Tojo: The Rise and Fall of Japan's Most Controversial World War II General

The military general who became Emperor Hirohito's prime minister, Tojo Hideki is most often remembered as an iron-fisted leader who dragged Japan into World War II and-after spectacular losses-was eventually executed as a war criminal. Yet Tojo was far more than his ignominious end. In fact, as Peter Mauch argues, he was one of the twentieth century's most accomplished military statesmen.

Over a career of some forty years, Tojo successfully launched himself into the highest echelons of poli...