Figure 1.--Japan was in the final months of the War in a desperate situation. The people were on starvation rations. The Emperor, the caninet ministers, and the militaty knew that the people would soomn begin to staeve, but before the Americans dropped the the atomic bombs were determined to fight it put regardless of the cost.

The discussion of the end of the War is dominated by the American use of nuclear weapons. And the concentration is on the resulting casualties--some 0.2-0.3 million people is you add on those who died in the days following the detonation as a result of injuries. Almost ignored in the fascination with the bomb is the food situation. Japan was Asia's only industrialized country. This meant that food had to be imported to feed the growing population of industrial workers in Japan's rising industrial cities. Even when before Japan began to industrialize, food was a problem. Japan is a very spontaneous country. Only about 10-15 percent of the land area is suitable for agriculture, a very small proportion. The portion in China, for example, is 50 percent. The need for food was one reason the Japanese began to expand their empire after World War I. First in Manchuria (1931) and then in China proper (1937). The problem for Japan was that war did not solve their problem, it actually worsened it. The invasion of China netted less food than expected. Much of the food gained was used to feed the massive army Japan committed in China. There were some food shipments to the Home Islands, but the War reduced food production both in China and Japan. The disruption of the War adversely affected Chinese production, but less often realized, it also reduced Japanese harvests. Here the major factor was the conscription of rural workers reducing the agricultural workforce. And the situation worsened with the onset of the Pacific War. Again food was one of the Japanese objectives in launching the Pacific War with the United States and seizing the Southern Resource Zone (SRZ) (December 1941). Japan despite spectacular gains in the SRZ at the onset of the War, soon lost naval dominance beginning with the Battle of Midway (June 1942). Japan had a maru (merchant shipping) fleet adequate for peace time, but totally inadequate for war. And the American submarine campaign focused on the marus (merchant shipping). As a result, despite seizing the abundant food producing areas of the SRZ, Japan had no way of getting that food back to the Home Islands. The food situation steadily worsened during the War. This can be followed in detail. The Ministry of Education measured the weight and height of school children annually. And comparing the data collected in urban and rural areas shows that the city children were shorter and weighed less than rural children. And the differences got steadily worse as the continued. and the problem was not just harvests and the cutting off of imports, transportation problems developed. Fuel shortages made it increasingly difficult getting food from the countryside into the cities. Another problem was the fishing fleet. Japan relied on fish for much of its protein and as fuel became scarce and the Americans began sinking the fishing boats, the major source of protein disappeared. All of this spiral down hill as the American strategic bombing campaign began to achieve results (February 1945). By Summer 1945, the girls working in the industrial plants report feeling lucky to find a noodle at the bottom of their soup bowls. The Japanese were on near starvation rations. And if the War would have continued beyond September, the Japanese would have begin to starve. The Emperor, the Cabinet, and the military leaders knew this. And yet they were prepared to continue the War, ignoring the catastrophe that they were bringing on the Japanese people. The Americans when the occupation forces arrived were shocked at the food situation. Millions of Japanese survived the War because the Americans arrived when they did and were able to feed a starving people.

Ending the War

The discussion of the end of the War is dominated by the American use of nuclear weapons. And the concentarion is on the resulting caualties--some 0.2-0.3 million people is you add on those who died in the days following the detonation as a result of injuries. Almost ignored in the fascination with the bomb is the food situation.

Background

Japan was Asia's only indutrialized country. This meant that food had to be imported to feed the growiung population of industrial workers in Gapan's rosing industrial cities. Even when before Japan began to industrialize, food was a problem. Japan is a very mountaneous country. Only about 10-15 percent of the labd area is suitable for agriculture, a very small proportion. The prortion in China, for example, is 50 percent. The need for food was one reason the Japanese began to expamd their empire after World War I. First in Manchuria (1931) anf then in China proper (1937). The problem for Japan was that war did not solve their problem, it actually worsened it. The invasion of China netted less food than expected. Much of the food gained was used to feed the massive army Japan committed in China. There were some food shipments to the Home Islands, but the War reduced food production both in China and Japan. The disruption of the War adversely affected Chinese production, but less often realized, it also reduced Japanese harvests. Here the major factor was the conscription of rural workers reducing the agricultural workforce. And the situation worsened with the onset of the Pacific War. Again food was one of the Japanese objectives in launching the Pacific War with the United States and seizing the Southern Resource Zone (SRZ) (December 1941). Japan despite spectacular gainsin the SRZ at the onset of the War, soon lost naval dominance beginning with the Battle of Midway (June 1942). Japan had a maru fleet adequate for paece time, but totallu inadequate for war. Anf the American subnarine campaign focused on the marus. As a result, despite seizing the abundant foof producing areas of the SRZ, Japan had no way of getting that food back to the Home Islands. The food situation steasily worsened during the War. This can be followed in detail. The Ministry of Education meaured the weight and height of school children annually. And comparing the data collected in urban and rural areas shows that the city children were shorter and weighed less than rural children. And the differences got steadily worse as the continued. and the problem was not just harvests and the cuttinhg off imports, transportation problems developed. Fuel shortages made it increasingly difficult getting food from the countryside into the cities.

1945 War Situation: Food

The Home Islands other than food shortages were relatively untouched until 1945. The fighting ocuured in China, Soitheast asia, and the Pacific. Okinawa was the cloest that the fifgting came to the Honme Islands. And early bombing raids were ineffective because the Jet Stream was not yet understood. Once the Americans mastered the needed tactics for the Strategic Bombing Campaign, one industrial city after another was reduced to ashes. And as a result the transportation began to break down. This it became increasingly difficult getting food, mostly garins and vegetables, into the cities--even if it was available which was not always the case. Another problem was the fishing fleet. Japan relied on fish for much of its protein and as fuel became scarse and the Americans began sinking the fishing boats, the mahor source of protein disappeared. All of this spiral down hill as the American strategic bombing campaign began to achieve results (February 1945). By Summer 1945, the girls working in the indutrial plants report feeling luvky to find a noodle at the bottom of their souo bowls. Japanese officials reported an upsurege of crimes connected with food. Officials in Osaka prefecture estimated that in 1944, nearly half of all economic crimes involved food. Japanese civilians were on near starvation rations. And if the War would have continued beyond September, the Japanese would have begin to starve. The Emperor, the Cabinet, and the military leaders knew this. And yet they were prepared to continue the War, ignoring the catastrophe that they were bringing on the Japanese people. The Americans when the occupation forces arrived were shocked at the food situation. Millions of Japanese survived the War only because the Americans arrived when they did. A reader asks, "Have there ever been any studies on why the Japanese military government refused to acknowledge the plight of the people?" None to our knowledge, but it was part of the Bushido code.

1945-49 Occupation Situation: Food

Japan at the time the american occupation forces arrived was in far worse shape than the Allied had imagined or Japanese authorities preparing to fight it out to the end had acknowledged (September 1945). Food shortages were something the Japanse had experienced throughout the war. There were even localized food shortages before Pearl Harbor as a result of the war in China. And the situation got steadily worse as the War progressed. The great victories of the fisrt 6 moths of the War brought very little additional food to the Hone Islands. Most Japanese civilians were malnourished at the time of surrender (August 1945). And many Japanese soldiers in iolated garrisons throughout the Pacific were starving. And even though the surrender stopped the bombing, the situation got even worse as the 1945 harvest failed. It was the worst harbest since 1910. The harvest was 40 percent below normal levels. And according to one source, the impact of the disaterous harvest was "exacerbated by the confusion, corruption, and ineptitude of the postsurrender elites." [Baran] Only food shipments from America precented mass starvation. The contrast between Japanese occupation regimes and the american occupation regime could not be more stark. Historians estimate that American food shipments saved as many as 10 million Japanesefrom starving (fall and winter 1945-46). In the on going debate over the use of the atomic bomb, the 10 million Japanese the Americans saved is rareky if ever mentioned. Food became a major comcern of the occupation authorities. Even so, the food situation remained terrible for several years. Damage to the transportation system during the war was a major problem. The collection and distribution of basic foodstuffs remained chaotic. [Dower, p. 94] People in the cities turned bombed-out areas into vegetable gardens. The delivery system virtually broke down (mid 1946-mid 147). Food rations in cities dropped in many cases to one-quarter or one-third of the basic requirement. Tokyo residents did not receive a full month's ration in six out of twelve months during 1946. And the situation in other cities was comparable. Primary schools came up with 'bread-eating races', athletic contests where all the children got food. Hungary Japanese turned to the left overs at restaurants, even the garbage. [Dower, p. 96-97.] Japan reported a normal harvest (1947). Despite this, actual deliveries declined. Deliveries were consistently delayed. The allotment of the all important rice allocation fell drastically (late-spring through fall 1947). Authorities substituted different kinds of flour. Civil servants took time off from work to search for food. The Tokyo police began monthly 'food holidays' for their employees. Japan's controversial whaling industry began at this time to help provided needed food.

Sources

Baran, Robert J. "Some of the serious conditions in Japan after World War II".

Dower, John W. Embracing Defeat, Japan in the Wake of World War II (New York: W.W. Norton & Company; 1999).

Created: 9:16 PM 9/5/2015
Last updated: 9:16 PM 9/5/2015