The view of the Imperial Japanese army has always been a bit skewed in the US, driven by the interaction in the second world war. A group of fanatically loyal, brutal and suicidal warriors is the current vision most folks have of the Imperial Army. Edward J Drea though has written an excellent book detailing how through a concerted effort at all levels of government, the Japanese Army leadership was able to craft a force that was distinctly loyal.
The book is very well written, tracing the origins of the Imperial army to the Boshin war and the long lasting effects of the Choshu leadership stemming form that. Its a thorough book, using diaries, news articles, and other primary sources to fill in all of the details of the various re-organizations the army endured in its first 20 years. Drea traces the armies movement to embed itself inside Japanese society at every level, based on a deep duty to the Emperor. It also sought to separate itself from civilian leadership and keep a direct line to the Emperor, to make sure it could not be touched by political parties and changes in leadership. He documents the long road the army took and the constant internal strife as to what direction the army should take. For instance, in its found the army was divided on whether to follow French military doctrine or align itself with a more Prussian style set up. He also recounts the first two wars the Imperial army fought, against China and Russia respectively and how the differing choices of leadership affected the army performance. Constant throughout are the themes of sacrifice and Imperial duty. The book holds nothing back, detailing field commanders distinct lack of concern for high casualty counts (the Human Bullets) despite the trouble it caused back in Japan for Army leadership. It also shows the constant friction between the Army and the Navy, and the lack of control that was able to be brought upon both services in creating a unifying National strategy.
The book is well written, with an ability to keep from becoming a slog at any point despite the vast amount of facts and figures presented. Only in a few instances did I think the author should have reorganized chapters to better illustrate a theme. The book does keep its focus on the Army's leadership issues and challenges, rather than any true tactical issues encountered in any of the Army's conflicts. Specific issues are discussed (the taking of Port Arthur, defense along the Mongolian-Soviet border) to help illustrate some force structure decisions, but if you're looking for tactical discussions this is not it.
Overall I really enjoyed the book, and would recommend it to anyone looking to gain further insight into the Imperial Army.
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