Figure 1.--There is substantial reason for believing that Emperor Hirohito should have been tried for war crimes. It is also true that the Emperor not only played a central and very brave role in ending the War and was key to the success of democracy in Japan. General MacArthur's decided to defer justice in favor of the pragmatic choice to use the Emperor to facilitate the devlopment of a democratic system in Japan. Source: Ullstein Bilderdienst

A militaristic party rose to dominate the Japanese government during the early era of his reign. His complicity with the milatarists is a not well researched subject. Not every authority agrees with the widespread belief that Hirohito had no hand in Japan's conduct in World War II. Far from it. One example is Imperial Conspiracy written by David Bergamini (1971) who found that Hirohito was behind all the major decisions in the war, but that his role was covered up, and that General MacArthur knew, but went along with the whitewash for pragmatic reasons. Loyal Japanese officials and military commanders, unwilling to see the Emperor soiled by association with crimes committed in his name, saw their honorable duty as taking the punishment. What ever Hirihito's role, the militarists during his reign pursued expansionism, war with China (1937-45), and military alliance with the Axis powers (1940). The alliance led to Japan's participation in World War II and its attack on the United States in 1941. Toward the end of the war Hirohito sought peace, and in August 1945 he broadcast the unconditional surrender of Japan to the Allies.

Japanese Militarism

A militaristic party rose to dominate the Japanese government during the early era of Emperor Hirohito's page. The Japanese military during the 1930s gained almost complete control over the government. Civilian politicians attempting to resist the military were assassinated. Communists were persecuted. The military introduced a highly nationalistic indoctrination program in the schools. Censorship of the media was intensified. Navy and army officers occupied most of the key offices in the government, including the office of prime minister. The depression of the 1930s hit Japan hard.

Military Expansion

The militarists decided that the solution to the economic crisis was to carve out an empire in Manchuria, China, and southeast Asia. This meant war. The Japanese Kwantung Army occupied Manchuria using as a pretext a faked incident on the main railroad (1931). Japan then decalared "Manchukuo" an independent state, What ever Hirihito's role, the militarists during his reign pursued expansionism, war with China (1937-45), and military alliance with the Axis powers (1940). The alliance led to Japan's participation in World War II and its attack on the United States in 1941.

Japanese War Crimes

Japan did not and does not today admit the full extent of its responsibility for launching World War II. Many Japanese attempt to hide the extent of their country's war crimes and prefer to view their country as a victim of the War. The list of Japanese attrocities and war is very long, involving the deaths of millions, mostly innocent civilians. The list in its entirity is too long to list here, but we need to mention some of the most grevious attrocities committed by the Imperial armed forces. The primary war crime is the launching of aggerssive war first against China (1937) and then the United States, Britain, and the Netherlands (1941). Specific examples include the terror bombing of undefended Chinese cities (Shanghai); mascres of Chinese civilians (the Rape of Nanking), use of biologcal and chenical weapons, mistreatment and massacres of Allied POWs (the Batan Death March), abuse of civilain internees, use of slave labor, conscription of civilian women for prostitution (Korean comfort women).

The Emperor's Complicity

His complicity with the milatarists is a not well researched subject. In recent years, however, it has come under increasing consideration, primarily by Western reasearchers. Japanese historians have been notably silent on this and other World war II issues.

Limited role

After the War, the contention that Emperor Hirohito had no hand in Japan's conduct of World War II became wideky accepted. In part this was a result of General MacArthur's decession not to aggressively persue the issue of the Emperor's conduct so his prestige could be used in the Occupation. This attitude is widely accepted in Japan along with the attitude that Japan was a victim of World War II and not one of the aggressor nations. Most Japanese school children know little about the War, except that America dropped atomic bombs on the country.

Substantial role

Historians have begun to address Emperor Hirohito's war-time role. One historian contends that Hirohito was involved in all the major decisions in the war, but that his role was covered up, and that General MacArthur knew, but went along with the whitewash for pragmatic reasons to assist in the post-War occupation. Loyal Japanese officials and military commanders, unwilling to see the Emperor soiled by association with crimes committed in his name, saw their honorable duty as taking the punishment. [Bergamini] A HBC reader tells us that a recent biography by Herbert Bix, "Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan" (New York, 2000). He writes, "The Bix book seems to me to come pretty close to being the definitive biography. It certainly goes way beyond anything written earlier and addresses his World War II role in detail." HBC has not yet had an opporunity to read the Bix book.

Emperor's Role in Surrender

Toward the end of the war Hirohito sought peace, and in August 1945 he broadcast the unconditional surrender of Japan to the Allies. While there is considerable controversey concerning the Emperor's war-time role, there is general agreement that he acted with considerable courage to end the War. At the time not only was he endanger from units of the Japanese military determined to resist, but he had ever expectation that he would be arrested and tried for war crimes by the Americans.

American Occupation

Hirohito cooperated with the Allied occupation forces in converting Japan into a democratic nation. His cooperation was a major factor in the success of the American Occupation and in the democritization of Japanese society. The Emperor in 1946 he publicly denied his divinity.

Sources

Bergamini, David. Imperial Conspiracy (1971).

Bix, Herbert. Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan (New York, 2000).

Created: April 28, 2004
Last updated: 3:13 AM 4/26/2006