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Dear General MacArthur: Letters from the Japanese during the American Occupation (Asian Voices) Paperback – July 11, 2006

by Sodei Rinjiro (Author), John Junkerman (Editor), Shizue Matsuda (Translator),

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This unique book compiles some 120 remarkable letters from Japanese citizens to General Douglas MacArthur during the postwar occupation of Japan (1945–1952). Painstakingly culled from a vast collection, these letters evoke the unfiltered voices of people of all classes and occupations during the tremendous upheaval of the early postwar period, when the Japanese were coming to terms with the devastating losses of the war, adjusting to a new political system, and creating the framework for economic and social recovery. Written by people of all ages and walks of life, the letters raise issues ranging from Japanese war crimes to the future of the emperor system, from the behavior of American occupation troops to pleas for the United States to annex Japan. Some writers offered to serve as spies for the occupation forces; others appealed for help in solving individual problems, protested allegedly unfair treatment by the occupation, or made detailed recommendations for the reform of Japanese society. Sodei's running commentary places the letters in their historical context, and the substantive foreword by John W. Dower, who drew upon Sodei's research for his Pulitzer Prize-winning Embracing Defeat, further assesses the significance of the letters in understanding Japan's occupation experience.

Print length

336 pages
Language

English
Publication date

July 11, 2006
Dimensions

5.9 x 0.78 x 8.97 inches
ISBN-10

0742511162
ISBN-13

978-0742511163
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Editorial Reviews

Review

This fascinating book is ideal for cultural studies curricula., Publishers Weekly

A pleasure to read. For academic and larger public libraries., Library Journal

A unique volume. . . . [The letters] open a window into a frequently misunderstood Japan. -- Jonathan Mirsky, Times Literary Supplement

Sodei presents the reader with valuable glimpses into Japanese society during the American occupation. . . . While the letters themselves are fascinating, Sodei contextualizes each letter so that both the novice and experienced scholar of Japan will come away with new insights. . . . Dear General MacArthur can be utilized . . . for those studying more contemporary U.S.-Japan relations, or applied more broadly to those researching foreign policies which involve occupations in a variety of international contexts. . . . It has multiple levels that will appeal to a wide audience., H-Net: Humanities and Social Science Reviews Online

This collection is a valuable asset for those who wish to understand the American occupation and Japanese attitudes toward foreigners., Booklist

This is a rare gem of a book. We have nothing else like it concerning Japan. . . . To 'listen to Japan' in this manner entails rethinking conventional notions of Japanese culture in profoundly subversive ways. . . . We owe a great debt to Sodei Rinjiro for showing us what a rich, complicated, and contradictory human story still waits to be further explored. -- John W. Dower

There are aspects of [the book] that are absolutely brilliant. Sodei's ability to reconstruct the atmosphere the letters were written in, and his explanations of the levels of honorific language used, is quite informative, and help the reader better understand the letters he highlights. Overall, the book is very readable, and within each section it flows well. . . . A valuable resource at evaluating both the attitudes of Japanese during the occupation, and the way in which contemporary historians interpret the occupation. It has multiple levels that will appeal to a wide audience. Sodei effectively demonstrates that many Japanese viewed themselves as victims of the Pacific War, and made available letters from the Japanese that will undoubtedly further research into the American occupation of Japan. -- David Rands, Austin Peay State University

About the Author

Sodei Rinjiro, Japan's foremost biographer of MacArthur and a leading historian of the occupation, is professor emeritus at Hosei University, Tokyo.

Product details

Publisher : Rowman & Littlefield Publishers; Illustrated edition (July 11, 2006)
Language : English
Paperback : 336 pages
ISBN-10 : 0742511162
ISBN-13 : 978-0742511163
Item Weight : 1.16 pounds
Dimensions : 5.9 x 0.78 x 8.97 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,574,954 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #2,791 in Japanese History (Books)
- #16,043 in World War II History (Books)
- #17,845 in American Military History

Customer Reviews:
8 ratings

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Christine Dymek

I love this book as it is loaded with actual letters ...

Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2017

Verified Purchase

I love this book as it is loaded with actual letters from the Japanese to Gen. Mc ARthur after the war. Japan was also set free after the war because of Mc Arthur's victory and so, here are the many heart-felt actual letters to him with praise and appreciation while the writers express how their lives have changed because of his success. My grandson loves history, and so I gave for his 12 b-day. He loves this message and personal touch by sincere heart-felt people expressing from their hearts as well.

Barbara M. Florida

Interesting viewpoints about the occupation of Japan

Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2016

Verified Purchase

Very scholarly, would be good for a researcher into the occupation of Japan. Not much insight into MacArthur but does address the mindset of the Japanese people towards the general as well as the author's interpretation of their thinking and motives in writing to MacArthur.

One person found this helpful

Almost like new

Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2019

Verified Purchase

Almost like new. Good book for Mac fans.

Amazon Customer

Rich and Illuminating!

Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2002

"Dear General MacArthur" is a wonderful and very illuminating compilation of letters written by the Japanese to Gen. MacArthur during the American Occupation (1945-1952). Sodei's running commentary alongside the letters is full of powerful insight and helpful explanations which allow the reader to genuinely understand how, and why the Japanese wrote the General with their praise, adoration, pleas, and criticism regarding him and the occupation. It is a "must" read for any who are interested in, or are students of Japanese culture. The letters are moving, incredible, sad, and hilarious. Never in world history did a country ever "love" MacArthur as much as the Japanese did after WWII. As the Pulitzer Prize-winning and illustrious historian of Japan, John W. Dower notes in his foreword, "This is a rare gem of a book. We have nothing else like it concerning Japan." Compiled and expounded by the foremost authority on, and biographer of MacArthur, it is a book that all should enjoy.

12 people found this helpful

Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2014

Very interesting and important book. There is no better way to understand life in Japan during the American occupation than by reading these letters. Shared in these are deeply personal stories and appeals. The emotion in the letters reveal the importance of the often overlooked perspective of the Japanese people during this time. This is a great book to better understand the culture at the time and to develop a deeper appreciation of history.

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