Asia’s strongest power Japan was FINALLY defeated in World War2. Japan suffered. More than two millions of people were dead, and it’s major cities were destroyed by constant shelling and bombing by the allied countries. The major bombing was in Hiroshima and Nagasaki from US. The situation gets worse. The allies took away their lands which belonged to Japan for a long time. These disasters didn’t end yet.
?Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
After they lost the war, some military leaders still wanted to fight. They were aggressive and so desperate to continue the fight. However, Japan’s Emperor, Hirohito said, “Should we continued to fight, it would only result in an ultimate collapse” He said instead of fighting, we should dedicate ourselves to rebuild the destroyed cities. General MacArthur accepted the Japanese surrender and took charge of US army’s occupation in Japan.
This is a picture of General MacArthur and Emperor Hirohito. Click the Thumbnail to see the bigger picture.
General MacArthur, like any other people wanted to prevent wars in the future. He demilitarized Japan. Japan couldn’t have any armed forces anymore to conquer other countries. MacArthur left Japan with few police force. Like the German Nazis’ Nuremburg trial, Japan’s former Premier Hideki Tojo and other leaders were hung.
Also, he wanted to support self-determination, which was mentioned by Woodrow Wilson’s “Fourteen Points.” To simplify self-determination, it means to allow people to decide for themselves under what government they wished to live. Therefore, the first thing MacArthur did was to get rid of it’s empire and make a new government called “Parliamentary democracy.” (Same government system as Great Britain.) Japan’s emperor was no longer viewed as a god. Emperor Hirohito was no longer an absolute ruler. Emperor had to tell his people that he is no longer a god.
There were many changes in society. All citizens over 20, including women were allowed to vote. Also, Japan were not supposed to conquer other countries. However they were allowed only if they were attacked by other countries.
Article 9 has stated that …
1. Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes.
2. In order to accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph, land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized.
However, what scares the world today in 2007 is that Japan is now allowed to attack other countries. Japan is wanting to buy a fighter plane called F-22. Picture below is the plane F-22. Click the thumbnail to see the bigger picture.
World War 2 have not only changed Japan in 1940s, but also changed Japan in 2007. As World War 2 ended, many countries wanted to reach their post war goals that were different to each other. These differences have changed today’s world
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