The Last Mission: The Secret History of World War II's Last Battle (review)

The book investigates how two seemingly unrelated events could have altered the end of World War II. The authors, a B-29 crewman who flew one of the last combat missions over Japan, and a military historian, weave together an interesting story based on personal experience and historical documents. The first event is the attempted coup by elements of the Japanese military to destroy the Emperor's recording of the acceptance of the Allies' surrender terms and to issue orders, under the Emperor's seal, commanding the Japanese military to continue the war. The second is the 14 August 1945, B-29 raid on an oil refinery north of Tokyo. As the planes approached Tokyo en route to their target, a total blackout of the city was ordered that disrupted the rebels' plans.

The narrative moves between the experiences of Jim Smith, a crewman on the Boomerang, a B-29B Superfortress, flying its last, longest mission against Japan and a detailed description of the intrigue surrounding the impending coup d'état in Tokyo. The authors describe the differing views of members of the Japanese government on accepting Allied surrender terms as spelled out in the Potsdam Declaration. These differences led to the coup attempt by members of the army. The story climaxes with the long blackout on August 10, coming after four nights during which there had been no air raids. The premise of the book is that this darkness was foremost in the chain of events that foiled the coup. A final chapter entitled "The Might-Have-Beens" presents a number of scenarios based on a successful coup by the rebel military units.

The extensive endnotes and bibliography indicate thorough research. Over most of the book, the authors maintain a balance between bogging down in detail and keeping the narrative moving. The book is a unique combination of memoir, investigative research, and imagination. This blend makes for an exciting story, although the inclusion of imagined conversations based on historical documentation may give some readers pause.