1947–
An archival military historian of the Pacific War
Frank argued the atomic bombs moved the emperor and set the surrender in motion, while Soviet intervention is 'the factor that weighs heavily on enforcing compliance with the surrender' of Japan's armed forces.
Richard B. Frank is an American lawyer and military historian of the Pacific War in World War II. His work follows operations, policy, and the decisions of Japanese leaders from Guadalcanal to the end of the Japanese Empire. Downfall is especially important for its analysis of Japan’s surrender as a contested outcome shaped by military collapse, the atomic bombings, and the Soviet entry into the war.
Activities and affiliations
Career Timeline
- 1969Graduated from the University of Missouri
- 1969–1973Served in the U.S. Army, including Vietnam service as a platoon leader in the 101st Airborne Division
- 1976Graduated from Georgetown University Law Center
- 1990Published Guadalcanal, recipient of the U.S. Marine Corps General Wallace M. Greene Award
- 1999Published Downfall: The End of the Imperial Japanese Empire
- 2007Published MacArthur
- 2020Published Tower of Skulls, the first volume of a history of the Asia-Pacific War
Related historical events
- 1941–1945The Pacific WarHistorian of the Pacific WarHe studied the Pacific War’s operations and policy.
- 1945.08The Soviet Entry into the War against Japanleading scholar of cumulative military collapseFrank emphasized Japanese leadership decisions and the atomic bombings, challenging Hasegawa's interpretation of the Soviet entry as decisive.
From Guadalcanal to the End of the Japanese Empire
Frank’s writing on the operational history of the Pacific War follows several phases of the conflict. Guadalcanal: The Definitive Account of the Landmark Battle (1990), a study of the Guadalcanal campaign, received the U.S. Marine Corps’ General Wallace M. Greene Award. Downfall: The End of the Imperial Japanese Empire (1999) treated the end of the Japanese Empire, while Tower of Skulls: A History of the Asia-Pacific War, July 1937–May 1942 (2020) covered an earlier phase of the Asia-Pacific War. Together these books address a major battle, the war’s conclusion, and its opening period.