"[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 Pacific "The 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