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Last Mission to Tokyo: The Extraordinary Story of the Doolittle Raiders and Their Final Fight for Justice
A thrilling narrative that introduces a key but underreported moment in World War II: The Doolitte Raids and the international war crimes trial in 1945 that defined Japanese-American relations and changed legal history.
In 1942, freshly humiliated from the attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States was in search of a plan. President Roosevelt, determined to show the world that our nation would not be intimidated or defeated by enemy powers, he demanded recommendations for a show of strength. Jimmy Doolittle, a stunt pilot with a doctorate from MIT, came forward, and led eighty young men, gathered together from the far-flung corners of Depression-era America, on a seemingly impossible mission across the Pacific. Sixteen planes in all, they only had enough fuel for a one-way trip. Together, the Raiders, as they were called, did what no one had successfully done for more than a thousand years. They struck the mainland of Japan and permanently turned the tide of the war in the Pacific.
Almost immediately, The Doolittle Raid captured the public imagination, and has remained a seminal moment in World War II history, but the heroism and bravery of the mission is only half the story. In Last Mission to Tokyo, Michel Paradis reveals the dramatic aftermath of the mission, which involved two lost crews captured, tried, and tortured at the hands of the Japanese, a dramatic rescue of the survivors in the last weeks of World War II, and an international manhunt and trial led by two dynamic and opposing young lawyers—in which both the United States and Japan accused the other of war crimes—that would change the face of our legal and military history. Perfect for fans of Lucky 666 and Nuremberg: Infamy on Trial, Last Mission to Tokyo is a thrilling war story-meets-courtroom-drama that explores a key moment in World War II.
In 1942, freshly humiliated from the attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States was in search of a plan. President Roosevelt, determined to show the world that our nation would not be intimidated or defeated by enemy powers, he demanded recommendations for a show of strength. Jimmy Doolittle, a stunt pilot with a doctorate from MIT, came forward, and led eighty young men, gathered together from the far-flung corners of Depression-era America, on a seemingly impossible mission across the Pacific. Sixteen planes in all, they only had enough fuel for a one-way trip. Together, the Raiders, as they were called, did what no one had successfully done for more than a thousand years. They struck the mainland of Japan and permanently turned the tide of the war in the Pacific.
Almost immediately, The Doolittle Raid captured the public imagination, and has remained a seminal moment in World War II history, but the heroism and bravery of the mission is only half the story. In Last Mission to Tokyo, Michel Paradis reveals the dramatic aftermath of the mission, which involved two lost crews captured, tried, and tortured at the hands of the Japanese, a dramatic rescue of the survivors in the last weeks of World War II, and an international manhunt and trial led by two dynamic and opposing young lawyers—in which both the United States and Japan accused the other of war crimes—that would change the face of our legal and military history. Perfect for fans of Lucky 666 and Nuremberg: Infamy on Trial, Last Mission to Tokyo is a thrilling war story-meets-courtroom-drama that explores a key moment in World War II.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published July 28, 2020
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987 people want to read
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June 18, 2024
Last Mission to Tokyo is not a fun book to read. It is set in the early days of World War II and follows the plight of eight members of the Doolittle Raid against Japan on April 18, 1942. These eight men were crew members of two of the B-25 Mitchell Bombers (the Green Hornet and the Bat out of Hell) launched from the US aircraft Hornet to take the war to the Japanese homeland. These eight US Army Air Corps officers and NCOs were captured by the Japanese when their two planes went down in Japanese-occupied China. The Japanese tried these eight flyers for war crimes in a trial lasting less than an hour, and executed three of them, commuting the sentences of the other five (one of whom later died in a POW camp). The remaining four were liberated by US forces in 1945.
After the war, the US brought war crime charges against four Japanese officers who appeared responsible for the executions. The book goes into much detail as to how the prosecuting officers were selected and even more detail on how defense counsel was named. The prosecuting officers were dismayed by the fact they were not allowed to try senior officers of the Imperial Japanese Army who may have given the orders to execute the three airmen but had to be content with those that were in the docket. Both prosecuting and defense counsel had much work to obtain evidence for this case. The trial lasted fourteen days, and all four of the defendants were found guilty. To the further dismay of the prosecution, the four defendants were given lenient sentences.
I recommend this book to my Goodreads friends interested in military history, particularly that of World War II.
After the war, the US brought war crime charges against four Japanese officers who appeared responsible for the executions. The book goes into much detail as to how the prosecuting officers were selected and even more detail on how defense counsel was named. The prosecuting officers were dismayed by the fact they were not allowed to try senior officers of the Imperial Japanese Army who may have given the orders to execute the three airmen but had to be content with those that were in the docket. Both prosecuting and defense counsel had much work to obtain evidence for this case. The trial lasted fourteen days, and all four of the defendants were found guilty. To the further dismay of the prosecution, the four defendants were given lenient sentences.
I recommend this book to my Goodreads friends interested in military history, particularly that of World War II.
July 5, 2020
Slightly Misleading Title, Solid History. If you're looking for a history of the actual Doolittle Raid... this isn't it. Instead, this focuses on the 1946 war crimes trial of the Japanese officials implicated in murdering four of the Raiders after their capture in China following the raid in 1942 and subsequent conviction in a kangaroo court. But for what it is, this is truly a remarkable story that brings to life a part of history I personally had never so much as heard about. Paradis notes in the afterword that upon researching what was originally supposed to be a more straightforward legal analysis, he realized that he needed to change the focus to be a historical narrative fit for a wider audience, and in that new goal this reader can confirm that he did particularly well. Yes, Paradis is a miliary lawyer historian by trade, and this particular background comes through quite blatantly in the text, but it is never so full of jargon from any of those parts of his background as to be incomprehensible to the wider audience only cursorily aware of those subjects. Very much recommended.
August 4, 2020
The shock of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor the morning of December 7, 1941 left Americans calling for revenge for the 2,403 Americans who were killed, and over 1000 wounded. Eighteen ships were sunk or run aground, including five battleships. All of the Americans killed or wounded during the attack were legally non-combatants, given that there was no state of war when the attack occurred. The American response came in the form of the Doolittle Raid on April 18, 1942 as sixteen B-25 “Billy Mitchell Army bombers” were launched without fighter escort from the U.S. Navy's aircraft carrier USS Hornet deep in the Western Pacific Ocean, each with a crew of five men. The plan called for them to bomb military targets in Japan and to continue westward to land in China, at sites prepared by Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-Shek’s forces in China. The bombing raid killed about 50 people, including civilians, and injured 400. Fifteen aircraft reached China, but all crashed, while the 16th landed at Vladivostok in the Soviet Union. The attack provided the American people, the military, and the Roosevelt administration with a measure of satisfaction and a victory for US morale. Of the eight men who survived and imprisoned by the Japanese, three were executed and five had their sentences reduced to life in prison by Emperor Hirohito.
The story of the Doolittle Raid and the plight of the survivors is effectively portrayed in Michel Paradis’ new book, THE LAST MISSION TO TOKYO: THE EXTRAORDINARY STORY OF THE DOOLITTLE RAIDERS AND THEIR FINAL FIGHT FOR JUSTICE. Paradis himself was a Pentagon lawyer who defended detainees held by the American military at Guantanamo Bay provides intimate details of the men who conducted the raid, their training and planning, and ultimately narrates the trial of the Japanese perpetrators of the execution of William Farrow, Dean Hallmark, and Harold Spatz along with the death of Lt. Robert J. Meder and the torture of George Barr, Chase Neilson, Robert Hite, and Jacob De Shazer. Paradis’ research is impeccable as he mines the transcripts of the war crimes trial in Shanghai of the Japanese accused of responsibility for the executions and torture. He prepares the reader with the background of the raid and delves into how Major Robert Dwyer and Lt. Colonel John Hendren, Jr., two JAG lawyers under the leadership of Colonel Edward “Ham” Young prosecuted the case against the Japanese perpetrators defended by Lt. Colonel Edmund Bodine who was not trained as a lawyer, and Captain Charles Fellows, a corporate lawyer from Tulsa, OK.
The trial in Shanghai was significant because it was seen as a dry run for the more important trials in Tokyo that included the prosecution of Hedeki Tojo, Japan’s Prime Minister and Minister of War, among others. As far as Dwyer was concerned what transpired in the Shanghai trial would set precedents for what would take place in Tokyo. After observing the trial of General Tomoyuki Yamashita in Manila Dwyer would develop the concept of command responsibility – making commanders responsible for war crimes committed by their subordinates. As Commander of the Japanese 13th Army Lt. General Shigeru Sawada would be held responsible of the actions of those who conducted the trial and execution of the three Doolittle Raiders. Dwyer would also prosecute the three Japanese judges who oversaw the 20 minutes to a half hour trial of the American flyers.
Paradis follows the twists and turns of the prosecution and defense strategies during the Shanghai trial introducing new legal theories dealing with war crimes and its ultimate outcome. Paradis also explores the lives of the men on both sides. The Japanese officers who were culpable, the Doolittle Raiders, and the judges involved. The author delves into Japanese culture and how it related to their actions. For the Japanese, their argument was simple, the Doolittle Raiders had attacked civilians and were conducting a guerilla war from the air which made it a matter of honor and a war crime against the Japanese people thus justifying the executions. The legal battle between Dwyer and Bodine is on full display with Paradis capturing the emotions exhibited by both sides.
Paradis brings out many salient points, perhaps most important were the bureaucratic roadblocks placed in front of Dwyer as General MacArthur seemed more concerned with “the occupation” and recreating Japan in his own image rather than the Shanghai trial. MacArthur saw many Japanese officers who would be put on trial as possible allies, not war criminals in his effort to “Americanize” the new Japanese system of government.
Paradis’ approach to his subject differs from Ted Lawson’s THIRTY SECONDS OVER TOKYO and James Scott’s TARGET TOKYO as he focuses a great deal on the procedural aspects of a war crimes trial, and as Gary Bass states in his New York Times review, “Trying the Japanese for War Crimes,” he “offers a more troubling history than some triumphalist American chronicles of the Doolittle Raid,” as the defense lawyers presented a much stronger case than expected casting doubt on witness statements and suggesting that the American pilots may have committed a war crime. Paradis’ strength is that he has a “keen sense of the injustices, vagaries, and ironies of war crimes trials.” Bass “notes that Doolittle instructed his airmen to avoid nonmilitary targets. Yet his book makes it uncomfortably clear that they may well have killed Japanese civilians. To this day, Japanese commemorate the strafing of an elementary school in eastern Tokyo during the Doolittle raid, where a 13-year-old boy was killed.”
Paradis has written an exceptional narrative that delves into a number of controversial issues. Further, he deserves credit for uncovering details and analysis that are sound and had not seen the light of day previously. If you are interested in the topic it is a worthwhile read.
The story of the Doolittle Raid and the plight of the survivors is effectively portrayed in Michel Paradis’ new book, THE LAST MISSION TO TOKYO: THE EXTRAORDINARY STORY OF THE DOOLITTLE RAIDERS AND THEIR FINAL FIGHT FOR JUSTICE. Paradis himself was a Pentagon lawyer who defended detainees held by the American military at Guantanamo Bay provides intimate details of the men who conducted the raid, their training and planning, and ultimately narrates the trial of the Japanese perpetrators of the execution of William Farrow, Dean Hallmark, and Harold Spatz along with the death of Lt. Robert J. Meder and the torture of George Barr, Chase Neilson, Robert Hite, and Jacob De Shazer. Paradis’ research is impeccable as he mines the transcripts of the war crimes trial in Shanghai of the Japanese accused of responsibility for the executions and torture. He prepares the reader with the background of the raid and delves into how Major Robert Dwyer and Lt. Colonel John Hendren, Jr., two JAG lawyers under the leadership of Colonel Edward “Ham” Young prosecuted the case against the Japanese perpetrators defended by Lt. Colonel Edmund Bodine who was not trained as a lawyer, and Captain Charles Fellows, a corporate lawyer from Tulsa, OK.
The trial in Shanghai was significant because it was seen as a dry run for the more important trials in Tokyo that included the prosecution of Hedeki Tojo, Japan’s Prime Minister and Minister of War, among others. As far as Dwyer was concerned what transpired in the Shanghai trial would set precedents for what would take place in Tokyo. After observing the trial of General Tomoyuki Yamashita in Manila Dwyer would develop the concept of command responsibility – making commanders responsible for war crimes committed by their subordinates. As Commander of the Japanese 13th Army Lt. General Shigeru Sawada would be held responsible of the actions of those who conducted the trial and execution of the three Doolittle Raiders. Dwyer would also prosecute the three Japanese judges who oversaw the 20 minutes to a half hour trial of the American flyers.
Paradis follows the twists and turns of the prosecution and defense strategies during the Shanghai trial introducing new legal theories dealing with war crimes and its ultimate outcome. Paradis also explores the lives of the men on both sides. The Japanese officers who were culpable, the Doolittle Raiders, and the judges involved. The author delves into Japanese culture and how it related to their actions. For the Japanese, their argument was simple, the Doolittle Raiders had attacked civilians and were conducting a guerilla war from the air which made it a matter of honor and a war crime against the Japanese people thus justifying the executions. The legal battle between Dwyer and Bodine is on full display with Paradis capturing the emotions exhibited by both sides.
Paradis brings out many salient points, perhaps most important were the bureaucratic roadblocks placed in front of Dwyer as General MacArthur seemed more concerned with “the occupation” and recreating Japan in his own image rather than the Shanghai trial. MacArthur saw many Japanese officers who would be put on trial as possible allies, not war criminals in his effort to “Americanize” the new Japanese system of government.
Paradis’ approach to his subject differs from Ted Lawson’s THIRTY SECONDS OVER TOKYO and James Scott’s TARGET TOKYO as he focuses a great deal on the procedural aspects of a war crimes trial, and as Gary Bass states in his New York Times review, “Trying the Japanese for War Crimes,” he “offers a more troubling history than some triumphalist American chronicles of the Doolittle Raid,” as the defense lawyers presented a much stronger case than expected casting doubt on witness statements and suggesting that the American pilots may have committed a war crime. Paradis’ strength is that he has a “keen sense of the injustices, vagaries, and ironies of war crimes trials.” Bass “notes that Doolittle instructed his airmen to avoid nonmilitary targets. Yet his book makes it uncomfortably clear that they may well have killed Japanese civilians. To this day, Japanese commemorate the strafing of an elementary school in eastern Tokyo during the Doolittle raid, where a 13-year-old boy was killed.”
Paradis has written an exceptional narrative that delves into a number of controversial issues. Further, he deserves credit for uncovering details and analysis that are sound and had not seen the light of day previously. If you are interested in the topic it is a worthwhile read.
August 22, 2020
While I have read much about the Doolittle Raid and knew before reading this book that most of the Doolittle Raiders made in home safely and three were executed I had not read much about those captured. I was surprised to learn that while the captured raiders were taken to Toyoko the trial and executions were carried out in China.
The detailed accounts of what the captured raiders went through was disturbing but not unsurprising considering other accounts of atrocities committed against POWs and Civilians during the war by the Japanese.
The account of the investigation trial was very detailed and enlightening bringing to the fore that more and higher up Japanese should have been on trial but were being shielded by MacArthur for political reasons.
The detailed accounts of what the captured raiders went through was disturbing but not unsurprising considering other accounts of atrocities committed against POWs and Civilians during the war by the Japanese.
The account of the investigation trial was very detailed and enlightening bringing to the fore that more and higher up Japanese should have been on trial but were being shielded by MacArthur for political reasons.
August 16, 2020
The title to this book would lead you to believe that this is a sort of epilogue to the story of the Doolittle raiders. It's not. They are at best bit players walking on and off the stage for their brief moment in the spotlight. Their bravery is verified but their all too human faults are revealed as well.
This book, rather, is a compelling story of a set of complex characters wrestling with their conscience and with the role that the rule of law plays in warfare. Robert E Dwyer, a Harvard trained lawyer, must fly over much of Asia to gather facts and put together a legal theory that will ensure that those who caused the death of some of the Raiders are themselves punished with death. His seat at the prosecution table is not at all assured due to his fiery nature and his addiction to alcohol. His biggest problem may well be determining who of the Japanese may be legally culpable and bringing them in for trial.
Edmund Bodine is a man who never seems satisfied with what he is at present doing. Prior to the war he drifted from job to job. He spends some time in Fordham Law School, leaving before graduation to become an army pilot of light planes. At the end of the war he finds himself in Shanghai, a polyglot, multi-cultural city where the Doolittle trial is to take place. The trial is at best in his peripheral vision as he courts and falls in love with Elizaveta, a beautiful Russian and strives to stay in Shanghai to be with her. When he is offered the job of representing the Japanese soldiers accused of the murders of the Raiders, he takes it as an opportunity to stay on a bit longer in Shanghai. In the course of doing his job he reveals much he did not know about himself and much more about how war is rarely a choice between pure good and pure evil.
This is a satisfying and provocative story for those who are not necessarily history buffs or legal scholars but who do love a good story about human nature and the search for truth.
This book, rather, is a compelling story of a set of complex characters wrestling with their conscience and with the role that the rule of law plays in warfare. Robert E Dwyer, a Harvard trained lawyer, must fly over much of Asia to gather facts and put together a legal theory that will ensure that those who caused the death of some of the Raiders are themselves punished with death. His seat at the prosecution table is not at all assured due to his fiery nature and his addiction to alcohol. His biggest problem may well be determining who of the Japanese may be legally culpable and bringing them in for trial.
Edmund Bodine is a man who never seems satisfied with what he is at present doing. Prior to the war he drifted from job to job. He spends some time in Fordham Law School, leaving before graduation to become an army pilot of light planes. At the end of the war he finds himself in Shanghai, a polyglot, multi-cultural city where the Doolittle trial is to take place. The trial is at best in his peripheral vision as he courts and falls in love with Elizaveta, a beautiful Russian and strives to stay in Shanghai to be with her. When he is offered the job of representing the Japanese soldiers accused of the murders of the Raiders, he takes it as an opportunity to stay on a bit longer in Shanghai. In the course of doing his job he reveals much he did not know about himself and much more about how war is rarely a choice between pure good and pure evil.
This is a satisfying and provocative story for those who are not necessarily history buffs or legal scholars but who do love a good story about human nature and the search for truth.
August 16, 2020
THE LAST MISSION TO TOKYO was fascinating. It's about the war crimes trials of the Japanese officers alleged to be responsible for the torture and execution of the Doolittle raiders captured in China after they bombed Tokyo in early 1942. As I was a Navy JAG for almost 27 years with a focus on international law, including international humanitarian law, I found the role of junior Army JAGs, and the freedom and authority they had to make sure a fair trial took place, simply incredible. The insight and level of detail into the trial preparations and strategy made me feel like I was talking personally to the prosecution and defense teams. And, since I did not know anything about the trials before reading the book, I found I could not put the book down because I couldn't wait to see how each courtroom move played out. I wholeheartedly recommend this book.
August 23, 2020
Fascinating book. I knew of the Doolittle Raid, the fact that some of its planes' crewmen had to ditch, that several were captured, and a few executed.
I knew nothing beyond that.
I knew nothing of the Japanese trial of the captured airmen. I knew less than nothing of the US postwar trial of select Japanese for this particular incident. And, as a sidebar, while I've read enough about WWII in the Pacific, and about Japanese politics, especially as related to the struggle to decide to surrender, I wasn't totally familiar with the degree of its atomization as presented by Paradis.
All that and more is on display, including courageous defense work by two Army officers risking career damage. A great read. (Everybody seems to like it except the wingnut who gave it a 1-star review and turned off commenting on her review. Nuff ced.)
I knew nothing beyond that.
I knew nothing of the Japanese trial of the captured airmen. I knew less than nothing of the US postwar trial of select Japanese for this particular incident. And, as a sidebar, while I've read enough about WWII in the Pacific, and about Japanese politics, especially as related to the struggle to decide to surrender, I wasn't totally familiar with the degree of its atomization as presented by Paradis.
All that and more is on display, including courageous defense work by two Army officers risking career damage. A great read. (Everybody seems to like it except the wingnut who gave it a 1-star review and turned off commenting on her review. Nuff ced.)
July 22, 2020
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. Mission starts with a detailed look at the Doolittle bombing mission over Tokyo in the early stages of World War II. I had hoped that this was to be the meat of the book but it wasn't. It then went into a little detail about the travails of the airmen who were captured. This also was not the meat of the book. The majority was a detailed desctription of the war crimes trials concerning the jailers of the downed airmen and subsequent torture and murders of them. Interesting details were brought out but it tended to get rambling at times.
September 27, 2020
History shows the Doolittle raids on Tokyo was a profound, and an initial positive moment for the United States war effort against the seemingly unstoppable advance by the Japanese in the Pacific. Finally, a chance to bring the war home to the nation that brought the war to the isolationist US with the surprise attack at Pearl Harbor. While successful for propaganda, its main objective as militarily the raid had no real value, it had its costs. Death by accident, capture and execution for some of the very young men who participated in the raid. And this book details, with incredible research, the story and day-by-day scenes behind those who did not make it successfully to China. And the moral fog of war, on both sides, when four are chosen to pay the ultimate price of what they saw as their duty in carrying out a mission from their superiors. The book follows the legal process after the war to pursue justice for the executed crew members ( including one who died during internment ) and in a twist of legal and political maneuvering, accuse the Japanese of denying due process while at the same time justifying execution of German prisoners who had landed on American shores who were denied due process. All war is hell, cruel and many times random in its victims. I suggest you read this to complete the rest of the story behind the Doolittle raids.
March 19, 2023
This was a fascinating read. I’d read a book or two on the Doolittle raid and the cruel treatment of prisoners by the Japanese but this gave me a real insight into the aftermath of the war, insights into the Japanese bureaucracy of war and the expatriate communities in Shanghai. After a career as a trial lawyer, I greatly enjoyed the descriptions of how the lawyers approached the task of gathering evidence and witnesses to prosecute and defend those accused of being war criminals and to develop the trial strategies and gather evidence for their respective cases. All this against a back drop of a chaotic post war environment in China and Japan and concerns for post war employment and position by the respective lawyers. The concerns by the military men assigned to defend that by vigorously defending the men that they and everyone at first believed to be torturers and murderers they would be risking their future careers were believable. The insights into the politics and realities of the postwar occupation, including the influence of General McArthur on the process and the mechanics of organizing and conducting an almost unprecedented trial was fascinating. Add to all this insightful profiles of many of the protagonists and a touch of courtship and romance gave me a most satisfying reading experience.
The Shanghai Trials: A Dangerous Mission, a Daring Rescue, and the Trial That Defined the End of World War II by Michel Paradis
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
The Shanghai Trials: A Dangerous Mission, a Daring Rescue, and the Trial That Defined the End of World War II by Michel Paradis
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
May 5, 2021
While I remember reading a bit about the Doolittle Raiders in history classes years ago, I confess I really didn't know the story. In this wonderful book Paradis walks us through the events leading up to the attack, the attack itself, and the following period where the Raiders were held as prisoners and then executed, along with the post-war War Crimes trials. Clearly well researched, this book reveals details about the raid over Tokyo, life in the prison camps, and the post-war trial which ended with controversial sentencing. The book also nicely concludes by sharing how this trial had incredible influence on future cases of war crimes, and American judicial practice in general.
The age-long question of how nations are to respond, post war, to those who during the course of the war were "simply following orders" and "doing what they were ordered to do" will never be fully resolved. But in this book that question is addressed in the war crimes trial in the aftermath of the Doolittle Raiders. Intriguing issues and consideration.
For those who love history, and those who wish to learn from that history, this will be a welcome book and resource. I, personally, learned many things.
The age-long question of how nations are to respond, post war, to those who during the course of the war were "simply following orders" and "doing what they were ordered to do" will never be fully resolved. But in this book that question is addressed in the war crimes trial in the aftermath of the Doolittle Raiders. Intriguing issues and consideration.
For those who love history, and those who wish to learn from that history, this will be a welcome book and resource. I, personally, learned many things.
September 27, 2020
What a book. Tokyo Trials and Nuremberg Trials kind of over shadowed this trial post war era.
I knew about Doolittle Raiders and devastating chaos they brought upon tokyo and other places in japan is unlike any Fire Fury world has ever seen. They did infact bombed places where there were no factories or defense units which was uncalled for but as they say..Every thing is fair in war and that did happen. Book has explained both sides so perfectly. Atrocities Japan performed on the world are unfathomable so this kind of trial against people whom were one of the first group of air fighters who went inside the enemy line and destroyed a lot things which turned the outcome of war.
Book has indepth look at this trial and how doolittle raiders were treated when they were captured by Japanese Imperial Army. It's a book for every WW2 and Post WW2 era historians and fans.
I knew about Doolittle Raiders and devastating chaos they brought upon tokyo and other places in japan is unlike any Fire Fury world has ever seen. They did infact bombed places where there were no factories or defense units which was uncalled for but as they say..Every thing is fair in war and that did happen. Book has explained both sides so perfectly. Atrocities Japan performed on the world are unfathomable so this kind of trial against people whom were one of the first group of air fighters who went inside the enemy line and destroyed a lot things which turned the outcome of war.
Book has indepth look at this trial and how doolittle raiders were treated when they were captured by Japanese Imperial Army. It's a book for every WW2 and Post WW2 era historians and fans.
December 3, 2020
Michel Paradis has done a terrific job of bringing a remarkable story to life. We all know of the Doolittle Raid at the onset of World War II but Paradis tells the story of the American POWS, the two crews that were captured, and their travails through the Japanese and American military courts. It is a story of great courage by the Airmen and the Americans assigned to adjudicate the war crime trials of their Japanese captors. This is not your ordinary account since it raises contemporary issues related to how we now administer military justice. Some great lessons and real profiles in courage by both the Airmen and those responsible for meting out justice. Highly recommend this to both history buffs and to those looking for a provocative read. Five stars. We read this for our book club and it did not disappoint.
November 23, 2020
Misleading title-
My own fault- I should have done some more research before purchasing this book. This is not really a book about the Dolittle Raids (which is what I was looking for) but a careful look into the aftermath of the raids and war crimes trials that occurred after WWII in Japan and China.
Whilst it was not what I was looking for, it is comprehensive and well written. I like how the author presents both sides of the argument and challenges your thinking about war crimes and justice,
At times the events described in this book seemed hypocritical and made me uncomfortable,
I am still looking for a good NF text on the Raids.
My own fault- I should have done some more research before purchasing this book. This is not really a book about the Dolittle Raids (which is what I was looking for) but a careful look into the aftermath of the raids and war crimes trials that occurred after WWII in Japan and China.
Whilst it was not what I was looking for, it is comprehensive and well written. I like how the author presents both sides of the argument and challenges your thinking about war crimes and justice,
At times the events described in this book seemed hypocritical and made me uncomfortable,
I am still looking for a good NF text on the Raids.
October 5, 2020
Excellent read whether you’re a WWII history buff or not...
This book draws you in from the opening paragraph and doesn’t let you go even with the needed lengthy background narratives required for context. I felt that this showed just how the winners can shape history and ignore truths they don’t want to spend the energy to find. Every story has many facets and seeing moral people on the losing side who by hierarchy/rank were unable to stop what an angry nation demanding revenge insisted upon then holding these ppl responsible isn’t justice.
The fog of war lifts and outrage by the victorious demands the same blind injustice. Absolutely must read.
This book draws you in from the opening paragraph and doesn’t let you go even with the needed lengthy background narratives required for context. I felt that this showed just how the winners can shape history and ignore truths they don’t want to spend the energy to find. Every story has many facets and seeing moral people on the losing side who by hierarchy/rank were unable to stop what an angry nation demanding revenge insisted upon then holding these ppl responsible isn’t justice.
The fog of war lifts and outrage by the victorious demands the same blind injustice. Absolutely must read.
September 10, 2020
Riveting tale by a master lawyer of a post WW II event that shaped how war crime trials are held.
March 5, 2021
The author does an amazing job of weaving a relatively unknown legal case study into an intriguing narrative that is easily digestible to the average reader.
February 19, 2022
90 percent àbout trial rather than the mission itself
January 31, 2026
Outstanding, highly recommend. When I was in elementary school, I read 30 seconds over Tokyo and then I saw the movie. This book gives an extra layer of the story. Highly recommend.
December 12, 2020
Michel Paradis exquisitely crafts a gripping account of the Doolittle Raiders' mission to Tokyo and its aftermath, the results of which will change history. We come away feeling we personally know all the characters involved. This true story reads like a novel. Couldn't put it down.
June 29, 2024
Phenomenal historical and legal account behind the Doolittle Raiders lives' and imprisonment during WWII.
Michel unveils exhaustive research in sharing both private testimonials and dozens of diaries from each side of the conflict. Using his keen legal mind, he shares the complexity and nuances of international law and ethical practices, again from both perspectives- the Japanese (Eastern) and the American (Western) ideologies. Understanding these cultural and legal differences brings new understanding of the events that led up to the Japanese surrender.
Fantastic read!
Michel unveils exhaustive research in sharing both private testimonials and dozens of diaries from each side of the conflict. Using his keen legal mind, he shares the complexity and nuances of international law and ethical practices, again from both perspectives- the Japanese (Eastern) and the American (Western) ideologies. Understanding these cultural and legal differences brings new understanding of the events that led up to the Japanese surrender.
Fantastic read!
August 24, 2020
Very well written book that is primarily a legal account. I am always interested in Japanese history and culture. This book shows the Japanese perspective on war-time crimes as well as the American perspective. I read the entire book in three days, which is fast for me. It is a compelling story.
September 28, 2020
I did go back and read the book and have adjusted my review.
Based on the information provided to me by the author I am going to go back and read the entire book. Final review To be determined. DNF. After reading some reviews and the first part of the book, the author calls the now Air Force, The Air Service. It was not. It was the Army Air Corp. Big mistake. It might be a good book but gapping error.
Based on the information provided to me by the author I am going to go back and read the entire book. Final review To be determined. DNF. After reading some reviews and the first part of the book, the author calls the now Air Force, The Air Service. It was not. It was the Army Air Corp. Big mistake. It might be a good book but gapping error.
December 3, 2020
Excellent story and inside info on this historic event.
June 13, 2024
This was a very interesting read!! It took me a while to finish just because of all the information my brain had to process. But for a nonfiction book it was very well written and really put you in the moment of what was happening.
February 8, 2021
I had never heard this story but the author tells it beautifully and makes plain how easily the concepts of justice and morality morph, depending on your point of view
September 13, 2020
The title to this book would lead you to believe that this is a sort of epilogue to the story of the Doolittle raiders. It's not. They are at best bit players walking on and off the stage for their brief moment in the spotlight. Their bravery is verified but their all too human faults are revealed as well.
This book, rather, is a compelling story of a set of complex characters wrestling with their conscience and with the role that the rule of law plays in warfare. Robert E Dwyer, a Harvard trained lawyer, must fly over much of Asia to gather facts and put together a legal theory that will ensure that those who caused the death of some of the Raiders are themselves punished with death. His seat at the prosecution table is not at all assured due to his fiery nature and his addiction to alcohol. His biggest problem may well be determining who of the Japanese may be legally culpable and bringing them in for trial.
Edmund Bodine is a man who never seems satisfied with what he is at present doing. Prior to the war he drifted from job to job. He spends some time in Fordham Law School, leaving before graduation to become an army pilot of light planes. At the end of the war he finds himself in Shanghai, a polyglot, multi-cultural city where the Doolittle trial is to take place. The trial is at best in his peripheral vision as he courts and falls in love with Elizaveta, a beautiful Russian and strives to stay in Shanghai to be with her. When he is offered the job of representing the Japanese soldiers accused of the murders of the Raiders, he takes it as an opportunity to stay on a bit longer in Shanghai. In the course of doing his job he reveals much he did not know about himself and much more about how war is rarely a choice between pure good and pure evil.
This is a satisfying and provocative story for those who are not necessarily history buffs or legal scholars but who do love a good story about human nature and the search for truth.
This book, rather, is a compelling story of a set of complex characters wrestling with their conscience and with the role that the rule of law plays in warfare. Robert E Dwyer, a Harvard trained lawyer, must fly over much of Asia to gather facts and put together a legal theory that will ensure that those who caused the death of some of the Raiders are themselves punished with death. His seat at the prosecution table is not at all assured due to his fiery nature and his addiction to alcohol. His biggest problem may well be determining who of the Japanese may be legally culpable and bringing them in for trial.
Edmund Bodine is a man who never seems satisfied with what he is at present doing. Prior to the war he drifted from job to job. He spends some time in Fordham Law School, leaving before graduation to become an army pilot of light planes. At the end of the war he finds himself in Shanghai, a polyglot, multi-cultural city where the Doolittle trial is to take place. The trial is at best in his peripheral vision as he courts and falls in love with Elizaveta, a beautiful Russian and strives to stay in Shanghai to be with her. When he is offered the job of representing the Japanese soldiers accused of the murders of the Raiders, he takes it as an opportunity to stay on a bit longer in Shanghai. In the course of doing his job he reveals much he did not know about himself and much more about how war is rarely a choice between pure good and pure evil.
This is a satisfying and provocative story for those who are not necessarily history buffs or legal scholars but who do love a good story about human nature and the search for truth.
August 5, 2020
Last Mission to Tokyo: The Extraordinary Story of the Doolittle Raiders and Their Final Fight for Justice is a fascinating and a must read. I highly recommend it. Five stars.
February 12, 2021
Very good read.
I bought this book expecting to get a indepth insight into the Doolittle raid. Which this book covers but only briefly.
The book actually covers more of legal case and bringing the Japanese to justice for the execution of three of the raiders. Which I probably should of known, if I bothered to check.
The subject this book covers is really interesting and I can't think of many books that cover post war Japanese war crimes.
Great book, that's definitely recommend. If you want a book that focuses on the raid, then this isn't that book.
I bought this book expecting to get a indepth insight into the Doolittle raid. Which this book covers but only briefly.
The book actually covers more of legal case and bringing the Japanese to justice for the execution of three of the raiders. Which I probably should of known, if I bothered to check.
The subject this book covers is really interesting and I can't think of many books that cover post war Japanese war crimes.
Great book, that's definitely recommend. If you want a book that focuses on the raid, then this isn't that book.
August 28, 2020
This book was actually a lot better than I thought it was going to be. Brought up on the mystique of the Doolittle Raid, I was familiar with most of the details of the raid, including the fact that eight flyers were captured and three executed (One of my favorite WW II movies is, in fact, THE PURPLE HEART, which figures prominently in the story). As most of the reviews have indicated, this book does not tell the story of the raid itself, save in very broad strokes, but rather the story of the search for "revenge" for the deaths and torture of the eight; a courtroom drama. And so it begins. But as the story unfolds we begin to see that the trial becomes less a search for the truth and more one of payback; someone has to pay and the defendants are as good as any. And as the trial unfolds, this point becomes more apparent as it becomes clear that the real villains are not the ones on trial. And despite the fact that the prosecutors are zealous in their pursuit of executions and the court seems overly pro-prosecution, justice of a sort is obtained. There are no heroes here nor, for that matter, villains (surprisingly enough), save, maybe for the folks who let the real bad guys off the hook. Viewed from the distance of time, one can grasp the point.
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