Customer Reviews

An American in Japan 1945-1948: A Civilian View of the Occupation

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Having lived for many years near where the action in this book took place, I jumped at the opportunity to read about the educational conditions in post-war Japan. Van Staaveren's account of his time in Japan during the occupation could have been fascinating, but for a couple of things: he writes in a rather dry style, and he includes few personal reactions which would have added a human element. His attitude towards life in Japan brings to mind Chesterton's dictum, "An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered." Unfortunately, for Van Staaveren (and his readers), what could have been an adventure is described mostly as an inconvenience.

In his professional dealings he comes across as someone sympathetic to the Japanese, committed to the educational reforms, and above all, a wise administrator. There is considerable drama in the various conflicts that arose among rival groups during the occupation. Van Staaveren showed uncommon insight, despite his lack of knowledge of Japanese language and culture.

One irony struck me as I was reading the book. Had the US government been as enthusiastic about electoral and educational reform in their own southern states at this time, as they were in post-war Japan, the 1960s would have been a much less tumultuous decade and black voters would have been able to exercise their rights long before they did.