1945
A Novel
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4.1 • 54 Ratings
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- $4.99
Publisher Description
America has dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
But Japan has only begun to fight. . . .
In 1945, history has reached a turning point. A terrible new weapon has been unleashed. Japan has no choice but to surrender. But instead, the unthinkable occurs. With their nation burned and shattered, Japanese fanatics set in motion a horrifying endgame–their aim: to take America down with them.
In Robert Conroy’s brilliantly imagined epic tale of World War II, Emperor Hirohito’s capitulation is hijacked by extremists and a weary United States is forced to invade Japan as a last step in a war that has already cost so many lives. As the Japanese lash out with tactics that no one has ever faced before–from POWs used as human shields to a rain of kamikaze attacks that take out the highest-value target in the Pacific command–the invasion’s success is suddenly in doubt. As America’s streets erupt in rioting, history will turn on the acts of a few key players from the fiery front lines to the halls of Washington to the shadowy realm of espionage, while a mortally wounded enemy becomes the greatest danger of all.
Praise for Robert Conroy’s 1901
“Likely to please both military history and alternative history buffs . . . The writing . . . keeps us turning the pages.”
–Booklist
“Fascinating . . . skillfully crafted.”
–Oakland Press
“Packed with action.”
–Detroit News
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Most of us know that World War II came to an end when the Japanese forces surrendered to the Allies after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki—but what if they hadn’t? Robert Conroy’s engrossing alternate history imagines the terrifying events that might have taken place if, rather than August 1945’s unconditional surrender, a military coup rose up in Japan instead. The novel follows along as Japan’s leaders vow to continue the war at all costs, even if they have to self-destruct to take down the U.S. Conroy peppers the story with little-known military intelligence and real historical figures, painting a vivid picture of all sides of this fictional history. 1945 is a great read for history buffs and military thriller fans.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
At the start of Conroy's compelling third alternate history (after 1901 and 1862), military extremists, honor bound by the Japanese code of Bushido, kidnap Emperor Hirohito hours before he's set to announce his country's formal surrender in the aftermath of the atom bomb attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Led by aging samurai and fanatical army general Korechika Anami, the new regime manipulates President Truman into invading the Japanese home islands. The massive offensive (with ground forces led by Gen. Douglas MacArthur) meets stiff resistance, including kamikaze attacks and the use of POWs as human shields. But as the U.S. finds itself slowly sinking into a nightmarish military quagmire, two improbable heroes chart a path to victory. Conroy explores the carnage of war through numerous viewpoints (a na ve American soldier, an escaped POW, a Japanese-American operative, the deposed emperor, etc.) with moving and thought-provoking results. For another take on the same scenario, see Douglas Niles and Michael Dobson's MacArthur's War: A Novel of the Invasion of Japan (Reviews, Mar. 26).
Customer Reviews
1945...the year that wasn’t but could have been
Amazing book. So full of logical, realistic events. Demonstrates realistically that we were fortunate the use of nuclear weapons in Japan had the sorrowful and desired effect of ending the war. If an evil and maniacal internal Japanese coup had succeeded and spawned a leader who would have preferred to see total destruction of Japan over any surrender the outcome could have been tragically different for both the U S and Japan in terms of war casualties.
Conroy tells a tale of suspense, action and intrigue that holds you spellbound to the end. The characters are a mix of fiction and real persons, all believable, all behaving in totally realistic ways. The battle descriptions are incredibly
realistic, without dwelling at length on the gruesome outcomes. Highly recommend the reading of this book as I feel I have much more insight into what really happened as well as what could have happened.
Stupid
I have read/listen to several of Conroy’s, and this one is stupid. I will agree that “Alternate History” has to take a divergence point, and therefore future events are either conventional “what if debates”, or “pet project beliefs” of the author, however every major plot twist in this novel is in nonsense. Too many of the “plot twists” are fillers, like a convenient storm, or a guy falling off a bike and his head heading a conveniently place stone, or a ship just conveniently having it’s sonar & radio broken. Had I not bought the audio version, a paperback version would have come to the rescue during the “Great toilet paper shortage of 2020”. Stupid!