Great book. Short and to the point - doesn't get bogged down with what we should be doing, or technical whatnot, or confusing war tactics. He makes points that make sense and are both disturbing and inspiring. This book reminded me of a Malcolm Gladwell book, in the sense that you read it and you're like 'OMG - everyone needs to read this and the world will change for the better!' but you can't make everyone read it. Sigh. But I wish they would! ( )

Wilson's five myths are all five just that, but his discussions vary in quality. The critical chapter is the one on the actual impact of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki; Wilson cites contemporary Japanese sources from the inner circle and offers not a judgement on the decision to use the atom bomb but on the conventional wisdom that holds that bombing the two cities effectively ended Japanese resistance to surrender. Wilson offers, more plausibly, the entry of the Soviet Union in August 1945 as the immediate cause of Japan's surrender. But don't take my word for this, read the book and check Wilson's research. ( )