John Dong’s hefty second volume of Sunstruck Giant, The Sino-Japanese War of 1894–1895 is a confident, clear-eyed continuation that picks up exactly where the first left off—immersing the reader in the closing stages of the First Sino-Japanese War with the same calm authority, sharp detail, and unshowy narrative control that made volume 1 such a pleasant surprise.
Where the first volume established the foundations such as structures, doctrines, and the contrasting cultures of two late-nineteenth-century militaries, the second moves decisively into the meat of the campaign. Dong analyses the war’s later operations with an admirable balance: he neither romanticises nor ridicules either side, and instead opts for a measured assessment grounded firmly in contemporary sources. It feels refreshingly even-handed.
The real strength of this volume is how Dong explains both success and failure without resorting to simple caricatures. Japanese efficiency is not portrayed as an inevitability, nor is Qing collapse treated as pre-ordained. Instead, Dong takes the reader through the unravelling of systems—logistics under strain, command structures buckling, political interference compounding battlefield weaknesses. His analysis of decision-making at the operational level is one of the book’s real highlights.
As in the first volume, the battles are described cleanly and without clutter. There is enough tactical detail to give the wargamer or military historian something to chew on, but never so much that the wider picture becomes obscured. The final chapters, dealing with the campaign’s aftermath and the broader consequences for East Asia, are particularly effective—crisp, confident, and never slipping into textbook detachment.
Production-wise, Helion continue to play to their strengths. The maps are clear, the colour plates are as one would expect, being vividly colourful and full of action. The black and white illustrations are numerous and well chosen, and the overall presentation supports rather than overwhelms the narrative.
In short, this volume is a worthy continuation of what the first started: a thoughtful, well-constructed, and highly readable account of a war that deserves far more attention than it has traditionally received. Dong closes out his study with assurance and insight, making this pair of volumes an easy recommendation for anyone interested in late-Qing military history, Meiji Japan, or the shifting balance of power that shaped modern East Asia.
ISBN:978-1-806721-53-5 430 Pages Paperback
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