A history of World War II in the Pacific Ocean contends that the conflict was not in the best interest of either side, discussing key military figures, America's ill-preparedness for the war, and Japan's knowledge that they could not win.

Prelude: A Cherry Blossom Funeral3 -- I A Distinguished Visitor 6 -- II World in Flux 31 -- III "Spreading Imperial Virtue" 44 -- IV "The Eight Corners of the World" 65 -- V Unlimited National Emergency 82 -- VI "We Cannot Speculate with the Security of This Country" 100 -- VII General Quarters! 119 -- VIII Two Admirals 148 -- IX ... and a General 173 -- X Philippines: "A Limit to Human Endurance" 199 -- XI First Washington Conference 248 -- XII Yamamoto's Great Offensive: Coral Sea and Midway 262 -- XIII Australia--New Guinea 299 -- XIV "Sock 'Em in the Solomons" 311 -- XV Guadalcanal 327 -- XVI Operation KA 347 -- XVII Open Slot 363 -- XVIII "A Goddam Mess" 383 -- XIX "Friday the Bloody Thirteenth" 405 -- XX A Troubled Hirohito 435. Chapter 1: A distinguished visitor -- Chapter 2: The world in flux -- Chapter 3: Spreading imperial virtue -- Chapter 4: The eight corners of the world -- Chapter 5: Unlimited national emergency -- Chapter 6: We cannot speculate with the security of this country -- Chapter 7: General quarters! -- Chapter 8: Two admirals -- Chapter 9: ... and a General -- Chapter 10: The Philippines: "A limit to human endurance" -- Chapter 11: First Washington Conference -- Chapter 12: Yamamoto's great offensive: coral sea and midway -- Chapter 13: Australia-New Guinea -- Chapter 14: "Sock 'em in the solomons" -- Chapter 15: Guadalcanal -- Chapter 16: Operation KA -- Chapter 17: The open slot -- Chapter 18: "A goddam mess" -- Chapter 19: "Friday the bloody thirteenth" -- Chapter 20: A troubled Hirohito.