From April 1945 when Stalin broke the SovietJapanese Neutrality Pact and Harry Truman assumed the presidency to the final Soviet military actions against Japan Hasegawa brings to light the real reasons Japan surrendered. From Washington to Moscow to Tokyo and back again he shows us a highstakes diplomatic game as Truman and Stalin sought to outmaneuver each other in forcing Japans surrender as Stalin dangled mediation offers to Japan while secretly preparing to fight in the Pacific as Tokyo peace advocates desperately tried to stave off a war party determined to mount a lastditch defense and as the Americans struggled to balance their competing interests of ending the war with Japan and preventing the Soviets from expanding into the Pacific.