What will I learn about: how the samurai code of Bushido drove Japanese soldiers to fight to the death, turning brief skirmishes into grueling, blood-soaked campaigns like the Battle of Peleliu?

Understand how the samurai code of Bushido drove Japanese soldiers to fight to the death, turning brief skirmishes into grueling, blood-soaked campaigns like the Battle of Peleliu.

What will I learn about: the fanatical imperial ideology that motivated Japanese forces to commit horrifying war crimes against soldiers and civilians in cities like Shanghai and Nanking?

Discover the fanatical imperial ideology that motivated Japanese forces to commit horrifying war crimes against soldiers and civilians in cities like Shanghai and Nanking.

What will I learn about: Learn how relentless Japanese resilience forced US General Curtis LeMay to escalate tactics to a devastating campaign of mass aerial firebombing across major Japanese cities?

Learn how relentless Japanese resilience forced US General Curtis LeMay to escalate tactics to a devastating campaign of mass aerial firebombing across major Japanese cities.

What will I learn about: Trace the critical transition of power to President Harry S. Truman, who inherited the immense responsibility of ending the Pacific War using the newly developed atomic bomb?

Trace the critical transition of power to President Harry S. Truman, who inherited the immense responsibility of ending the Pacific War using the newly developed atomic bomb.

What will I learn about: Realize how staggering US casualties in late-stage battles like Okinawa proved that Japan would never surrender conventionally, setting the inevitable stage for the atomic bombings?

Realize how staggering US casualties in late-stage battles like Okinawa proved that Japan would never surrender conventionally, setting the inevitable stage for the atomic bombings.

Killing the Rising Sun

How America Vanquished World War II Japan

Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard

★ 4.3 / 5(83 ratings)

Start ListeningDownload QR code that opens AudiobookHub on the App Store

Try free on iPhoneScan to start in 5 seconds

Categories:

History

If You're Curious About These Questions...

You should listen to this audiobook

💡Did you know about the harrowing, top-secret deliberations that led to the world’s first atomic strike and the controversial decision that changed modern warfare forever?
💡Have you ever wondered how the American military survived the unimaginable brutality of the Pacific theater and what it truly took to conquer the seemingly invincible Japanese Empire?
💡Are you curious about the untold stories of the scientists, soldiers, and world leaders who raced against time to end the bloodiest conflict in human history?

Listen to Killing the Rising Sun — Free Audiobook

Loading player...

Key Takeaways from Killing the Rising Sun

✓Understand how the samurai code of Bushido drove Japanese soldiers to fight to the death, turning brief skirmishes into grueling, blood-soaked campaigns like the Battle of Peleliu.
✓Discover the fanatical imperial ideology that motivated Japanese forces to commit horrifying war crimes against soldiers and civilians in cities like Shanghai and Nanking.
✓Learn how relentless Japanese resilience forced US General Curtis LeMay to escalate tactics to a devastating campaign of mass aerial firebombing across major Japanese cities.
✓Trace the critical transition of power to President Harry S. Truman, who inherited the immense responsibility of ending the Pacific War using the newly developed atomic bomb.
✓Realize how staggering US casualties in late-stage battles like Okinawa proved that Japan would never surrender conventionally, setting the inevitable stage for the atomic bombings.

Learning Tools

Reinforce what you learned from Killing the Rising Sun

Mind Map

Killing the Rising Sun

Road to the Pacific War+

Brutality and War Crimes+

American Escalation+

The Atomic Bombings+

The Surrender+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8

What core beliefs motivated the Japanese Imperial Army to fight fiercely and refuse surrender?

A. They believed surrender was an appalling dishonor and sought to unite Asia under Emperor Hirohito.
B. They were defending their homeland from an immediate and unprovoked Soviet invasion.
C. They relied on highly advanced technological weapons that they believed made them invincible.
D. They were instructed to fight until reinforcements arrived from their Nazi German allies.

Question 2 of 8

What strategic shift did US Air Force General Curtis LeMay initiate in March 1945 to try and crush the will of the Japanese?

A. He implemented a strict naval blockade to cut off all food supplies to the Japanese mainland.
B. He began a campaign of mass aerial bombardment using napalm on major cities like Tokyo.
C. He ordered the immediate deployment of the newly developed atomic bomb on military bases.
D. He shifted focus entirely to ground invasions aimed at capturing the Emperor.

Question 3 of 8

How did President Harry S. Truman initially view the atomic bomb after the successful 'Trinity' test?

A. He viewed it as a diplomatic tool to intimidate the Soviet Union rather than a usable weapon.
B. He saw it as a weapon too dangerous for human use and sought to ban it internationally.
C. He considered it to be just another conventional weapon of war, albeit far more powerful.
D. He believed it would only be useful if deployed simultaneously across multiple Japanese cities.

Question 4 of 8

Why was the city of Hiroshima chosen as the first target for the atomic bomb?

A. It was the capital city and housed the Emperor's royal palace.
B. It was the only Japanese city that had refused to evacuate its civilian population.
C. It housed a large number of soldiers and served as one of Japan's largest military supply depots.
D. It was the primary launch site for Japanese kamikaze attacks against the US Navy.

Question 5 of 8

What major geopolitical event occurred on August 9, 1945, the same day the United States dropped the second atomic bomb on Nagasaki?

A. Nazi Germany officially surrendered to the Allied forces in Europe.
B. The Soviet Union violated its nonaggression pact with Japan and invaded Manchuria.
C. The United Nations was officially formed during the Potsdam Conference.
D. Emperor Hirohito publicly announced his willingness to step down from the throne.

Question 6 of 8

What was the one major condition Japan included in its August 10 letter of surrender to the United States?

A. That Japanese generals would not face war crime tribunals.
B. That the United States would provide financial aid to rebuild their destroyed cities.
C. That Emperor Hirohito would be allowed to remain in power.
D. That the Soviet Union would immediately withdraw its troops from Manchuria.

Question 7 of 8

What was the post-war fate of Emperor Hirohito and General Hideki Tojo?

A. Both were sentenced to death at the war crime tribunals.
B. Both were granted full immunity and helped lead the peaceful rebuilding of Japan.
C. Tojo was sentenced to death, while Hirohito was not tried and became an important figure in rebuilding Japan.
D. Hirohito was sentenced to death, while Tojo escaped prosecution by fleeing to the Soviet Union.

Question 8 of 8

What was the strategic significance of 'A-Day' led by General Douglas MacArthur in October 1944?

A. It was the invasion of the Philippines, which was deemed a necessary stepping stone for successfully invading Japan.
B. It was the day the United States successfully tested the first atomic bomb in the New Mexico desert.
C. It marked the surprise attack by the Japanese military on the American naval fleet at Pearl Harbor.
D. It was the codename for the final, brutal ground assault on the Japanese island of Okinawa.

Killing the Rising Sun — Full Chapter Overview

1Recommendation
21 — Near the end of World War II, Japanese soldiers were still fighting fiercely against American forces.
32 — During the war, Japanese forces committed brutal crimes, and Japan refused to surrender despite heavy US bombardment.
43 — The United States secretly built the first atomic bomb while marines fought bloody battles across the Pacific.
54 — The United States successfully tested the atomic bomb, then sent it across the Pacific toward Japan.
65 — The bombing of Hiroshima brought immense destruction and suffering.
76 — The Japanese Imperial Army was clearly defeated, yet the United States dropped a second atomic bomb on Japan.
87 — After continued resistance, Japan finally surrendered on August 15, 1945, ending years of war.
98 — Final summary

Killing the Rising Sun Summary & Overview

Killing the Rising Sun (2016) tells the story of the Pacific War, which took place between 1941 and 1945, and its main belligerents, the United States and Japan. From the attack on Pearl Harbor to bloody invasions of Japan to the development of the world’s first atomic bomb, the book portrays the brutality of World War II from a US perspective, and describes how the war was eventually won.

Who Should Listen to Killing the Rising Sun?

Fans of world history and politics
Military enthusiasts
Anyone obsessed with or fascinated by the story of World War II

About the Author: Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard

Bill O’Reilly is a journalist and television personality best known for his conservative political commentary show, The O’Reilly Factor, broadcast on Fox News. He is also the author of numerous books, including Killing Kennedy, Killing Reagan and Killing Jesus.

Martin Dugard is an American author and journalist. His books include The Last Voyage of Columbus, Killing Kennedy, Killing Reagan and Killing Jesus.

Killing the Rising Sun

If You're Curious About These Questions...

Listen to Killing the Rising Sun — Free Audiobook

Key Takeaways from Killing the Rising Sun

Learning Tools

Mind Map

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Killing the Rising Sun — Full Chapter Overview

Killing the Rising Sun Summary & Overview

Who Should Listen to Killing the Rising Sun?

About the Author: Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard

Books Similar to Killing the Rising Sun