain the extreme shortages that existed during the war.
Relying on Japanese civilian diaries, the reader gets a clear picture of the shortages of commodities needed to survive and the impact of American bombing which became more and more deadly and intense as the war evolved. As time went on Japanese citizens were in a state of disbelief when presented with government propaganda and more resentment emerged against the military leadership as they could not acquire what was needed to survive on a daily basis. As the Japanese people were confronted by American bombing, frustration and fear became the dominant human emotion.
The Russian component in US strategy plays an important role for Washington and Tokyo. Truman relied upon Stalin’s commitment of Russian troops in Manchuria to pin down the Imperial Army and not allow them to be transferred to the Home Islands. At the same time Hirohito and Foreign Minister Shigenori Tōgō wanted Stalin to intervene diplomatically to bring about a conclusion to the war. This did not prove successful and it was a bit naive as Stalin was offered a great deal of territory and military aid at Yalta to join the war so why would he give it up when Japan was already defeated.
Scott is clear that Truman took responsibility for dropping the atomic bombs, but Stimson and others did convince him to offer an ultimatum to end the war before the bombs would be dropped including a work around whereby the Emperorship would not be destroyed. Scott is clear that is the key to any diplomatic solution was Hirohito’s fate: Should he remain emperor or be hanged as a war criminal? This was an agonizing decision - the logic of preserving the throne, to pacify Japan, collided with American outrage over imperial atrocities, from Nanking in China to Bataan in the Philippines. Truman held doggedly to Roosevelt’s demand for unconditional surrender as the atomic bomb test lighted up New Mexico. It is clear Truman and Hirohito were horrified over the slaughter to come. Truman knew American invaders might have to face over a million defenders and 10,000 kamikaze planes on the southern island of Kyushu alone. On Japan’s mainland, Hirohito watched helplessly as American bombers ran out of large cities to incinerate and began destroying smaller ones. Yet hardliners in Japan’s imperial cabinet would not end the war.
Jonathan W. Jordan, the author of a recent new book, IKE AND WINSTON: WORLD WAR, COLD WAR, AN EXTRAORDINARY FRIENDSHIP in his July 31, 2026, Wall Street Journal review concludes that “Mr. Scott describes the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki with relentless pacing and harrowing detail. ‘The explosion carbonized people on the streets, leaving charred hands still wrapped around the hanging straps on trains,’ he writes of Hiroshima. ‘Organs evaporated, and birds vaporized in flight.’
Across five Pacific War volumes, Mr. Scott has established himself as a master of conveying the human cost of war. In EMPIRE OF ASHES he plumbs survivors’ heartbreaking accounts, bringing readers to the rubble of atomic ruins. He quotes the parting words of one Hiroshima mother, unable to free her 6-year-old daughter trapped beneath burning timbers: ‘Kazu,’ she pleaded, ‘I am a bad mother to you, but please forgive me. You don’t want to die either, I know. Mummy isn’t brave enough to stay here and die with you. I am afraid of the fire. Kazu, forgive me, forgive me.’
With the city’s immolation, Hirohito bowed to the inevitable.”
Scott, a Pulitzer Prize finalist and the author of a series of monographs focusing on events and personalities in the Pacific Theater during World War II entitled BLACK SNOW zeroes in on the role of General Curtis LeMay and the firebombing of Tokyo, RAMPAGE which delves into MacArthur and Yamashita’s roles in the Battle of Manila, and TARGET TOKYO centering on the Doolittle Raid designed to avenge the attack on Pearl Harbor. In his latest effort EMPIRE OF ASHES Scott explores the final months of World War II in the Pacific, from the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt to Harry Truman’s ascension to the Presidency, and the decision making and actual bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. What separates Scott’s work from previous books is his deep dive into the views of the Japanese leadership and his integration of Japanese survivors of the blasts along with employing traditional American sources.
A key element in Scott’s rendering is his exploitation of the ethical and moral dilemma faced by those who had to decide whether to use the atomic bomb, and once they did, how it would be dropped and which cities would be targeted. The book is fast paced and is told from both sides of the conflict focusing on the actions and beliefs of Harry S. Truman and Emperor Hirohito, in addition to ordinary civilians caught in the crossfire.
Scott begins his story with the sudden death of FDR and Truman’s awkward assumption of the presidency. Truman, a political infighter who learned how to deal with bureaucratic infighting under the auspices of the Pendergast political machine in Missouri suffered from certain insecurities, but never over making important decisions. Two weeks after entering the White House he would learn of the existence of the Manhattan Project which would lead to the greatest dilemma of his life.
Scott writes with an easy prose that allows major events and historical figures to flow across the page. The reader might feel at times as if they are reading a novel, however the author has written an exemplary work of non-fiction based on impeccable research. Scott’s chapters dealing with the first half of August 1945 are exemplary of the author’s approach as he lays out how the Japanese delayed and delayed accepting the end of the war and were willing to risk further American bombing. Scott’s recreation of the bitter debate within the Japanese leadership is exceptional and reads like a thriller and reflects his approach to the presentation of history.
Truman was fully cognizant of FDR’s declining health, and he realized that he could soon replace him in the not too distant future. FDR purposefully isolated his Vice President, even forgoing any briefing by the President or his Secretary of State Edward Settinius as to what was discussed and decided at the Yalta Conference. Truman himself had doubts about becoming president and had little faith in Stettinius seeing him “as dumb as they come,” and soon replaced him with James Byrne who Truman beat out for the Democratic Vice Presidential nomination in 1944 but was probably the most qualified candidate for that office.
Scott effectively relates Truman’s own doubts about becoming president as well as the concerns exhibited by FDR’s cabinet, members of Congress, and the military leadership. The most important topics for Truman to immerse himself with was centered around Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin and his plans for eastern Europe, particularly Poland. If that were to come to pass there was no way the Senate would approve US membership in the United Nations, the focal point of FDR’s post war world. Another key component of the US-USSR relationship was FDR’s desire for Soviet troops to enter the war against Japan once Germany was defeated. For Truman, in all meetings with Soviet officials he wanted to make sure they honored their commitments. This is exemplified by Truman’s confrontation with Soviet Minister of Foreign Affairs Vyacheslav Molotov who responded to Truman’s desire that agreements with Russia would not be “the basis of a one-way street,” by stating “I have never been talked to like that in my life,” with Truman firing back, “carry out your agreements, and you won’t get talked to like that.”
Scott does an excellent job presenting biographical sketches of the most important figures of the period. Apart from Truman and Hirohoto, the author introduces Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson, and General Leslie Groves who informed Truman of the existence of the Manhattan Project. The scientific community responsible for the development of the bomb is presented on an individual basis. Scientists like Leo Szilard, who opposed dropping the bomb, Robert J. Oppenhiemer, Enrico Fermi, Ernst Lawrence, and Glenn Seaborg are all discussed in the context of their contributions to the Manhattan Project. Other important biographies center around the roles of General Curtis LeMay whose incineration of Japanese cities and advocacy of dropping the bomb and Colonel Charles Tibbetts who flew the B29 named the Enola Gay dropping the bomb on Hiroshima are deeply explored. Scott presents the arguments, pro and con as to whether the bomb should be dropped in the first place and once it was what would be the criteria for choosing which cities would be struck. The ethical and moral issues are explored deeply and the implications for the post war world where a nuclear arms race most probably would result.
After about a quarter of the book Scott finally delves into the military and political leadership in Japan. Hirohito serves as the jumping off point and his role in Japanese society and culture. For Hirohito domestic conflicts were more dangerous than an escalation toward war as the civilian leadership was increasingly afraid of assassination and the influence of the military on all aspects of Japanese society based on movements and events of the 1930s. This was due to the Japanese army’s ability to curb dissent as it implemented its expansionist agenda. Scott explored the individual concerns of the Japanese military which centered on launching a war against the United States without a plan for total victory amid much doubt by senior leadership that such a fight could even be won. According to Admiral Osami Nagano, chief of the navy’s general staff, “We can fight effectively for two years, but no prediction can be made after that.” According to Prime Minister Hideki Tojo, “in war a reasonable prospect of victory is enough…even if there is apprehension that we may be defeated, the nation should trust the military and move ahead. Scott reiterates the Japanese plan for the US Navy and the Pacific that is recounted in numerous books, but he does an exceptional job delving into the meetings of the Cabinet Liaison Conference and Hirohito’s decision not to oppose the military leadership.
Later in the monograph Scott will explore the Japanese decision making process once it is clear that after Saipan, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa the United States was about to embark on an invasion of the home islands and that the war was lost. Scott presents an Emperor who wanted to end the war before his kingdom was totally destroyed but did not have the fortitude to stand up to the extreme militarists who wanted to fight until the death. Their rationale is clear that by inflicting a blood bath on the Americans they would obtain better terms in a diplomatic solution, totally rejecting the “unconditional surrender” that Washington offered. Scott describes the Japanese homefront before the war which helps explain the extreme shortages that existed during the war.
Relying on Japanese civilian diaries, the reader gets a clear picture of the shortages of commodities needed to survive and the impact of American bombing which became more and more deadly and intense as the war evolved. As time went on Japanese citizens were in a state of disbelief when presented with government propaganda and more resentment emerged against the military leadership as they could not acquire what was needed to survive on a daily basis. As the Japanese people were confronted by American bombing, frustration and fear became the dominant human emotion.
The Russian component in US strategy plays an important role for Washington and Tokyo. Truman relied upon Stalin’s commitment of Russian troops in Manchuria to pin down the Imperial Army and not allow them to be transferred to the Home Islands. At the same time Hirohito and Foreign Minister Shigenori Tōgō wanted Stalin to intervene diplomatically to bring about a conclusion to the war. This did not prove successful and it was a bit naive as Stalin was offered a great deal of territory and military aid at Yalta to join the war so why would he give it up when Japan was already defeated.
Scott is clear that Truman took responsibility for dropping the atomic bombs, but Stimson and others did convince him to offer an ultimatum to end the war before the bombs would be dropped including a work around whereby the Emperorship would not be destroyed. Scott is clear that is the key to any diplomatic solution was Hirohito’s fate: Should he remain emperor or be hanged as a war criminal? This was an agonizing decision - the logic of preserving the throne, to pacify Japan, collided with American outrage over imperial atrocities, from Nanking in China to Bataan in the Philippines. Truman held doggedly to Roosevelt’s demand for unconditional surrender as the atomic bomb test lighted up New Mexico. It is clear Truman and Hirohito were horrified over the slaughter to come. Truman knew American invaders might have to face over a million defenders and 10,000 kamikaze planes on the southern island of Kyushu alone. On Japan’s mainland, Hirohito watched helplessly as American bombers ran out of large cities to incinerate and began destroying smaller ones. Yet hardliners in Japan’s imperial cabinet would not end the war.
Jonathan W. Jordan, the author of a recent new book, IKE AND WINSTON: WORLD WAR, COLD WAR, AN EXTRAORDINARY FRIENDSHIP in his July 31, 2026, Wall Street Journal review concludes that “Mr. Scott describes the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki with relentless pacing and harrowing detail. ‘The explosion carbonized people on the streets, leaving charred hands still wrapped around the hanging straps on trains,’ he writes of Hiroshima. ‘Organs evaporated, and birds vaporized in flight.’
Across five Pacific War volumes, Mr. Scott has established himself as a master of conveying the human cost of war. In EMPIRE OF ASHES he plumbs survivors’ heartbreaking accounts, bringing readers to the rubble of atomic ruins. He quotes the parting words of one Hiroshima mother, unable to free her 6-year-old daughter trapped beneath burning timbers: ‘Kazu,’ she pleaded, ‘I am a bad mother to you, but please forgive me. You don’t want to die either, I know. Mummy isn’t brave enough to stay here and die with you. I am afraid of the fire. Kazu, forgive me, forgive me.’
With the city’s immolation, Hirohito bowed to the inevitable.”
August 24, 2026
The challenges in narrative nonfiction are you’re either telling a well-known story, which makes it tough to keep the reader engaged, or you’re telling a story that isn’t known at all, which makes it difficult to capture the reader early. As a writer, climbing those hills requires a deft combination of skill and talent. If you bog the reader down with details when he already knows the ending, you risk having him skim and drift, turning pages while half-listening to Ella Langley in the background. If you’re introducing the reader to new characters and a drama he doesn’t know, you better keep it moving and make it a page-turner. Otherwise, the reader opens Wikipedia and closes your book.
In his three books on the Secord World War in the Pacific, James Scott answered the call on both of those tasks with the kind of discipline and talent that made it seem effortless. His latest, EMPIRE OF ASHES: TRUMAN, HIROHITO, AND THE DESCENT INTO TOTAL WAR, is one of the most riveting accounts of the final months of the War ever written, which is amazing given the hundreds of books and films covering every jot and tiddle of that time period. Scott does this by achieving the ultimate goal for every author: his pacing, plot, detail, and character development make you forget you’re reading. Within a few pages you’re so engrossed in a story you have known your entire life that you can’t put it down and the world around you goes quiet.
Relying on so many sources that his notes and bibliography encompass 82 pages, Scott weaves in enough biographical and sociological detail to put you in the minds of men like General Curtis LeMay, General Leslie Groves, President Harry Truman, as well as Geneal Tojo, Emperor Hirohito, and Defense Minister Anami.
Since there are no plots to spoil, the book opens in Warm Springs, Georgia where Franklin Roosevelt sat for a portrait in the quaint quarters known as the Little White House. As an aside, it was Roosevelt’s uncle Teddy who first called the Executive Mansion in Washington the White House, and Franklin was the first to extend that title to an off-site location. In the sitting room where a fussy assistant and artist waited on the President, Roosevelt didn’t seem himself. A couple of minutes into the session, he put his hand to his head and complained of not feeling well. Within minutes he was unconscious and died soon after.
Truman was everything Roosevelt wasn’t – hardscrabble, direct, unworldly, and poor, the kind of guy who preferred cold cuts to caviar and who expected you to get right to the point in every conversation. How that sudden personality change effected the culture in Washington and the world is a big part of Scott’s book.
Also, Scott captures the disconnect – which continues to this day – between Eastern and Western values, traditions, philosophies, and priorities. For example, right now, in 2026 with the world smaller and more connected than ever, trying to explain “face” to the average Missourian is like asking him to, well, build an atomic bomb. That cultural chasm played a huge role in the debates and decisions that lead to Little Boy being dropped on Hiroshima. And for those armchair generals who still can’t believe the U.S. did such a thing, keep in mind that even after LeMay’s firebombing left Japan on the brink of starvation, Anami had amassed almost 900,000 troops to repel the expected U.S. invasion, and citizens were being ordered to craft spears out of bamboo to fight to the last man, woman, and child. Even after the second bomb hit Nagasaki, Anami wanted to keep fighting. There was even a brief coup attempt at the Royal Palace in Tokyo by pro-war advocates.
Scott covers all this and much more with an elegant prose that moves like the most compelling epic you’ve ever seen. I cannot recommend this book enough.
Yes, you know the ending – you even know the biographies of most of the characters – but EMPIRE OF ASHES is still a must-read for all the right reasons.
In his three books on the Secord World War in the Pacific, James Scott answered the call on both of those tasks with the kind of discipline and talent that made it seem effortless. His latest, EMPIRE OF ASHES: TRUMAN, HIROHITO, AND THE DESCENT INTO TOTAL WAR, is one of the most riveting accounts of the final months of the War ever written, which is amazing given the hundreds of books and films covering every jot and tiddle of that time period. Scott does this by achieving the ultimate goal for every author: his pacing, plot, detail, and character development make you forget you’re reading. Within a few pages you’re so engrossed in a story you have known your entire life that you can’t put it down and the world around you goes quiet.
Relying on so many sources that his notes and bibliography encompass 82 pages, Scott weaves in enough biographical and sociological detail to put you in the minds of men like General Curtis LeMay, General Leslie Groves, President Harry Truman, as well as Geneal Tojo, Emperor Hirohito, and Defense Minister Anami.
Since there are no plots to spoil, the book opens in Warm Springs, Georgia where Franklin Roosevelt sat for a portrait in the quaint quarters known as the Little White House. As an aside, it was Roosevelt’s uncle Teddy who first called the Executive Mansion in Washington the White House, and Franklin was the first to extend that title to an off-site location. In the sitting room where a fussy assistant and artist waited on the President, Roosevelt didn’t seem himself. A couple of minutes into the session, he put his hand to his head and complained of not feeling well. Within minutes he was unconscious and died soon after.
Truman was everything Roosevelt wasn’t – hardscrabble, direct, unworldly, and poor, the kind of guy who preferred cold cuts to caviar and who expected you to get right to the point in every conversation. How that sudden personality change effected the culture in Washington and the world is a big part of Scott’s book.
Also, Scott captures the disconnect – which continues to this day – between Eastern and Western values, traditions, philosophies, and priorities. For example, right now, in 2026 with the world smaller and more connected than ever, trying to explain “face” to the average Missourian is like asking him to, well, build an atomic bomb. That cultural chasm played a huge role in the debates and decisions that lead to Little Boy being dropped on Hiroshima. And for those armchair generals who still can’t believe the U.S. did such a thing, keep in mind that even after LeMay’s firebombing left Japan on the brink of starvation, Anami had amassed almost 900,000 troops to repel the expected U.S. invasion, and citizens were being ordered to craft spears out of bamboo to fight to the last man, woman, and child. Even after the second bomb hit Nagasaki, Anami wanted to keep fighting. There was even a brief coup attempt at the Royal Palace in Tokyo by pro-war advocates.
Scott covers all this and much more with an elegant prose that moves like the most compelling epic you’ve ever seen. I cannot recommend this book enough.
Yes, you know the ending – you even know the biographies of most of the characters – but EMPIRE OF ASHES is still a must-read for all the right reasons.
August 18, 2026
Advance Reader Copy
This was really well written history, not exactly as prosaic as Eric Larson, but much more so than a history textbook. The quotes all feel like part of a natural conversation and even the scientific explanations do not overwhelm the reader.
As far as the content, so much of it seems like a tragedy that the Japanese could have avoided. What I did not know was that after the 2nd bomb was dropped, there was an attempted coup by Japanese officers to continue the war and keep fighting. If you only have a cursory knowledge of the end of World War II, this book does a great job of putting everything into context, including all of the debate about whether or not the US should have used the bomb.
This was really well written history, not exactly as prosaic as Eric Larson, but much more so than a history textbook. The quotes all feel like part of a natural conversation and even the scientific explanations do not overwhelm the reader.
As far as the content, so much of it seems like a tragedy that the Japanese could have avoided. What I did not know was that after the 2nd bomb was dropped, there was an attempted coup by Japanese officers to continue the war and keep fighting. If you only have a cursory knowledge of the end of World War II, this book does a great job of putting everything into context, including all of the debate about whether or not the US should have used the bomb.
September 2, 2026
What a fascinating book, when I started I wanted to get back to it after any break. This is the story of the time of the atomic bomb from the perspective of the Americans and the Japanese government view of negations prior to and after dropping the bomb. I was amazed by the intransigent posture of the Japanese military to surrender after the 2 bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki . The discussion about the invasion of Japan and expected horrific casualties was sobering and alarming had that happened. This book is a stunning story for anyone interested in WWII and decision making at the highest level. To imagine the stress and tension on President Truman must have been barely tolerable. I highly recommend this book.
October 8, 2026
A very good book! The book is well written and researched and I highly recommend it.
August 28, 2026
Got to chapter 10 before I tapped out on this one. Those first 9 chapters are essentially a recap of David McCullough’s “Truman” and Richard Rhodes’ “The Making of the Atomic Bomb.” These chapters exhausted me by the time I finally made it to the Hirohito chapters. May come back to this one but wasn’t really impressed by the writing or the history here.
August 30, 2026
By April 1945, the Second World War wasn’t over, but the tide had shifted in favor of the Allies in both Europe and the Pacific. As Franklin Delano Roosevelt sat for his portrait in Warm Springs, Georgia, the fate of the world remained on his mind. He had guided the country through an economic depression and three years of war. But on April 12, 1945, his body could no longer bear the strain, and he slipped away from the world.
When Vice President Harry S. Truman received an urgent summons to the White House, the former haberdasher turned Senator from Missouri assumed the role of Commander in Chief and 33rd President of the United States. He needed to quickly acquaint himself with the ongoing military campaigns being waged in Europe and Asia. More importantly, Secretary of War Henry Stimson had to inform him about an extensive project that was secretive but potentially crucial to winning the war.
In Japan, Hirohito was the emperor of a once mighty empire that now faced calamity and ruin as the country’s military might had been checked by American and Allied forces since mid-1942. While Hirohito was the titular head of the military, much of the decision-making before and during the war was done by his cabinet --- men such as his one-time Prime Minister, Hideki Tojo.
Despite the strength and ferocity of its attacks on Pearl Harbor in 1941, Japan was already stretching its resources to the breaking point. By 1945, the population was starving as a result of overseas food supplies being blocked by Allied ships, along with poor harvest output. In addition, cities like Tokyo were being subjected to US bombing campaigns that turned them into ashes. As Truman was being briefed about the Manhattan Project, Japan’s ministers mulled over their dwindling options.
While the surrender of the German forces in May 1945 brought down the curtain on the European side of the war, Truman knew that there were still issues to contend with. One of his first decisions in the wake of Germany’s defeat was that he would only accept a Japanese surrender if it was unconditional. He also had growing concerns over the Soviet Union and its plans for Europe in the years ahead.
A conference was set for the early summer in Potsdam, Germany, where Truman could discuss postwar plans for Europe and how to defeat Japan alongside British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet Premier Josef Stalin. As he made his way to war-scarred Germany, he was hoping for an ace up his sleeve that could conceivably end the war in the Pacific. In July 1945, the men gathered at Alamogordo, New Mexico, and impatiently waited to fulfill the President’s desires.
EMPIRE OF ASHES is a well-rounded historical narrative encompassing the final but critical months of World War II. It showcases two leaders on opposing sides of the world: a Chief Executive still getting his feet wet and a beloved Japanese sovereign. Scott impressively builds his story with the background of Truman, a man who pulled himself up by his bootstraps throughout much of his life and was chosen as FDR’s running mate in 1944. He shows Truman to be a man who overcame adversity and would do so again as President, faced with a steep learning curve as a global leader during wartime. Whereas Truman had big shoes to fill, Hirohito listened to a discordant chorus of advisers who gave him little guidance in bringing the war to a merciful resolution.
Scott’s work is of an endlessly compelling nature, whether it be the maneuvering of the military and scientists to perfect a weapon capable of achieving victory or the foreshadowing of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. This immensely significant book is suffused with drama from its inception to its brilliant conclusion.
Reviewed by Philip Zozzaro
When Vice President Harry S. Truman received an urgent summons to the White House, the former haberdasher turned Senator from Missouri assumed the role of Commander in Chief and 33rd President of the United States. He needed to quickly acquaint himself with the ongoing military campaigns being waged in Europe and Asia. More importantly, Secretary of War Henry Stimson had to inform him about an extensive project that was secretive but potentially crucial to winning the war.
In Japan, Hirohito was the emperor of a once mighty empire that now faced calamity and ruin as the country’s military might had been checked by American and Allied forces since mid-1942. While Hirohito was the titular head of the military, much of the decision-making before and during the war was done by his cabinet --- men such as his one-time Prime Minister, Hideki Tojo.
Despite the strength and ferocity of its attacks on Pearl Harbor in 1941, Japan was already stretching its resources to the breaking point. By 1945, the population was starving as a result of overseas food supplies being blocked by Allied ships, along with poor harvest output. In addition, cities like Tokyo were being subjected to US bombing campaigns that turned them into ashes. As Truman was being briefed about the Manhattan Project, Japan’s ministers mulled over their dwindling options.
While the surrender of the German forces in May 1945 brought down the curtain on the European side of the war, Truman knew that there were still issues to contend with. One of his first decisions in the wake of Germany’s defeat was that he would only accept a Japanese surrender if it was unconditional. He also had growing concerns over the Soviet Union and its plans for Europe in the years ahead.
A conference was set for the early summer in Potsdam, Germany, where Truman could discuss postwar plans for Europe and how to defeat Japan alongside British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet Premier Josef Stalin. As he made his way to war-scarred Germany, he was hoping for an ace up his sleeve that could conceivably end the war in the Pacific. In July 1945, the men gathered at Alamogordo, New Mexico, and impatiently waited to fulfill the President’s desires.
EMPIRE OF ASHES is a well-rounded historical narrative encompassing the final but critical months of World War II. It showcases two leaders on opposing sides of the world: a Chief Executive still getting his feet wet and a beloved Japanese sovereign. Scott impressively builds his story with the background of Truman, a man who pulled himself up by his bootstraps throughout much of his life and was chosen as FDR’s running mate in 1944. He shows Truman to be a man who overcame adversity and would do so again as President, faced with a steep learning curve as a global leader during wartime. Whereas Truman had big shoes to fill, Hirohito listened to a discordant chorus of advisers who gave him little guidance in bringing the war to a merciful resolution.
Scott’s work is of an endlessly compelling nature, whether it be the maneuvering of the military and scientists to perfect a weapon capable of achieving victory or the foreshadowing of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. This immensely significant book is suffused with drama from its inception to its brilliant conclusion.
Reviewed by Philip Zozzaro
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
When President Franklin Roosevelt died suddenly on April 12, 1945, Vice President Harry Truman was suddenly thrust into the spotlight as the leader of the United States. Little did he know that a secret project was nearing completion, a project which would define his Presidency and his legacy. This project, known as the Manhattan Project, was the ultra-secret project carried out at three different sites in the United States to manufacture an atomic bomb.
Beginning with President Roosevelt's last few days, author Scott has written another excellent book, this time recounting the development of the atomic bomb and the momentous decision to ultimately use it against Japan, followed by the tense following days as Japan wavered on surrender. The book starts with Truman becoming President and his crash education in what his new job entailed, from dealing with the war with Japan, meeting foreign leaders and deciding the future of Europe, to deciding to use the atomic bombs in the hopes they'd end the war. Along the way the reader is given a front row seat in the Oval Office as Truman juggles one hot potato after another. There is also is a view into what was going on with his counterpart in Japan: Emperor Hirohito. While slowly watching his country being burned to the ground and his people starved, Hirohito chooses not to interfere with the running of the war, instead relying on others to come up with ways to win the war. An impending invasion by American forces captures the focus of the Japanese military, with plans to wage a war of attrition being their primary answer. Whether or not this was a realistic solution is not the focus of the book, but concerns about the cost of such an invasion play prominently in Truman's decision to ultimately use the atomic bombs.
The two missions in which the bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki are covered in really good detail, and provide a stark contrast in their execution. The mission to Hiroshima went virtually by the book and was executed flawlessly, while the mission to Nagasaki was beset with difficulties before it even left the ground. Things didn't get better once they took to the air, but they were ultimately able to get the job done. The aftermath of the two bombings as experienced by witnesses and victims on the ground is recounted in very graphic detail and leads to the final stretch run leading up to Japan's surrender. There are lots of moving pieces in the Japanese hierarchy, all trying to win support for either ending or continuing the war, and this leads to a bitter struggle between doing one's duty to the Emperor or following the Samurai code and fighting to the end.
Since I've never read much on the Manhattan Project, the book was a great way to find out more about one of the greatest secret projects in American history. While the use of the bombs is viewed by many in our modern times as an atrocity and/or war crime, there were objections and concerns back in 1945 as well. The author does a great job of presenting much of the back and forth discussions and protests over using the bombs, but he ultimately leaves it up to the reader to make their own decision about the morality of using the bombs.
Starting with his book on the famed Doolittle Raid on Japan and followed by a book on the firebombing of Japan by American planes, this book completes author Scott's trilogy on the bombing of Japan during World War II, and it's a fitting conclusion. I highly recommend this book along with it's two preceding volumes.
Many thanks to W.W. Norton & Company, along with NetGalley, for providing me with an ARC of this book.
Beginning with President Roosevelt's last few days, author Scott has written another excellent book, this time recounting the development of the atomic bomb and the momentous decision to ultimately use it against Japan, followed by the tense following days as Japan wavered on surrender. The book starts with Truman becoming President and his crash education in what his new job entailed, from dealing with the war with Japan, meeting foreign leaders and deciding the future of Europe, to deciding to use the atomic bombs in the hopes they'd end the war. Along the way the reader is given a front row seat in the Oval Office as Truman juggles one hot potato after another. There is also is a view into what was going on with his counterpart in Japan: Emperor Hirohito. While slowly watching his country being burned to the ground and his people starved, Hirohito chooses not to interfere with the running of the war, instead relying on others to come up with ways to win the war. An impending invasion by American forces captures the focus of the Japanese military, with plans to wage a war of attrition being their primary answer. Whether or not this was a realistic solution is not the focus of the book, but concerns about the cost of such an invasion play prominently in Truman's decision to ultimately use the atomic bombs.
The two missions in which the bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki are covered in really good detail, and provide a stark contrast in their execution. The mission to Hiroshima went virtually by the book and was executed flawlessly, while the mission to Nagasaki was beset with difficulties before it even left the ground. Things didn't get better once they took to the air, but they were ultimately able to get the job done. The aftermath of the two bombings as experienced by witnesses and victims on the ground is recounted in very graphic detail and leads to the final stretch run leading up to Japan's surrender. There are lots of moving pieces in the Japanese hierarchy, all trying to win support for either ending or continuing the war, and this leads to a bitter struggle between doing one's duty to the Emperor or following the Samurai code and fighting to the end.
Since I've never read much on the Manhattan Project, the book was a great way to find out more about one of the greatest secret projects in American history. While the use of the bombs is viewed by many in our modern times as an atrocity and/or war crime, there were objections and concerns back in 1945 as well. The author does a great job of presenting much of the back and forth discussions and protests over using the bombs, but he ultimately leaves it up to the reader to make their own decision about the morality of using the bombs.
Starting with his book on the famed Doolittle Raid on Japan and followed by a book on the firebombing of Japan by American planes, this book completes author Scott's trilogy on the bombing of Japan during World War II, and it's a fitting conclusion. I highly recommend this book along with it's two preceding volumes.
Many thanks to W.W. Norton & Company, along with NetGalley, for providing me with an ARC of this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I recently had the opportunity to read the upcoming "Empire of Ashes: Truman, Hirohito, and the Descent Into Total War," by James M. Scott, being published by W.W. Norton & Company. I am working from an ARC which they have graciously provided me with for review purposes. Let me first observe that the period of time covered by the book is roughly centered on the days between the death of FDR and the surrender of Imperial Japan in the Pacific theater of war. This is not to say that the author works without reference to the overall context of those events; where necessary, he carefully covers events that predate F.D.R.'s death and the Japanese surrender but which are germane to his thematic concerns, aptly set forth in his subtitle. His principle concern is with the development of a framework within which the operational deployment of atomic weapons could become the official policy of the United States of America. His writing is character driven and often illustrated by illuminating anecdotes which serve to place the principal actors in the narrative in sharp relief. For the reader who has immersed him or herself in the existing historiography of this period, there will be little here that adds to what we already know, but for the reader who may not have looked upon these dramatic events and their context in any sort of depth, this is likely to be quite rewarding. I would recommend it for all general collections as a good starting point for an understanding of the controversies swirling around the use of the nuclear bomb and the potential options and consequences associated with it. The writing is good, and because of its human focus, it is useful as a tool to try to bring existential issues into relief against the background of a world war and the struggle to bring it to a conclusion.
August 24, 2026
James Scott has produced a very personal telling of the end of the war in the Pacific. His focus on the character and personality of President Truman and Emperor Hirohito puts on full display the magnitude of the decisions being made, and the respect that each of the major players had for the consequences of their actions. The conflict between the Emperor and the military leadership of Japan is brought into stark contrast with the reality that Japan faced annihilation as a society in the summer of 1945. Meanwhile, the scientists working with the Manhattan Project and the military leaders facilitating it and preparing for its eventual culmination at Hiroshima and Nagasaki are presented alongside their honest opinions as to what the correct action with such a weapon should be.
Overall, a fantastic read and a powerful culmination of what has fast become one of the best series on the Second World War. This book reads as a natural conclusion to the work conducted in Target Tokyo: Jimmy Doolittle and the Raid That Avenged Pearl Harbor and Black Snow: Curtis LeMay, the Firebombing of Tokyo, and the Road to the Atomic Bomb. A must-add to any true student of history, leadership, or warfare.
Overall, a fantastic read and a powerful culmination of what has fast become one of the best series on the Second World War. This book reads as a natural conclusion to the work conducted in Target Tokyo: Jimmy Doolittle and the Raid That Avenged Pearl Harbor and Black Snow: Curtis LeMay, the Firebombing of Tokyo, and the Road to the Atomic Bomb. A must-add to any true student of history, leadership, or warfare.
August 16, 2026
Excellent written book. Adds a lot to the World War II history. As a person who is read many World War II history books this added some additional new information.
The Japanese military controlled Japanese society rationing everything. Japan needed to import every raw material and food.
The book explains the development of the atomic bomb, including the three separate Seitz, Oak Ridge, Los Alamos, New Mexico and Hanford engineering works in Washington. It also details all of the involved scientist.
Importantly, there was significant committees developed throughout the government to decide on how to use this new weapon. There was the advisory committee on uranium which advised the White House, target committee intern committee.
There was significant debate on the morality of the weapon.
The Potsdam declaration was a warning to Japan before the bomb was dropped. The goal of this proclamation was to confirm the unconditional surrender required.
Detailed explanation of the flight and bombing of Hiroshima with the outcome as well as the bombing of Nagasaki. Interesting the second bomb was planned to be dropped on Kokura, but due to weather during the flight it had to be changed to Nagasaki.
After the bombing, there was quite a bit of difficulty in convincing all of the military leaders and political leaders to accept the surrender proposal. It led to an attempted military coupe, which eventually failed.
The Japanese military controlled Japanese society rationing everything. Japan needed to import every raw material and food.
The book explains the development of the atomic bomb, including the three separate Seitz, Oak Ridge, Los Alamos, New Mexico and Hanford engineering works in Washington. It also details all of the involved scientist.
Importantly, there was significant committees developed throughout the government to decide on how to use this new weapon. There was the advisory committee on uranium which advised the White House, target committee intern committee.
There was significant debate on the morality of the weapon.
The Potsdam declaration was a warning to Japan before the bomb was dropped. The goal of this proclamation was to confirm the unconditional surrender required.
Detailed explanation of the flight and bombing of Hiroshima with the outcome as well as the bombing of Nagasaki. Interesting the second bomb was planned to be dropped on Kokura, but due to weather during the flight it had to be changed to Nagasaki.
After the bombing, there was quite a bit of difficulty in convincing all of the military leaders and political leaders to accept the surrender proposal. It led to an attempted military coupe, which eventually failed.
August 11, 2026
Empire of Ashes: Truman, Hirohito, and the Descent into Total War by James M. Scott examines the final, devastating months of World War II in the Pacific and the decisions that led to the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Scott follows two central figures, U.S. President Harry Truman and Japan’s Emperor Hirohito, as they faced enormous pressure to bring the war to an end. He explains the political and military debates in Washington and Tokyo, showing how American leaders weighed the terrible consequences of using atomic weapons against the possibility of an even bloodier invasion of Japan. At the same time, Japanese military leaders remained determined to continue fighting, even as American bombing campaigns destroyed cities and caused immense civilian suffering. The book also takes readers inside the development of the atomic bomb and gives particular attention to the ordinary Japanese people who experienced its horrifying effects. Through survivor accounts, Japanese sources, and American records, Scott connects the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to the larger story of total war, Japanese resistance, and the eventual surrender. Rather than presenting the bombings as a simple military decision, the book explores the moral uncertainty surrounding them and asks what nations are willing to sacrifice in order to achieve victory.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ARC from NetGalley
A very well written and absorbing general account of the final days of the Pacific War and the atomic bombings of Japan. There has certainly already been plenty published on this topic, but Scott delivers a very readable synthesis of multiple perspectives. He jumps back and forth smoothly between Truman's decision making, the effort involved in the creation of the atomic bomb, the Japanese government, and individuals waging and suffering the war. There are better books about individual aspects of this story -- The Making of the Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes is one of my all time favorite books, for example -- but Scott does a great job covering nearly all the angles in satisfying detail. I would have liked a little bit more engagement with historiography and moral debates, particularly with something as fraught as nuclear war, but I understand that's never going to be the focus of what's ultimately a popular history book.
One small complaint: the subtitle is bad. There was no "descent into total war" in 1945. We were deep into total war well before then.
A very well written and absorbing general account of the final days of the Pacific War and the atomic bombings of Japan. There has certainly already been plenty published on this topic, but Scott delivers a very readable synthesis of multiple perspectives. He jumps back and forth smoothly between Truman's decision making, the effort involved in the creation of the atomic bomb, the Japanese government, and individuals waging and suffering the war. There are better books about individual aspects of this story -- The Making of the Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes is one of my all time favorite books, for example -- but Scott does a great job covering nearly all the angles in satisfying detail. I would have liked a little bit more engagement with historiography and moral debates, particularly with something as fraught as nuclear war, but I understand that's never going to be the focus of what's ultimately a popular history book.
One small complaint: the subtitle is bad. There was no "descent into total war" in 1945. We were deep into total war well before then.
October 18, 2026
Even for those familiar with the decision to use two atomic bombs against Japan and the subsequent contortions at the top of Japanese government, Scott's book is filled with details about the decision. Chapter 19 outlines the control of government mechanisms by the Japanese military which presented a fanciful "Basic Policy for the Future Conduct of the War" in June, 1945 -- then forced its approval.
Scott's narrative is excellent, making the history come alive in ways comparable to the best of fiction.
Particularly useful to students of World War II is his "A Note on Sources" at the end, which highlights the Truman Presidential Library, NARA's files on the Manhattan Project, the personal papers of Leslie Goves, the Air Force Historical Research Center in Montgomery, AL, and key collections of American leaders at the Library of Congress, Yale University and Clemson University. He notes in particular that "War Secretary Henry Stimson and his deputy John McCloy both were terrific diarists."
Scott's narrative is excellent, making the history come alive in ways comparable to the best of fiction.
Particularly useful to students of World War II is his "A Note on Sources" at the end, which highlights the Truman Presidential Library, NARA's files on the Manhattan Project, the personal papers of Leslie Goves, the Air Force Historical Research Center in Montgomery, AL, and key collections of American leaders at the Library of Congress, Yale University and Clemson University. He notes in particular that "War Secretary Henry Stimson and his deputy John McCloy both were terrific diarists."
September 23, 2026
An extremely detailed in-depth narrative history of the last months of WWII. For the most part the author is very accurate and informative. I only found two errors:
1. Woodrow Wilson, like all US presidents, could not declare war. The author writes that Wilson declared war on 2 April 1917, when in reality he asked for Congress (which has the power) to declare war, which Congress did on 6 April 1917. (26)
2. France did not fall to Germany until June 1941, but the author strongly implies they had fallen by 1 January 1941. (37)
Scott also belittles the argument that Truman bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki to intimidate the USSR, calling it “scurrilous.” But historians argue that while it wasn’t the main or only reason for the bombing, it likely influenced Truman’s decision to use the atomic bomb. Scott though does well in his position that Truman’s decision was made primarily with the goal of saving lives: American, Asian, and Japanese.
Granted, these are minor errors and on a scale of 1-10 I’d award this book 9/10.
1. Woodrow Wilson, like all US presidents, could not declare war. The author writes that Wilson declared war on 2 April 1917, when in reality he asked for Congress (which has the power) to declare war, which Congress did on 6 April 1917. (26)
2. France did not fall to Germany until June 1941, but the author strongly implies they had fallen by 1 January 1941. (37)
Scott also belittles the argument that Truman bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki to intimidate the USSR, calling it “scurrilous.” But historians argue that while it wasn’t the main or only reason for the bombing, it likely influenced Truman’s decision to use the atomic bomb. Scott though does well in his position that Truman’s decision was made primarily with the goal of saving lives: American, Asian, and Japanese.
Granted, these are minor errors and on a scale of 1-10 I’d award this book 9/10.
August 23, 2026
A really good book on the end of the Pacific War, I learned a few things and enjoyed it.
Good first part of the book on FDR and how sick he really was. Good treatment of the life and rise to power of Truman. I liked the coverage of the Manhattan Project and General Groves.
Scott did a great job with the horror of the aftermath of the atomic bomb attacks. It was really horrible stuff and he didn't sugar coat it for you, like people wandering around in a daze with their skin burned off. It needed to be said.
Also a good account of the Japanese officers attempted coup that would have been incredibly tragic had it succeeded and the war continued.
Good book
Philip Kuhn
Good first part of the book on FDR and how sick he really was. Good treatment of the life and rise to power of Truman. I liked the coverage of the Manhattan Project and General Groves.
Scott did a great job with the horror of the aftermath of the atomic bomb attacks. It was really horrible stuff and he didn't sugar coat it for you, like people wandering around in a daze with their skin burned off. It needed to be said.
Also a good account of the Japanese officers attempted coup that would have been incredibly tragic had it succeeded and the war continued.
Good book
Philip Kuhn
October 21, 2026
FDR dies by the second page, and that sense of unmoored destiny pervades the book. Truman is somewhat fleshed out here, as are Groves, Oppenheimer, Japanese military leaders and the Emperor, even the pilots of the two B29s that deliver atomic bombs over Japanese cities. Same with the tech writing: a decent brush-up of atomic weapons, B29 development, the Rules of Engagement that can seem ridiculously bureaucratic. Along with 'Road to Surrender,' this is a valuable look back on the the lives and times of people who are no different than we are now.
Read
May 26, 2026Usually, Total War embraces a journey along historical highways and the atomic destination that ended World War II and ushered in the nuclear era. * How Scott balances historical leanings with the outcomes, but without resorting to a three-volume history, ensures Total War is recommended reading.
My review covering Scott's Empire of Ashes: Truman, Hirohito, and the Descent into Total War is found below.
https://thelensofhistory.substack.com...
My review covering Scott's Empire of Ashes: Truman, Hirohito, and the Descent into Total War is found below.
https://thelensofhistory.substack.com...
August 29, 2026
Fantastic analysis of the issues facing Truman as the US neared the end of the Pacific War. Very well-researched and a very interesting read. Thought-provoking exploration of the 'ethical' issues raised by atomic weapons and their use. I had the pleasure of seeing the author speak in Charleston - I'll be catching up on his earlier works.
September 4, 2026
A fascinating and detailed look at a complicated period of history. I liked how the book brings Truman and Hirohito into the wider story of how the war unfolded. There’s a lot of history here, but the writing keeps it interesting and gives plenty to think about. A strong read for anyone interested in World War II.
September 23, 2026
A powerful and difficult read, especially in the way it brings the human cost of the bombings into focus. I appreciated the combination of survivor accounts, historical context, and the decisions leading up to Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It made the final months of the war feel much more personal and real.
October 8, 2026
Good book on the events leading up to the end of the war in the Pacific. From the death of FDR and Truman becoming president, the making of the atomic bomb, the bombing of Japan, and including the point of view of Japan’s senior leaders as well as what happened when the atomic bombs were dropped, Empire of Ashes is a very detailed account and one worth reading.
September 4, 2026
A fascinating and deeply researched look at the final months of World War II. I especially liked how it goes beyond the familiar Hiroshima and Nagasaki story and explores the decisions, debates, and human cost behind them. It’s detailed, but still very engaging.
October 7, 2026
A great book covering Truman’s life and career; and the details surrounding the development and use of the fission bombs that ended WW II. Most of the details about the conduct of the Japanese military, government and citizenry were new to me.
August 17, 2026
If you want to read one book on this subject. This is it.
August 18, 2026
If you are a history buff or just want a deeply moving, honest look at one of the darkest chapters in human history, this is an absolute must read.
August 26, 2026
If you enjoy military history, this is worth reading. The research is impressive, and it gave me a deeper understanding of the events surrounding the end of the war.
September 11, 2026
A very good recounting of WW2's end.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews