This is a reassessment of Emperor Hirohito's reign and a social portrait of the 20th-century transformation of Japan. Hirohito was one of the longest reigning monarchs in world history. Coming to power in 1926, he presided over the disaster of the depression, the total mobilization of World War II, and the fireballs of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, followed by more than 40 years of recovery. Unprecedented levels of traffic, smog, and skyscrapers heralded a transformation from a rigidly closed society to a modern paradise of consumption. The one constant through this turbulence was the institution of Emperor. This book examines Hirohito as a source of both adoration and controversy through 60 years.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Language Notes
Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Japanese
Original Language: Japanese
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10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
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Educational,
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This review is from: Age of Hirohito: In Search of Modern Japan (Hardcover)
Hirohito has always been a mystery to me. Neither in high school or in college was there anything taught about this man. The entire life of Hitler and his henchmen is an open book including the Nurenburg trials. The blame of the war in Europe is not in question and had Hitler been taken alive I am positive he would have been tried as a war criminal and would have met the same fate as the boys in Nurenburg. The conduct of Japan in the war was just as vicious and barbaric as Germany. However, Hirohito got to remain on his throne and continue to live a privledged life for himself and his family. This book tries to explain how this all happened. It also comes close to holding the Emperor totally responsible and accountable for what took place. I have read other books on the war with Japan and they have been so distorted and biased that one would be led to believe that the United States bombed Pearl Harbor and blamed Japan. This book takes an objective approach to analyzing the many issues contributing to the war and allows the readers to decide for themselves as to cause and blame. The author does not hold back from criticizing the Emperor or their system which I had not experienced in my past readings. He both crticizes and praises both McCarthur and the United States. I really felt that I learned some history by reading this.
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Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
During the Showa era (1926-1989), Japanese society underwent a rapid transformation: people's lifestyles changed completely. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
chrysanthemum taboo, lifestyle revolution, sacred decision, emperor system, noble decision, organ theory, war responsibility Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
United States, Soviet Union, Emperor Hirohito, Peace Preservation Law, Kwantung Army, Meiji Constitution, Cold War, Vietnam War, Communist Party, Wolf Pack, Sakanoue Yuki, Zhang Zuolin, Great Depression, Konoe Fumimaro, Pacific War, Second World War, Meiji Restoration, Mutual Security Pact, New York, Paris Charter, Takabatake Michitoshi, Asahi Shinbun, General Shirakawa, Imperial Headquarters, Korean War New!
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Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
During the Showa era (1926-1989), Japanese society underwent a rapid transformation: people's lifestyles changed completely. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
chrysanthemum taboo, lifestyle revolution, sacred decision, emperor system, noble decision, organ theory, war responsibility Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
United States, Soviet Union, Emperor Hirohito, Peace Preservation Law, Kwantung Army, Meiji Constitution, Cold War, Vietnam War, Communist Party, Wolf Pack, Sakanoue Yuki, Zhang Zuolin, Great Depression, Konoe Fumimaro, Pacific War, Second World War, Meiji Restoration, Mutual Security Pact, New York, Paris Charter, Takabatake Michitoshi, Asahi Shinbun, General Shirakawa, Imperial Headquarters, Korean War New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
16
books
cite this book:
See all 16 books citing this book
- Prompt and Utter Destruction: Truman and the Use of Atomic Bombs Against Japan by J. Samuel Walker in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- Partners for Democracy: Crafting the New Japanese State under MacArthur by Ray A. Moore in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- Giants of Japan: The Lives of Japan's Greatest Men and Women by Mark Weston in Back Matter
- Japanese Army Stragglers and Memories of the War in Japan, 1950-75 (Routledge Studies in the Modern History of Asia) by Beatrice Trefalt in Back Matter
- The Yamato Dynasty: The Secret History of Japan's Imperial Family by Sterling Seagrave in Back Matter
See all 16 books citing this book
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