I have just finished reading Judgement at Tokyo by Gary J. Bass, and well, this has got to be one of the best books on the Second World War that I have come across. This is not just because it is VERY well written (it is!) but also because it highlights a lesser known aspect of the War - the trial of the Japanese 'war guilty' at Tokyo. Most of us have read about the Nuremberg trials that punished the Nazis, but not much is known of the trials held at Tokyo to bring the Japanese to account, And as Bass takes you through the trials and their background, you realise why - unlike Nuremberg, the cases were not classic black and white or good vs evil here. In the Nuremberg trials, where the Germans and their allies tried to defend themselves by saying they were aware of the evil thye were doing, but were simply following orders. At Tokyo, the Japanese often defended themselves to the very end, and insisted they were opposing the colonialism of the victors.

Judgement at Tokyo brings a surprisingly even perspective to the whole system of 'justice' meted out in the eastern theatre of the Second World War. While there is no attempt made to gloss over Japanese atrocities, the US' own excesses are mentioned too (something many other books fail to do so). There are details and arguments aplenty, and Bass has written brilliantly - the book begins with a very elaborate description of the suicide attempt of Japanese Prime Minister Hideki Tojo, This is one of those books about war and its aftermath that will make you think. One of the most notable characters in the book is Indian judge Radhabinod Pal, who surprised everyone by saying the Japanese were not guilty as the tribunal that judged them was not really legitimate, as it was driven by revenge rather than justice. If you are interested in War, justice or war- get this one!

You can get the book at Amazon here: https://amzn.in/d/38Qjt4x