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World War II -- age of soldiers Japan expanding induction
World War II: Japanese Conscription--Expanding Induction (1937-45)
Figure 1.--Japan invaded China, seen by some as the real beginning of World War II (1937). This was 2 years before Germany and the Soviet Union launched the war in Euroope by invading Poland. Japan's intrusion into northern China turned into a full scale war (1937). Unexpectedly the Chinese continued to resist despite major defeats. And this created the need for an expanded army. And this only increased when, with China still undefeated, Japan launched the Pacific war by attacking Pearl Harbor (1941). And again despite early success, the conflict turbed unto a war of attrition demanding more and more men. University students were one of several pools of previoiusly deferred manpower the Army unlocked. Peime-Minister Tojo announced that university deferments were to be strictly limited to areas that had immediate connection with war effort (September 1943). A huge farewell sendoff was staged in Tokyo's Meiji Garden Stadium for Tokyo area students (October 21). Some 25,000 mobilized students to stirring martial music provided by the Army band. They marched in wearing their cadet school uniforms. They carry wooden rifles. The stadium was filled with 70,000 fellow students (many girls), teachers, and parents. Prime-Minister Tojo and other dignitaries gave patriotic speeches. The mewsreel sound tracl described how, " At Meji Jingu stadium in the Autumn rain a ceremony to mark the deoarture of the natiin's students to war." As the government controled media only talked about great victories, one wonders if some of these student were not surprised that they had lost their dermnents. Tojo told them that he knew that they were iutching to get to the front. "Like yourselves, the youth of theUnited states and Britain are also taking part in the war. I stringly believe that on the battefield you have the strength of character and spirit to crush the enemy." The ceremony concludes with the singing of tghe natuioanl enemny and Tojo leading 'Banzai' chants. Click on the image to see the send off.
The Meiji conscription system would prove adequate For World War I (1914-18), but began to crack after Japan's militarist dominated goverment became increasingly aggresive. Chaing's Nationalist Governent decided not to resist when Japan seized Manchuriua (1931). Chaing understood that it would have been a military disaster. Japan's intrusion into northern China and gradual move south turned into a full scale war (1937). Unexpectedly the Chinese continued to resist despite major defeats. And this created the need for an Japanese expanded army. The Japanese did not expect such significant Chinese resistance. And China is a large country. Thus the Japanese had to expand conscription. The first changes were to allow Koreans and Formosans to volunteer. Previously a relatively small share of the available young men were drafted. With the war in China, conscription began to increase and deferments reduced. Japan thus fielded the largest army in its history. The Chinese continued to resist. Prime-miminister Tojo and his cabinent decided that the only way to win the War in China was go attack Britaib and the United States. That may soiund insane today, but this is what the Jaoabese Governenent decided after considerable study. Japan launched the Pacific War by attacking Pearl Harbor (December 1941). The great majority of the Japanese Army was in China. The early Japanese victories were achieved with a small portion of the Army against poorly trained and armed Western forces, mostly colonial policing forces. The American units in the Philippines retreated to Bataan and were basically starved out. The easy naval victories ceased with Midway (June 1942) and then the Japanaese Armny encountered real resistance by trained and well-armed combat troops, first on Gudalcanal from the Americans (August 1942) and New Guinea by the Australians (September 1942). This is when losses increased and more men were needed. The Pacific War thus forced wholesale changes in the Meiji Concription System. The Japanese militarists were forced to attempt to match the greater size and resources of the United States with a greater effort by the Japanese people. The Goverment began to expand the age ranges for military service (1943). Eventually all healthy males aged 15-60 years as well as females aged 17-45 years were drafted. And we have noted younger uniformed school girls in factories. As the military situation in World War II became more desperate. University syudents who at first received deferments began to be drafted. This was at first done by shortening the final year, but gradually other changes were made in the academic program. Then as a result of increasing lossess, the Army began drafting all males over 20 years, including college students (September 1943). [Shillony, p. 778.] This occurred at about the same time that Japan began to experimenbt with the first Kamnakaze suicide attacks. This is part of the reason that such a high percentage of college level enlistees were assigned to the 'Special Attack' Kamikaze squadrons. Next youths under 20, some as young as 15 years old, were made eligible for military service (1944) The National Resistance Program was adopoyed (February 26, 1945). This made men 15 to 60 and women 17 to 40 subject to training for a projected final defense of the homeland asinvasion was looking increasingly likely.
Sources
Shillony, Ben-Ami. "Universities and Students in Wartime Japan," The Journal of Asian Studies Vol. 45, No. 4, (1986), pp. 769-87.
