--- product_id: 44128310 title: "The Japanese Empire: Grand Strategy from the Meiji Restoration to the Pacific War" price: "1734486₫" currency: VND in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.vn/products/44128310-the-japanese-empire-grand-strategy-from-the-meiji-restoration-to store_origin: VN region: Vietnam --- # The Japanese Empire: Grand Strategy from the Meiji Restoration to the Pacific War **Price:** 1734486₫ **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Japanese Empire: Grand Strategy from the Meiji Restoration to the Pacific War - **How much does it cost?** 1734486₫ with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.vn](https://www.desertcart.vn/products/44128310-the-japanese-empire-grand-strategy-from-the-meiji-restoration-to) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description The Japanese Empire: Grand Strategy from the Meiji Restoration to the Pacific War [Paine, S. C. M.] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Japanese Empire: Grand Strategy from the Meiji Restoration to the Pacific War Review: Good overview of the Japanese Empire and the Concept of Grand Strategy. - This book provides an excellent overview of the rise and fall of the Japanese Empire. The author analyzes why Japan, who was successful in two wars (First Sino-Japanese and Russo-Japanese) yet failed miserably in two later conflicts (Second Sino-Japanese and Pacific War against the USA). The picture painted is one of temporary success achieved by a modernizing group of leaders (Meiji Generation) who used all aspects of grand strategy (economic, foreign policy, social and military) to achieve the goal of making Japan not only fit into the arena of the Western dominated global system but also developed their country into a regional player as well. Their success, however, was fleeting as these men failed to institutionalize their new structure and Japan essentially reverted to their old bushido based society as the army, the most organized and effective organization, filled the void left by the Meiji Men. In their early wars, Japan emulated the Prussian model embodied by Otto von Bismarck who skillfully demonstrated what Clausewitz meant when he said war was politics by other means. Japanese leaders in the first two wars carefully crafted their goals and then used warfare (among other things) to bring their vision to fruition, In contrast, the later Japanese leaders (mid 1920’s onward) fell into the same trap as their future allies in Germany by relying solely on an military operational approach to achieve their goals, an approach that doomed them. For example, in the first two wars the Japanese leaders laid the foundation for an exit strategy even before the first shots were fired whereas later they made no effort to prepare for that eventual step of war termination. The author also spends a good deal of time comparing and contrasting continental versus maritime powers. This is useful not only for general knowledge and analyzing military conflicts throughout history, but it also becomes the bedrock of his critical point: Japan’s biggest failure was its attempt to become a continental power when geography clearly indicated their greatest chance of success and power lay in making themselves into a great maritime power. As one might expect this book is one of decision making and grand strategy so you will not find any in depth discussion of campaigns or battles except in how it reflected the strategy that Japan tried to execute that it mistakenly thought was grand strategy when in reality it was operationally based. Along with all this analysis Paine makes insightful observations regarding different aspects of the conflicts involved and helps the reader to see the situation in the same light as those who lived through this tumultuous time.. For examples, in his discussion regarding the US use of atomic bombs he writes “During the war, Americans did not feel angst over the enemy civilian death toll from the air war or even from the atomic bombs. They had lost too many of their own children and wanted a victory that minimized their own children’s deaths. Only from the security of a postwar world, no longer under threat of Imperial Japanese or Nazi German aggression, have subsequent generations criticized the air war.” The parallels he draws between Germany’s war with Russia and the Japanese war with China are also interesting as well. In the end, I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn the basics about the Japanese Empire during this crucial period. The analysis of not only the Japanese decision making but also the principles of grand strategy and the fundamental differences of continental and maritime powers in their pursuit of security richly packs this quite pithy (187 pages) book. Review: A Master Class on Japanese Strategic Thinking and Grand Strategy Writ Large - This is such a good book. Though I lived in Japan for many years, speak the language, and graduated with a Bachelor's in East Asian Studies, it wasn't until I read this book, as part of my studies with the Naval War College, that I really understood the real causes for Japan entering World War II (simply put) and its subsequent defeat. Aside from that, this book has so many rich nuggets that apply to strategy / grand strategy writ large with thinking about international relations / conflict. The writing is so rich, succinct, and polished. One of the most treasured books in my collection. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #84,688 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #42 in Japanese History (Books) #58 in Asian Politics #112 in Military Strategy History (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars (250) | | Dimensions | 6 x 0.51 x 9 inches | | ISBN-10 | 1107676169 | | ISBN-13 | 978-1107676169 | | Item Weight | 11.2 ounces | | Language | English | | Print length | 218 pages | | Publication date | March 6, 2017 | | Publisher | Cambridge University Press | ## Images ![The Japanese Empire: Grand Strategy from the Meiji Restoration to the Pacific War - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71BHNrsOqrL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Good overview of the Japanese Empire and the Concept of Grand Strategy. *by T***E on May 10, 2018* This book provides an excellent overview of the rise and fall of the Japanese Empire. The author analyzes why Japan, who was successful in two wars (First Sino-Japanese and Russo-Japanese) yet failed miserably in two later conflicts (Second Sino-Japanese and Pacific War against the USA). The picture painted is one of temporary success achieved by a modernizing group of leaders (Meiji Generation) who used all aspects of grand strategy (economic, foreign policy, social and military) to achieve the goal of making Japan not only fit into the arena of the Western dominated global system but also developed their country into a regional player as well. Their success, however, was fleeting as these men failed to institutionalize their new structure and Japan essentially reverted to their old bushido based society as the army, the most organized and effective organization, filled the void left by the Meiji Men. In their early wars, Japan emulated the Prussian model embodied by Otto von Bismarck who skillfully demonstrated what Clausewitz meant when he said war was politics by other means. Japanese leaders in the first two wars carefully crafted their goals and then used warfare (among other things) to bring their vision to fruition, In contrast, the later Japanese leaders (mid 1920’s onward) fell into the same trap as their future allies in Germany by relying solely on an military operational approach to achieve their goals, an approach that doomed them. For example, in the first two wars the Japanese leaders laid the foundation for an exit strategy even before the first shots were fired whereas later they made no effort to prepare for that eventual step of war termination. The author also spends a good deal of time comparing and contrasting continental versus maritime powers. This is useful not only for general knowledge and analyzing military conflicts throughout history, but it also becomes the bedrock of his critical point: Japan’s biggest failure was its attempt to become a continental power when geography clearly indicated their greatest chance of success and power lay in making themselves into a great maritime power. As one might expect this book is one of decision making and grand strategy so you will not find any in depth discussion of campaigns or battles except in how it reflected the strategy that Japan tried to execute that it mistakenly thought was grand strategy when in reality it was operationally based. Along with all this analysis Paine makes insightful observations regarding different aspects of the conflicts involved and helps the reader to see the situation in the same light as those who lived through this tumultuous time.. For examples, in his discussion regarding the US use of atomic bombs he writes “During the war, Americans did not feel angst over the enemy civilian death toll from the air war or even from the atomic bombs. They had lost too many of their own children and wanted a victory that minimized their own children’s deaths. Only from the security of a postwar world, no longer under threat of Imperial Japanese or Nazi German aggression, have subsequent generations criticized the air war.” The parallels he draws between Germany’s war with Russia and the Japanese war with China are also interesting as well. In the end, I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn the basics about the Japanese Empire during this crucial period. The analysis of not only the Japanese decision making but also the principles of grand strategy and the fundamental differences of continental and maritime powers in their pursuit of security richly packs this quite pithy (187 pages) book. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Master Class on Japanese Strategic Thinking and Grand Strategy Writ Large *by M***S on March 2, 2026* This is such a good book. Though I lived in Japan for many years, speak the language, and graduated with a Bachelor's in East Asian Studies, it wasn't until I read this book, as part of my studies with the Naval War College, that I really understood the real causes for Japan entering World War II (simply put) and its subsequent defeat. Aside from that, this book has so many rich nuggets that apply to strategy / grand strategy writ large with thinking about international relations / conflict. The writing is so rich, succinct, and polished. One of the most treasured books in my collection. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very specific, though quite good, study on the military policies of Imperial Japan *by R***N on July 13, 2021* The Japanese Empire provides a solid overview for the rise and fall of Imperial Japan in terms of foreign policy, particularly in regard to military policies and choices. If one is seeking a thorough, or in depth history of the Empire, this is not the study to access. Interestingly, this book does provide a succinct analysis of the primary factors driving the overall developments and consequences of Japan's military policies at a high level. It also places the direction of those policy choices into a useful theoretical framework of strategic, tactical, situational, and functional evaluations. I found the study valuable for what it covers and it should serve well either as an overview to introduce a reader to the subject for a broader study of the Japanese Empire as a whole or for even more thorough studies into the for the history of Japanese foreign policy in the period from the Meiji Restoration through World War 2. What it is best for, however, is as a case study in the practical factors that influenced the successes and/or failures of the leadership in Imperial Japan in pursuing its military policies. ## Frequently Bought Together - The Japanese Empire: Grand Strategy from the Meiji Restoration to the Pacific War - The Wars for Asia, 1911–1949 - Nation Building, State Building, and Economic Development: Case Studies and Comparisons --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.vn/products/44128310-the-japanese-empire-grand-strategy-from-the-meiji-restoration-to](https://www.desertcart.vn/products/44128310-the-japanese-empire-grand-strategy-from-the-meiji-restoration-to) --- *Product available on Desertcart Vietnam* *Store origin: VN* *Last updated: 2026-05-22*