Robert Conroy’s “1945”

A Must Read 300This week I’m reviewing a book that was an impulse buy in my latest visit to the book store: Robert Conroy’s 1945. It’s no secret that I love historical fictions (with the added caveat that it is good historical fiction), so when I saw 1945 sitting on the shelf in the “sci-fi” section, I had to wonder why the book was there. At first glance, the novel seems to be a run-of-the-mill war story about the biggest (and most utilized for novels) clash of superpowers in human history. Then you spot the subtitle: What if Japan hadn’t surrendered in World War II? That hypothetical scenario is often debated, so I figured I’d see Robert Conroy’s take on the matter.

1945 follows the Pacific theatre through multiple viewpoints, most interesting of which is that of the Japanese. In Conroy’s universe, the Kyujo Incident actually succeeded (a secret coup by Japanese officers to place the Emperor in house arrest and preempt the surrender of Japan), forcing the United States to drop more atomic bombs and begin a massive invasion of the Japanese islands. 1945 shows just how brutal war an American invasion of Japan would have been, as well as the political instability that follows. Japanese fight Japanese for control of the country, while the first riots begin in America as the war drags into 1946. Conroy goes on to chronicle a conflict that is both horrifically realistic, and disturbingly possible, had a group of Japanese officers been persuaded by extremists.

The most important thing for this novel was objectivity. World War II is often seen as the ultimate struggle of good vs evil, and while there were certainly moments of that to be found, there were countless millions who were swept up in a war they wanted no part of. Conroy had to sell the fact that all fronts of the war were fought by people, and he did so gloriously. There are several chapters of this book that can frankly be hard to read because the absolute carnage is headed by two sides who are simply trying to survive. The characterization throughout the novel is beautifully crafted, and the imagery tastes of grit and iron. The widespread destruction and destabilization we now associate with apocalyptic WWIII scenarios is in many way just a reflection of what WWII could have been, driven by people who feel as if they must carry on the fight, lest their fallen comrades die in vain. The action is brutal, people are utterly real, and 1945 captures the best elements of historical fiction. It may be found in the science fiction section, but Robert Conroy’s 1945 is an all too real glimpse at what history could have been, and is a must read for any fans of military history, historical fiction, or war dramas. Conroy apparently has other novels of similar nature, so I know what I will be on the lookout for when I next go to the book store!

Source: Jake Depew, Assistant Editor