Peattie's] remarkably readable narrative goes far beyond military and diplomatic history. --Choice

Peattie's comprehensive and fascinating book adds greatly to our knowledge of colonial governments in general, the Japanese empire in particular, and the global significance of the Pacific Islands. --The Contemporary PacificThe significance of this book by Peattie, a lifelong scholar of the Japanese empire, is that it brings Japan's 30-year imperial adventure in the Pacific out of the shadows at last. While indispensable for those who have a special interest in the vast part of Micronedia that Japan ruled, the author's contribution has an importance for others as well. It offers a carefully researched and penetrating look into the heart and soul of one of the very few non-Western colonial powers in the Pacific. --Francis Hezel, Journal of Pacific History