Allies Against the Rising Sun: The United States, the British Nations, and the Defeat of Imperial Japan (Modern War Studies)

By Nicholas Evan Sarantakes
University Press of Kansas, $39.95, 458 pages

The story of World War II in the Pacific has been told through the eyes of the Americans many times, from the bombing at Pearl Harbor to the dropping of the atomic bombs. Still, though, little attention has been given to the role the Allies played in the Pacific during World War II. In Nicholas Sarantakes’ Allies Against the Rising Sun, the author brings to life the story of the Allies against the Japanese, mainly the story of the British involvement, with side stories for Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.  He also discusses how each government made the decision to become involved in the Pacific and what their role would be; the Americans are not as prominently featured in this work, but that is fine because this is the story of the Allies.

The writing is crisp and clear, and Sarantakes does not fall into the trap of anachronism – something many writers fall prey to.  The brief biographies of the major players (especially the Chiefs of Staff and the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia, and New Zealand) are enlightening and bring to life their personalities, helping to explain the differences that rose among them and between the Chiefs of Staff and politicians. This book is a worthy addition to any collection of World War II literature.

Reviewed by Kevin Winter