Knowledge Seeker
  • Home
  • Articles

How Japan Turned from Enemy to Ally

7/1/2019

 
​Japan has been around for thousands of years and they were almost completely isolated from the outside world. Their rulers were Emperors who were looked at like gods but when it came to running the country, Emperors were mostly figureheads so the military and politicians had the power. Of course, we didn’t know this.
 
Even though they were isolated, the one thing they did know, is that some countries were invading others, basically empire building. They were afraid that they might be attacked so they built a strong military and went on their own empire building initiative and invaded other countries like China trying to beat other countries to the punch. Although Japan was being attacked around the world for invading other countries, they were doing what other large countries like Britain, France, and Spain were doing so they were being treated with double standards.
 
But what was legitimate is the outrage over how they were empire building in that they were treating their enemies horrifically not at all following international laws (Geneva Convention 1864), about humane treatment of both combatants and non-combatants. Thousands of years of being programmed that the rest of the world was evil led them to believe that their enemies were just animals. Since the Emperor didn't access radio or television, he wasn't aware of the extent of the atrocities being committed by Japanese soldiers. 
 
When Japan surrendered to us in 1945, General Macarthur and a team of investigators went to Japan to weed out war criminals. Some of these criminals committed suicide before they could get to them and many of the others they did find, were hanged. The investigative team was trying to figure out who authorized the war and who decided to end it. They weren’t going to set foot into Emperor Hirohito’s palace, since it was considered holy ground, until they knew if he was guilty of war crimes and they were surprised to find out that he wasn’t.
 
The Emperor was a man of peace, but the military forced Japan’s agenda. When he tried to get a message out to end the war, the military made six attempts to storm his palace and stop him from surrendering. The citizens who pretty much worshipped him, had no idea what the military was doing to take the Emperor out. He hid in the basement along with other supporters and when he came out, he sent a radio message to Japan’s citizens that they were to put down their arms and work peacefully with the U.S.
 
In the end, General Macarthur exonerated the Emperor and they agreed to work together to rebuild Japan. After the war, Hirohito removed the notion of a god status with his people. The U.S. and Japan accomplished the greatest rebuilding project in history and now Japan has the fifth largest economy in the world and are a leader in automobiles, computers, medical equipment, steel, etc.
 
Hirohito ended up being a very good man and a tremendous ally to the U.S. He remained Emperor until he died in 1989, having been the Emperor for 62 years. Hirohito was married to his wife Princess Nagako for 65 years and she died in 2000 at the age of 97. They had five children.        
   

Comments are closed.

    Author: John Mann

    Picture

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly