You Can't Fight Tanks with Bayonets - (Studies in War, Society, and the Military) by Allison B Gilmore (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A startling omission from the extensive literature on the Pacific events of World War II is an analysis of Allied psychological operations. Allison B. Gilmore makes a strong case for the importance of psychological warfare in this theater, countering the usual view of fanatical resistance by Japanese units. Gilmore marshals evidence that Japanese military indoctrination did not produce soldiers who were invulnerable to demoralization and the survival instinct.

Review Quotes

"A fresh look at a little known aspect of the Pacific War that will benefit any reader interested in the Japanese army or psychological warfare."--Military History of the West

"Gilmore unravels the complex structure and missions of the Allied entities involved in psywar operations. . . . Convincing."--Journal of Military History

"Ironically, while Hollywood films and popular American stereotypes that persist to the present portray the Japanese soldiers as fanatics who would never surrender, the U.S. military . . . took a more realistic view and engaged in a sustained campaign to undermine the morale of the Japanese army. . . . This book helps fill a historiographic gap by studying how propaganda and psychological warfare were planned, implemented, and evaluated."--Choice

About the Author

Allison B. Gilmore is an associate professor of history at The Ohio State University at Lima.