Richard Aldrich's first anthology of war diaries navigated the reader through the Second World War in Europe by showing the first-hand perspective of ordinary men, women and children, civilians, soldiers and politicians. Now, in this second volume, he completes the picture by illuminating the secrets of the war in the Pacific, giving a vivid picture of the level of global upheaval. Beginning in 1941, THE FARAWAY WAR describes key events in the action in the Far East through the secret diaries kept by those whose lives were affected. They include dramatic first-hand accounts of famous actions such as the American 'shoot-down' of Admiral Yamamoto in revenge for his command of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour, through to the devastating moment when the atomic bomb was dropped upon Hiroshima. This volume of diaries focuses on the Japanese offensives against China, the vicious attacks upon Tokyo, the testing of the atom bomb in New Mexico, the lethal effects of the kamikaze pilots and, of course, the horrific repercussions of the nuclear bombs. Aldrich also sheds light on the ever changing politics of the time: the death of Roosevelt and Truman's succession, Winston Churchill's replacement by Clement Attlee, The Potsdam Conference and, following Japan's eventual surrender, the Tokyo War Crimes Trials. Once again, Aldrich taps into the vast wealth of knowledge imparted by the voices of diarists whose writings, often, have remained unpublished and unnoticed. Now they become the medium by which the Second World War is illuminated giving a polgnant insight, from all sides, into the full extent of a war that ravaged the globe for six successive years. Richard Aldrich's commentary provides a month-by-month historical overview as well as a brief analysis of key events.

Author Biography

Richard J. Aldrich has published extensively on secret service, including INTELLIGENCE AND THE WAR AGAINST JAPAN: BRITAIN, AMERICA AND THE POLITICS OF SECRET SERVICE. A co-editor of the journal INTELLIGENCE AND NATIONAL SECURITY, he is currently director of the Institute of Asia-Pacific studies and Professor of Politics at the University of Nottingham. WITNESS TO WAR, the first volume in the war diary anthologies, was published by Doubleday in October 2004.