The book, The Japanese War Machine tells the compelling story of how Japan transitioned over several generations from feudalism as late as 1868 to become by the 1930s the paramount power in East Asia and by 1942 in the first year of war with America, the masters of a maritime empire that stretched from the Russian border to the gates of Australia, and from Burma to Midway.  The drama of Japan's seizure of Manchuria, the take-over of the "State" by the Army, the invasion of China, the simultaneous attack on the Dutch Easy Indies, Hawaii, Malaya and the Philippines is all covered in riveting detail in "The Japanese War Machine".  Unfortunately for Japan, early successes in World War II depended on a Japanese industrial base, which over the long haul, proved to be no match for that of the United States and its Allies.  Even as the fortunes of war started to wane for the Japanese forces in East Asia and the Pacific, their soldiers, following the code of the Bushido, fought-on with fierce tenacity.  As the struggle was brought closer to the "Home Islands" and all seemed to be lost, the Japanese soldiers continued to fight on in the Philippines, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.  In a last desperate gamble on slowing or stopping the relentless American advance, the Japanese Army Air Force introduced "Kamikaze" suicide air attacks on United States and Allied navies.  Eventually, fearing an unprecedented loss of life if American soldiers landed in the Japanese "Home Islands", President Truman made the difficult decision to drop an atomic bomb first on Hiroshima and then day's later, Nagasaki, which ultimately lead to the end of World War II.  The major sections of "The Japanese War Machine" are as follows: 1) The Rising Sun; 2) The Army and the State; 3) Weapons of the Japanese Army; 4) The Imperial Japanese Navy; 5) The Road to Pearl Harbor; 6) Japanese Air Power; 7) Masters of the Pacific; 8) The Long Retreat; 9) Kamikaze; 10) China-Burma-India; 11) Behind Barbed Wire; 12) Nuclear Holocaust and 13) Index and Acknowledgements.  In addition to an informative narrative, "The Japanese War Machine" includes the following features: 1) Approximately 398 black and white photographs; 2) About 22 color photographs; 3) Approximately 24 black and white illustrations; 4) About 21 color illustrations; 5) 25 maps and 6) 1 two-page black and white illustration titled "Japanese Aircraft".  This book is 255 pages and is in good condition with several tears on the dust jacket.  The editor is S.L. Mayer.  Edition published in 1976.