eri hotta: right. the fact that the decision-making responsibility , was shared between civilians and the military is hard to sort of imagine. because people just take it for granted that the military took over. but it was not the the case. because the leaders actually met over 70 times in the one year up to the pacific war and discussed the alternatives and different steps to be taken, and those conferences were called liaison conferences. and that was not for anything that was called because it was function was to civilian and military strategies and policies and create sort of a unified voice. so civilian politicians can't really say they didn't really have any say. because they did have equal say in those conferences. ian buruma: so they got along with it even though they had a great misgiving. eri hotta: they gradually diluted themselves into thinking, we can say this much, but then some kind of diplomatic breakthrough will happen, and it will sort of nullified all of the militaristic steps they w

let's begin with eri hotta. her book is called "japan, 1941" and came out just a couple years ago and he is also taught at oxford university in the past. born in tokyo. craig nilsson -- i'm sorry, steve twomey next. his book is called "countdown to pearl harbor, the 12 days to the attack." he won a pulitzer prize for feature writing at the philadelphia inquirer and then worked to "washington post" for many years and has taught at new york university and city university of new york. and finally, craig nelson, his most recent back is called "pearl harbor from infamy to greatness." a former vice president and executive editor of harper and rowe, high peeran and random house. some of his other books include rocket men ex-epic story of the first men on the moon and author of the first heroes. the extraordinary story of the doolittle raid. >> guest: -- >> guest: -- would who superior of the major players heading up to pearl harbor. >> guest: it's eye ron yankee you ask the question because i thought that all the japan

[laughter] >> host: eri hotta, what about that gentleman's call?uest: the terminology, there's a lot in a maim and how one choose to -- a name is and how one choose to call a certain war, i think, reveals a lot about your political affiliation. pacific war or asia-pacific war is generally used in japan by both right and left. i think it's a value-neutral, very sort of uncontestable term because, of course, war happened in that theater. i think extreme righters still prefer to call it greater east asian war because they claim that japan liberated all the colonial parts of southeast asia and china as well. i don't know how they extend the argument that way. [laughter] nor why. leftists, on the extreme left i think some people prefer to call it 15 years' war because they see the beginning of the war as 1931 when japan, japanese field army invaded parts of northeast asia. northeast china, excuse me. so i think there's a lot in the name, but i think many more just prefer to call it the value-free, neutral way of asia-pacific war. the second question, i

error eri hotta, heir book is called "japan, 1941". she was barn in tokyo. le steve twomey, ex-book upped called "countdown to pearl harbor." he worked at the "washington post" for many years. and has taught at new york university in the city university of nick, and craig nelson, his become is called "pearl harbor from infamy to --" he also rote rocket men, the first men of the moon, and all authorize of the first heroes, the extraordinary story of the doolittle raid. eri, who were the major players in japan leading up to pearl harbor. >> there's a half and it's quite -- it's a handful. i it's ironic you asked the question because i thought all the japanese counterpart countries like germany, italy, or mrs., the uk, they have famous figures, key statesmen. i think the problem with japan was that they really didn't have effective leaders. they had a handful of fairly ineffective leaders who, by the sheer force of their weak personalities, remained in power. and i think the utmost example is hirohito. >> host: emperor. >> he basically -- outside of the real de

let's begin with eri hotta. her book is called "japan, 1941" and came out just a couple years ago and he is also taught at oxford university in the past. born in tokyo. craig nilsson -- i'm sorry, steve twomey next. his book is called "countdown to pearl harbor, the 12 days to the attack." he won a pulitzer prize for feature writing at the philadelphia inquirer and then worked to "washington post" for many years and has taught at new york university and city university of new york. and finally, craig nelson, his most recent back is called "pearl harbor from infamy to greatness." a former vice president and executive editor of harper and rowe, high peeran and random house. some of his other books include rocket men ex-epic story of the first men on the moon and author of the first heroes. the extraordinary story of the doolittle raid. >> guest: -- >> guest: -- would who superior of the major players heading up to pearl harbor. >> guest: it's eye ron yankee you ask the question because i thought that all the japan

sien: let's start with eri hotta. w many japanese governments were there, what was going on in a general sense? right before 1941. she was not sure if that change of governments was happening in china or japan. ms. hotta: japan. i was talking about japan. changing hands. -- the main character in all of it until october of 1941. tojo is asked to step in to reverse the momentum for war. palace'sthe imperial decision to get the hardliners at chance to reverse it, because i guess hawks can do a better hawks.taining the the prime minister stayed in power from the middle of -- the october.942 up until hissien: you say because of lack of leadership. craig nelson, if that uncle wanted to find her relative bill banks? there are two ways to look them up, one is through naval history and command, and the other is through archives.g ov. is service record through one of those. and you can also use google. that would be another way to go. mr. sien: we have awakened a sleeping giant and instilled in him a terrible resolve. admiral ya

eri hotta. nelson. donald stratton. your questions and comments live from noon to 3:00 p.m. eastern. thursday, the president-elect and the vice president-elect spoke in cincinnati as part of their thank you tour in states that helped elect them. during the speech, the president-elect named retired marine general james mattis to be the next secretary of defense. [cheers and applause] mr. pence: hello, ohio. i'm mike pence. because of your hard work, your support, and your prayers i am deeply humbled to say that 50 days from today with my family at my side will i take the oath of office to serve as vice president of the united states of america. [cheers and applause] mr. pence: i'm here tonight to say thank you. i'm here tonight to say thank you for electing a president who will make america great again. [cheers and applause] so thank you to the people of ohio, the people of kentucky and i'll bet there's a few hoosiers in the room. thank you for doing your part to make donald trump the next president of the united states of america. he did it, and we have you to thank. before

eri hotta.raig nelson with his book "pearl harbor from infamy to greatness" followed by an interview with donald stratton, pearl harbor survivor and a co-author of "all the gallant men." we're taking your phone calls, tweets and e-mail questions live from noon to 3:00 p.m. eastern. go to booktv.org for the complete weekend schedule. >>> tonight on c-span3, the head of the washington, d.c., area transit system talks about how they are addressing maintenance and safety problems. then prime minister's questions from the british house of commons. and later, a discussion about u.s. global leadership and military alliances. >>> the head of the washington metro area transit facility spoke at the national press club today. he talked about how the troubled agency is working on a maintenance backlog and addressing safety issues. this is 50 minutes.

. >> the authors we have been talking to, eri hotta, her book is "', 1941." steve tommy, countdown to pearl harbor, and craig nelson, pale hash lower is the name of the book, thank you for being . . . . our deep gratitude for the difference that you've made in your decades in public service. the greatest honor of my life is to serve in the seat that you held for 36 years, and not just literally this seat in the senate but also a seat on the 7:15 amtrak train down from wilmington every morning. you logged over two million miles on amtrak and millions more traveling around the world fighting for our country, and as long as i have the privilege of representing our state in the senate, i'll be humbled by the challenge of living up to your legacy, of fighting for and making a real difference for the people of our shared home. like so many americans, i've long been inspired by your loyalty to your family, and i'm so glad to see so many familiar faces in the gallery today. this job requires a strong partner and a teammate, and to dr. bidden, to jill, your unwavering

. >> the authors we have been talking to, eri hotta, her book is "', 1941." steve tommy, countdown to pearl harbor, and craig nelson, pale hash lower is the name of the book, thank you for being on

. >> host: eri hotta, you were shaking, nodding your head listening to him. was it interpreted correctly? >> guest: i couldn't hear the japanese clearly -- >> host: oh, you couldn't. >> guest: what he seemed to have said made sense, that he was doing the best, he was doing the best that he could do in the job that he was given, and there was no sort of -- it's almost like being a good student and demonstrating your skills and diligence. and i think that was probably how they survived this war, because so many things didn't make sense, and so many things seemed meaningless to lose your life for. so i think you just needed to concentrate on the job in front of you. >> host: craig nelson, was there a lot of vengeance in later battles in this war? >> guest: well, you take this incredible moment that happened, and the navy just responded with a fury. and the first thing they did was, i think, the really unexamined heroes of pearl harbor which was the salvage crews. they were able to resuscitate that entire operation, 96 ships were in the harbor. they brought back

depth program, a discussion of the 1941 attack on pearl harbor, with steve well toy, eri hotta and craig nelson. december 7th is the 75th 75th anniversary of the japanese attack on u.s. soil that left over 2,000 dead, 1,000 wounded and crip 8ed the united states navy. this is "in depth" on booktv. >> december 7, not 41, a day of infamy. a japans diplomas were -- japanese planes were swooping down or pearl harbor. they dropped bombs on naval bases, civilian homes and schools. submarines took part in the attack. in an our the battleship arizona was destroyed.