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The Emperor's General
Captain Jay Marsh had never questioned where his ultimate loyalty lay. He had witnessed the bloody horror left behind by the retreating Japanese army during World War II's final days. And he had abandoned his beautiful Filipina fiancée to see his duty through.
But not even Marsh could guess the terrible personal price he would have to pay for his loyalty. He would follow General Douglas MacArthur to Tokyo itself. There he would become the brilliant, egocentric general's confidant, translator, surrogate son--and spy.
Marsh would play a dangerous game of deliberate deceit and brutal injustice in the shadow world of postwar Japan's royal palaces and geisha houses, and recognize that the defeated emperor and his wily aides were exploiting MacArthur's ruthless ambition to become the American Caesar. The Emperor's General is a dramatic human story of the loss of innocence and the seduction of power, about the conflict between honor, duty, and love, all set against an extraordinary historical backdrop.
But not even Marsh could guess the terrible personal price he would have to pay for his loyalty. He would follow General Douglas MacArthur to Tokyo itself. There he would become the brilliant, egocentric general's confidant, translator, surrogate son--and spy.
Marsh would play a dangerous game of deliberate deceit and brutal injustice in the shadow world of postwar Japan's royal palaces and geisha houses, and recognize that the defeated emperor and his wily aides were exploiting MacArthur's ruthless ambition to become the American Caesar. The Emperor's General is a dramatic human story of the loss of innocence and the seduction of power, about the conflict between honor, duty, and love, all set against an extraordinary historical backdrop.
480 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
40 people are currently reading
372 people want to read
About the author
James Webb
97 books127 followersJames Henry "Jim" Webb, Jr. is an American politician and author. He has served as a United States Senator from Virginia, Secretary of the Navy, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, Counsel for the United States House Committee on Veterans' Affairs and is a decorated Marine Corps officer.
Outside of working in government, Webb is also an Emmy Award winning journalist, filmmaker, and author of ten books. He taught literature at the United States Naval Academy and was a Fellow at the Harvard Institute of Politics. As a member of the Democratic Party, Webb announced on November 19, 2014, that he was forming an exploratory committee to evaluate a run for President of the United States in 2016. On July 2, 2015, he announced that he would be joining the race for the Democratic nomination for president, but stepped down from running in the primaries on October 20, 2015, stating that he was "not comfortable" with many political positions from the party's leadership.
In 2020, Webb was named the first distinguished fellow of University of Notre Dame's International Security Center.
Senator Webb is also an author of many books, stating that "I've written for a living all my life, so writing is as much a part of me as working out."
Outside of working in government, Webb is also an Emmy Award winning journalist, filmmaker, and author of ten books. He taught literature at the United States Naval Academy and was a Fellow at the Harvard Institute of Politics. As a member of the Democratic Party, Webb announced on November 19, 2014, that he was forming an exploratory committee to evaluate a run for President of the United States in 2016. On July 2, 2015, he announced that he would be joining the race for the Democratic nomination for president, but stepped down from running in the primaries on October 20, 2015, stating that he was "not comfortable" with many political positions from the party's leadership.
In 2020, Webb was named the first distinguished fellow of University of Notre Dame's International Security Center.
Senator Webb is also an author of many books, stating that "I've written for a living all my life, so writing is as much a part of me as working out."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
November 22, 2023
Great historical fiction focusing on the American occupation of Japan following WWII. Written by former Sen. James Webb ( of Virginia), it was published in 1999. I read it not long after it came out and I enjoyed rereading it.
What has interested me the most about postwar history concerning Japan is that the American Occupation of Japan is considered the most successful example of an occupation in history. But Webb's book asks the question: at what cost? MacArthur ruled Japan through the figurehead of the Emperor and he was able to do this by not having Emperor Hirohito or any members of the Imperial Family or other top officials brought to trial for war crimes. On the other hand, as Webb points out, General Tomoyuki Yamashita, the conqueror of Singapore, was made a scapegoat and tried, found guilty, and executed.
The story is told in a compelling way by Captain Jay Marsh, a man who was loyal to MacArthur during the Pacific War and followed him to Tokyo. He would be the general's confidant, translator, and spy. And he would have to a pay a terrible personal price for that loyalty. As Senator John McCain writes in a blurb: "...his (Webb's) protagonist must reconcile the call of duty and the demands of his conscience." I can't say it better than the late Senator McCain!
What has interested me the most about postwar history concerning Japan is that the American Occupation of Japan is considered the most successful example of an occupation in history. But Webb's book asks the question: at what cost? MacArthur ruled Japan through the figurehead of the Emperor and he was able to do this by not having Emperor Hirohito or any members of the Imperial Family or other top officials brought to trial for war crimes. On the other hand, as Webb points out, General Tomoyuki Yamashita, the conqueror of Singapore, was made a scapegoat and tried, found guilty, and executed.
The story is told in a compelling way by Captain Jay Marsh, a man who was loyal to MacArthur during the Pacific War and followed him to Tokyo. He would be the general's confidant, translator, and spy. And he would have to a pay a terrible personal price for that loyalty. As Senator John McCain writes in a blurb: "...his (Webb's) protagonist must reconcile the call of duty and the demands of his conscience." I can't say it better than the late Senator McCain!
August 1, 2012
Anyone who has studied the complex and fascinating story of General Douglas MacArthur, the genius of his campaigns and the deep flaws in his character is sure to enjoy this masterfully written book. Moving, insightful, balanced, and profund, it captivates and inspires refection on a level few historical novels do. Read it!
August 14, 2018
It neither gives a feel of a post-war Japan crawling from the rubble nor, in spite of spending most of the time around MacArthur, a good view of the politics of "embracing defeat". Also, must we have another crosscultural love story so that the narrator can go back 50 years later & suck us into one giant flashback ?
February 25, 2016
The Emperor's General, published in 1999, by Sen. Jim Webb is a great novel. More on that, but first a few words about the Senator.
Jim Webb was on the podium, debating for the Democratic nomination for President a couple month's ago with Hillary, Bernie and the other guy. I was hoping that all of the aspects of his amazing biography would override his obvious reluctance to submit himself to the US presidential process. He grew up in a military family, went to the Navel Academy and lost a disputed boxing decision to a much bigger Ollie North for his class championship. Then he went to Vietnam as a Marine officer, and won a Silver Star, and other medals, including two purple hearts. He got a Law degree from Georgetown, was Reagan's assistant Secretary of the Navy, was an award winning journalist, wrote highly praised novels, turned Democrat and beat the once Republican Presidential hopeful George Allen for the Virginia Senate.
There is even more, look him up. I imagined him as the perfect populist candidate. He didn't need to copy Bernie's policy direction of course, but he did need to focus on his 'Democratic' credentials, which if you look at his voting record in the Senate is real. But, we are in a weird political times, and perhaps that trumps accomplishment and character. The last thing he said on the podium, before dropping out of the race was to imply how he had personally killed a Vietcong soldier in battle. That wasn't going to sway Hillary and Bernie's voters, who should have been his target audience.
But it highlights his other problem which is his consistent history of flipping off the powerful. One example – when he was in the Senate, President Bush Jr. asked him about his son, who was serving in Iraq. Webb told Bush in a very pointed way that that was between him and his son.
All of that, all of his many accomplishments, pale in comparison to his talent to tell a story. The Emperor's General is the best novel I have read in years. On the surface, it is a history novel about Gen MacArthur and the last couple years of WW2 and six months into the occupation of Japan. It deals primarily with one of the almost unknown chapters of the war, the trial, conviction and execution of Japanese General Yamanshita for war crimes in the Philippines. It is told through the eyes of a young American Army Captain, Jay Marsh, who through a series of plausible and well crafted incidents, become a fly on the wall of MacArthur's deliberations and eventually becomes a player in the high level diplomatic game between MacArthur and the Japanese Emperor.
Marsh narrates and his story over-shadows the 'big story' without skipping any of the subtle details of MacArthur's maneuvers. It is great history, explaining the larger significance of the Japanese occupation, while putting you on the ground, coming ashore with MacArthur as he validates his “I shall return” promise to the Philippines, as well as in Yokohama and Tokyo after the surrender. The discriptions and the context that Webb presents will astonish you and give you a feel for the entire panorama of the time and place.
But that is not why the Emperor's General is a truly great book. Marsh is forced to leave the arms of a beautiful, trusting woman to enter into the highest levels of the Japanese Geisha world. He loves both women. This powerful and tender love story is understated and tactile and seems so true. Jay is forced into unfaithfulness, by his duty, an unfaithfulness most men would consider the highlight of their romantic life. Jay accepts the assignment, in fact makes the most of his sexual opportunity, all the while knowing it was destroying his one hope for happiness.
It is unapologetically a man's story. Men don't get many novels that explain the torments of the heart, particularly in a way that weaves it into the thrill of world-shaking ambition. Webb – a smart, tough guy, who in real life told a feckless President to kiss off – will break your heart with this novel. The historical gossip, the depiction of the real human side of near-mythical personalities – (like Emperor Hirohito) – all of that is delicious reading, but it all stands down in the presence of a great and painful love story.
Webb is a great writer, and ultimately that is a higher calling than politics.
Jim Webb was on the podium, debating for the Democratic nomination for President a couple month's ago with Hillary, Bernie and the other guy. I was hoping that all of the aspects of his amazing biography would override his obvious reluctance to submit himself to the US presidential process. He grew up in a military family, went to the Navel Academy and lost a disputed boxing decision to a much bigger Ollie North for his class championship. Then he went to Vietnam as a Marine officer, and won a Silver Star, and other medals, including two purple hearts. He got a Law degree from Georgetown, was Reagan's assistant Secretary of the Navy, was an award winning journalist, wrote highly praised novels, turned Democrat and beat the once Republican Presidential hopeful George Allen for the Virginia Senate.
There is even more, look him up. I imagined him as the perfect populist candidate. He didn't need to copy Bernie's policy direction of course, but he did need to focus on his 'Democratic' credentials, which if you look at his voting record in the Senate is real. But, we are in a weird political times, and perhaps that trumps accomplishment and character. The last thing he said on the podium, before dropping out of the race was to imply how he had personally killed a Vietcong soldier in battle. That wasn't going to sway Hillary and Bernie's voters, who should have been his target audience.
But it highlights his other problem which is his consistent history of flipping off the powerful. One example – when he was in the Senate, President Bush Jr. asked him about his son, who was serving in Iraq. Webb told Bush in a very pointed way that that was between him and his son.
All of that, all of his many accomplishments, pale in comparison to his talent to tell a story. The Emperor's General is the best novel I have read in years. On the surface, it is a history novel about Gen MacArthur and the last couple years of WW2 and six months into the occupation of Japan. It deals primarily with one of the almost unknown chapters of the war, the trial, conviction and execution of Japanese General Yamanshita for war crimes in the Philippines. It is told through the eyes of a young American Army Captain, Jay Marsh, who through a series of plausible and well crafted incidents, become a fly on the wall of MacArthur's deliberations and eventually becomes a player in the high level diplomatic game between MacArthur and the Japanese Emperor.
Marsh narrates and his story over-shadows the 'big story' without skipping any of the subtle details of MacArthur's maneuvers. It is great history, explaining the larger significance of the Japanese occupation, while putting you on the ground, coming ashore with MacArthur as he validates his “I shall return” promise to the Philippines, as well as in Yokohama and Tokyo after the surrender. The discriptions and the context that Webb presents will astonish you and give you a feel for the entire panorama of the time and place.
But that is not why the Emperor's General is a truly great book. Marsh is forced to leave the arms of a beautiful, trusting woman to enter into the highest levels of the Japanese Geisha world. He loves both women. This powerful and tender love story is understated and tactile and seems so true. Jay is forced into unfaithfulness, by his duty, an unfaithfulness most men would consider the highlight of their romantic life. Jay accepts the assignment, in fact makes the most of his sexual opportunity, all the while knowing it was destroying his one hope for happiness.
It is unapologetically a man's story. Men don't get many novels that explain the torments of the heart, particularly in a way that weaves it into the thrill of world-shaking ambition. Webb – a smart, tough guy, who in real life told a feckless President to kiss off – will break your heart with this novel. The historical gossip, the depiction of the real human side of near-mythical personalities – (like Emperor Hirohito) – all of that is delicious reading, but it all stands down in the presence of a great and painful love story.
Webb is a great writer, and ultimately that is a higher calling than politics.
March 20, 2016
Very insightful reading
It helped me better understand the occupation period in Japan and the impact of war on the people's of the pacific area and on the life of DOUGLAS mcarthur
It helped me better understand the occupation period in Japan and the impact of war on the people's of the pacific area and on the life of DOUGLAS mcarthur
May 1, 2012
A few months ago, I read the nonfiction book "Flyboys" which did a GREAT job of describing the conflict in the Pacific and the mindset of the Japanese people. Now, I jump into this work of fiction and finds that author James Webb, in this novel about General MacArthur, delves into the politics that prevented certain high-ranking Japanese officials from being prosecuted for war crimes after the so-called "rape of Nanking" (Manchuria) and the "rape of Manilla." The actual officers in charge of these events were not charged with war crimes, but instead there were various scapegoats offered in their place.
Along the way, Webb introduces us to insiders in MacArthur's military regime as he assumed the enormous task of rebuilding Japan and attempting to bring it into the 20th century. Webb shows us some of the reasons that the general protects the Japanese emperor and his closest advisors\family members in order-- primarily to encourage the adoption of a new more democratic constitution, the abolition of "secret police" and to introduce sweeping reforms.
Our eyewitness to this is Captain Jay Marsh, a Japanese interpreter, who at first seems to almost worship the great general, but gradually becomes disillusioned with the political machinations he observes and the grave injustices of the war crimes trials, etc.
Webb writes a fantastic and in-depth novel about the end and aftermath of the Pacific War...
Along the way, Webb introduces us to insiders in MacArthur's military regime as he assumed the enormous task of rebuilding Japan and attempting to bring it into the 20th century. Webb shows us some of the reasons that the general protects the Japanese emperor and his closest advisors\family members in order-- primarily to encourage the adoption of a new more democratic constitution, the abolition of "secret police" and to introduce sweeping reforms.
Our eyewitness to this is Captain Jay Marsh, a Japanese interpreter, who at first seems to almost worship the great general, but gradually becomes disillusioned with the political machinations he observes and the grave injustices of the war crimes trials, etc.
Webb writes a fantastic and in-depth novel about the end and aftermath of the Pacific War...
September 30, 2010
My most favorite book ever! I discover something new every time I read it. It's not a quick read but I love the challenge.
April 29, 2015
A highly readable, immensely entertaining work of historical fiction
While Author James Webb doesn't attempt to tell the whole story of the "War in the Pacific" in The Emperor's General, he does cover a considerable part of it. After a short prologue, the novel begins with General Douglas MacArthur and the Allied landing at Leyte in 1944. The first part of the book is set in the Philippines and chronicles the history of the war there from Corregidor and Bataan in 1942 to the re-taking of Manila in 1945. The story is told from the point of view of Captain Jay Marsh, a junior officer and Japanese interpreter on MacArthur's staff. Marsh meets a beautiful Filipina named Divina Clara (as in "Maria Clara", the prototypical Filipina beauty of Spanish blood and feminine grace) and their love affair becomes the subplot of the historical narrative.
The two main characters, however, are the "Emperor's generals"; Douglas MacArthur and Yamashita Tomoyuki. So intertwined are their careers and their fates that the title of the book is wonderfully ambiguous. Who, after all, was "the Emperor's general?" Was it Douglas MacArthur, the victorious American general who swept into Tokyo to become the supreme commander of the Allied occupation? Although ostensibly an enemy of Japan, MacArthur had as much to do with the preservation of the emperor system as any man. Was he "the Emperor's general?" Or was it Yamashita Tomoyuki, "the Tiger of Malaya," who time and time again, outsmarted and outmaneuvered superior forces in first Singapore and then the Philippines? Was he Emperor Hirohito's general?
Sadly, both MacArthur and, if we can believe the novel's rhetoric, the Imperial Japanese Government felt threatened by Yamashita's quiet dignity and popular appeal: "... the possible impact of Tomoyuki Yamashita's return to Japan, where he might state his case before the same international tribunal that General Tojo and the others would face in a few months, was more than the supreme commander or the emperor, either one, could bear. Dead or alive, the stoic, patient Yamashita would survive that forum as a national hero, one whose vision, dignity, and exploits might overshadow every other figure in the Pacific war."
Yamashita's "trial" by a military tribunal and subsequent hanging in the Philippines was by most accounts, a mockery and a sham: "It was December 6. MacArthur, with his penchant for anniversaries, had arranged for the verdict to be read to the world during a live, fifteen-minute radio address on Pearl Harbor Day. That night the twelve American, British, and Australian journalists who had covered every moment of the trial were polled by the International News Service in a secret ballot. Asked if the evidence presented at the trial warranted Yamashita's conviction, all twelve voted Yamashita innocent."
By all estimates, Douglas MacArthur was one of the principal architects of modern Japan. What makes The Emperor's General so interesting is that the novel suggests that things might have been done differently both by MacArthur and the leaders of Japan.
While Author James Webb doesn't attempt to tell the whole story of the "War in the Pacific" in The Emperor's General, he does cover a considerable part of it. After a short prologue, the novel begins with General Douglas MacArthur and the Allied landing at Leyte in 1944. The first part of the book is set in the Philippines and chronicles the history of the war there from Corregidor and Bataan in 1942 to the re-taking of Manila in 1945. The story is told from the point of view of Captain Jay Marsh, a junior officer and Japanese interpreter on MacArthur's staff. Marsh meets a beautiful Filipina named Divina Clara (as in "Maria Clara", the prototypical Filipina beauty of Spanish blood and feminine grace) and their love affair becomes the subplot of the historical narrative.
The two main characters, however, are the "Emperor's generals"; Douglas MacArthur and Yamashita Tomoyuki. So intertwined are their careers and their fates that the title of the book is wonderfully ambiguous. Who, after all, was "the Emperor's general?" Was it Douglas MacArthur, the victorious American general who swept into Tokyo to become the supreme commander of the Allied occupation? Although ostensibly an enemy of Japan, MacArthur had as much to do with the preservation of the emperor system as any man. Was he "the Emperor's general?" Or was it Yamashita Tomoyuki, "the Tiger of Malaya," who time and time again, outsmarted and outmaneuvered superior forces in first Singapore and then the Philippines? Was he Emperor Hirohito's general?
Sadly, both MacArthur and, if we can believe the novel's rhetoric, the Imperial Japanese Government felt threatened by Yamashita's quiet dignity and popular appeal: "... the possible impact of Tomoyuki Yamashita's return to Japan, where he might state his case before the same international tribunal that General Tojo and the others would face in a few months, was more than the supreme commander or the emperor, either one, could bear. Dead or alive, the stoic, patient Yamashita would survive that forum as a national hero, one whose vision, dignity, and exploits might overshadow every other figure in the Pacific war."
Yamashita's "trial" by a military tribunal and subsequent hanging in the Philippines was by most accounts, a mockery and a sham: "It was December 6. MacArthur, with his penchant for anniversaries, had arranged for the verdict to be read to the world during a live, fifteen-minute radio address on Pearl Harbor Day. That night the twelve American, British, and Australian journalists who had covered every moment of the trial were polled by the International News Service in a secret ballot. Asked if the evidence presented at the trial warranted Yamashita's conviction, all twelve voted Yamashita innocent."
By all estimates, Douglas MacArthur was one of the principal architects of modern Japan. What makes The Emperor's General so interesting is that the novel suggests that things might have been done differently both by MacArthur and the leaders of Japan.
August 21, 2018
If you can make it through the first rather dry 30 pages of this novel, you will be fascinated by the next 400+. It was brilliant! I loved that the author obviously did a massive amount of research, almost to the point of it being more textbook than novel, because it gave a ring of truth to everything he wrote. I don't usually Google stuff about books, but some of the images were so vivid that I did, and the photographs taken in the 1940's were exactly as he described them, along with some snippets that made them even more memorable. I will be recommending this book, but especially to my sons. It was a bit of a difficult read, but very, very good right till the last page.
November 6, 2024
The Japan viceroyalty section of American Caesar by Manchester was excellent, but left me with a lot of questions about motives and connections between individuals and events.
Celebrated soldier / statesman / writer James Web employs historical fiction to connect the dots between MacArthur, Hirohito, Yamashita, the rape of Manila, and the rape of Nanking. Although hard documentation of the players' motivations does not exist, Webb's analysis incorporates what is known and seems entirely plausible. Historical fiction in responsible hands can be quite powerful...
Celebrated soldier / statesman / writer James Web employs historical fiction to connect the dots between MacArthur, Hirohito, Yamashita, the rape of Manila, and the rape of Nanking. Although hard documentation of the players' motivations does not exist, Webb's analysis incorporates what is known and seems entirely plausible. Historical fiction in responsible hands can be quite powerful...
May 3, 2024
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January 1, 2012
The main character of this story is Captain Jay Marsh. He is a low-level aide to General Douglas MacArthur at the end of World War II. The story picks up with MacArthur's re-invasion of the Philippines, moves through the end of the war and into the occupation of Japan. While in the Philippines, Marsh falls in love with a Filipino woman. He is required to leave her when MacArthur moves to Tokyo to oversee the occupation of Japan.While in Tokyo, Marsh befriends one of the Emperor's top aides, Lord Privy Seal Kido. Marsh speaks fluent japanese, and moves easily in high circles in the japanese government. He takes on the role of back channel negotiator between MacArthur and the Imperial government. He also starts up an affair with a geisha provided by Kido.The other part of the story is the war crimes trial of General Yamashita in Manila. Yamashita was the Japanese general in charge of the army in the Philippines while it was being occupied by Japan. Many atrocities were committed during this time period and Yamashita was blamed for them. The book takes the position that Yamashita was not responsible for the bad behavior, and the whole trial was a cover-up for the leadership provided by the Emperor and his close relatives. One of Marsh's duties was to attend and report to MacArthur on the war crimes trial held in Manila.The author of this book is a newly-elected Senator from Virginia. The book cogently describes the history of the period and the moral ambiguity facing people in this situation. It gives one hope that such a person as the author could now be in power at the highest levels of government.
November 3, 2015
I was floored by how fascinating this book was. It provided me with great insight into the Japanese culture: especially how it related to the efforts to end the war and build a peaceful Japan. The author's knowledge of the back scene negotiations with the Emperor via the Privy Seal and MacArthur were captivating and enthralling. I felt as if I were in the innermost circle of MacArthur's profound decision making about how to end the war without mortally wounding Japanese pride. The book confirmed for me that the Supreme Commander saved thousands of American lives(and Japanese) by his realpolitik approach to the big picture rather than executing the former Emperor Hirohito and the royal family. You will be fascinated by the "belly talk" negotiations that led to the final solution and the ultimate sacrifice of Japanese General Yamashita to mollify the allies. On another level, there is a heartbreaking love story between Captain Jay Marsh the protagonist and his Filipino lover that is quite moving and haunting. For me, this is 10 stars. I salute you James Webb.
December 19, 2016
Superb novel about a very unique place and time. This book relives the Post VJ period from 1945 onward, as the United States, led by General Douglas MacArthur, leads the post WWII recovery of Imperial Japan. The story is told through the eyes of a young military officer, who serves as General MacArthur's aide/executive officer. The young officer, who also speaks Japanese, influences the policy and events of this period because of his language skills, position of responsibility and extraordinary level of trust endowed by MacArthur himself. Excellent book for WWII and history lovers, AWESOME book for military veterans and people like myself who have served as an Executive Officer to a General Officer.
November 20, 2013
What can I say? This has to be up there as one of the best books I've read. It transports you back to the era towards the end of the Pacific war to the point where you're almost there touching and feeling it.
Webb's accuracy and originality in combining historical facts with fiction could well change history as readers could very easily read this as all fact. This couldn't be any higher compliment.
It's full to the brim so expect a long read but it's worth soaking up every word.
Webb's accuracy and originality in combining historical facts with fiction could well change history as readers could very easily read this as all fact. This couldn't be any higher compliment.
It's full to the brim so expect a long read but it's worth soaking up every word.
March 14, 2010
I stopped reading more than half way through and just skipped around to the end. I didn't care for the love stories at all but the historical portrayals of MacArthur and Yamashita were very compelling. Webb writes an excellent scene around MacArthur's entry into Tokyo.
August 6, 2013
Written by US senator James Webb, The Emperor's General tells a more entertaining, engaging and thought-provoking story than the Tommy Lee Jones/Matthew Fox movie about 1945 Japan "The Emperor." Makes you wish it happened the way James Webb wrote it.
October 4, 2014
I do not read much fiction but this is a fun read about the entanglements that a young officer gets into when he works directly for Douglas MacArthur as he becomes the supreme commander in Japan's recovery. There are a couple of intriguing plot twists.
October 8, 2015
WOW A great book
Been a World War II bluff I think this is one of my best stories and I ever read about the South Pacific and the occupation of Japan after the war . This is historical fiction but it is a great book.
Been a World War II bluff I think this is one of my best stories and I ever read about the South Pacific and the occupation of Japan after the war . This is historical fiction but it is a great book.
December 5, 2015
James Webb is an outstanding writer and The Emperor's General reaffirms that fact.
I really enjoyed this fictional look into Douglas MacArthur and the end of the war in the Pacific. Webb's story is insightful and entertaining. Well worth the read.
I really enjoyed this fictional look into Douglas MacArthur and the end of the war in the Pacific. Webb's story is insightful and entertaining. Well worth the read.
July 25, 2016
While it starts out very slowly (I almost gave up reading it!), the book finally picks up speed and is a very enjoyable read. I've never been a great fan of the extremely narcissistic MacArthur and this book reinforces some of the reasons for my disenchantment.
February 3, 2017
MacArthur is huge in this story!
This is a love story and also a war story. It tells of General Douglas MacArthur trip back to the Philippines and the young Capt. who came with him.
This is a love story and also a war story. It tells of General Douglas MacArthur trip back to the Philippines and the young Capt. who came with him.
November 30, 2010
Everyone in USA shoud read this. An excellent example of the power of the military -- and the influence of the Japaneese.
February 28, 2011
I learned more about General MacArthur, the filipinos, and the japanese during World War II. I would recommend this book for others to read or listen to.
August 15, 2011
Really interesting boook. Who was in charge.....MacArthur....the emperor of Japan? I recommend it.
April 22, 2012
A GOOD STORY THAT WEAVES IN FASCINATING HISTORICAL FACT REGARDING JAPANESE AND PHILIPPINE CULTURE AND WW2 POST WAR ERA.
May 2, 2012
Douglas MacArthur - warts and all.
A fictionalized book beginning with DM's return to the Philippines and then his actions in Japan.
Webb's writing is entertaining, informative and mesmerizing.
A fictionalized book beginning with DM's return to the Philippines and then his actions in Japan.
Webb's writing is entertaining, informative and mesmerizing.
May 1, 2012
A great read. Mac Arthur as I have always imagined him!
December 11, 2014
Very entertaining novel with good historic content about the end of WWII and MacArthur in Japan.
November 27, 2015
Very good read. Interesting the entire way. Solid 4 star book!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews