A literate account of the short-lived but dynamic navy of Japan. Always one of the major drivers of a fragile economy, the navy was an important pillar of Japan's drive to be taken seriously as a world power. Like the army of Prussia, it was more important as a bargaining counter than a actual force. In the face of the USA/U.K. naval alliance, it had little chance to achieve victory. After a fifty year run of considerable success it failed at last. This is a pretty even-handed account. ( )