Japanese Infantryman 193745: Sword of the Empire
By (Author) Gordon L. Rottman
Illustrated by Michael Welply
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Osprey Publishing
3rd August 2005
United Kingdom
General
Non Fiction
Second World War
Modern warfare
Land forces and warfare
940.541352
Paperback
64
Width 184mm, Height 248mm, Spine 7mm
252g
This book examines in detail the Japanese Infantryman who was, despite comparisons with the notorious German Waffen SS, an enigma to Westerners. Brutal in its treatment of prisoners as well as the inhabitants of the areas that it conquered, the Imperial Japanese Army also had exacting standards for its own men - strict codes of honor compelled Japanese soldiers to fight to the death against the more technologically advanced Allies. Identifying the ways in which the Japanese soldier differed from his Western counterpart, the author explores concepts such as Bushido, Seppuku, Shiki and Hakko Ichi-u in order to understand what motivated Japanese warriors.
Gordon L Rottman entered the US Army in 1967, volunteered for Special Forces and completed training as a weapons specialist. He was assigned to the 7th Special Forces Group until reassigned to the 5th Special Forces Group in Vietnam in 196970. A highly respected and established author, Gordon is now a civilian contract Special Operations Forces Intelligence Specialist at the Army's Joint Readiness Center, Ft Polk. He lives in Cypress, Texas. Michael Welply studied art first in Winnipeg and then in Paris. He began his illustrating career in 1977 and has worked for many publishers in Europe and the United States. He has illustrated over 50 books, ranging from historical work to fantasy and fairy tales. He currently lives in France.