Japan's defeat was seen as a relief for some Japanese citizens and difficult to stomach for others. Some individuals were even willing to kill their entire family and commit suicide after learning of Japan's defeat. Japanese citizens, especially in Manchuria, faced hostility from Russians, Koreans, and Americans who arrived and occupied parts of Japan. Japan's defeat brought with it a humiliation for which the country was not prepared. After World War II, the end of imperial rule gave way to a new peaceful era in Japan. The Pacific War was extremely interesting to read and was well written. It covered the Fifteen Years' War in an understandable way and was engaging for the reader. Ienage's main argument in his book was that Imperial Japan was able to cause so much damage in the Pacific theater because of its tight control over civilian life. He provides clear examples of this by examining the control of the media, public schools, and the military. Ienage also does a great job of providing an analytical point of view of Japanese