Japan
Japan, an island off the coast of China, had desires of becoming a powerful nation. In order to become this powerful nation they began conquering countries in the Pacific Ocean and invading China in 1931. Japan needed the raw materials, for example oil, of these other countries in order to build a strong military. In 1936, Japan signed a treaty with Germany making them allies in war.
United States didn’t approve of Japanese war with China. The United States was sending Christian missionaries into China and maintained friendly relations with them. The United States calmly moved troops into China to protect them but the Japanese didn’t like that and wanted the US troops to leave. The US showed their anger of the Japanese pacific conquests, the United States cut off all oil exports to Japan.
At this time Japan’s leader, Emperor Hirohito, was overthrown by military rule in 1941. General Tojo Hideki names himself prime minister and supreme military commander. He leads Japan in retaliation to the United States decision and attacks the United States on December 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor. The United States declares war with Japan and both countries enter what has now become a World War. Japan fought with the Axis powers of Germany and Italy while the United States joined the Allied powers.
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese-Americans were forced to evacuate their homes and were placed into internment camps. More than 120,000 Japanese immigrants that had come to the United States ended up in these camps. There were 10 camps scattered around the Western United States, some holding up to 18,000 people The Japanese were imprisoned and forced to live in barracks surrounded by barbed wire, armed guards, and a sentry tower with flood lights to keep them inside. Japanese-Americans spoke of the horror in which they lived in. Sometimes 25 people would be living in a space built for four, they lived unprotected by extreme temperatures of minus 25 below zero in the winter and 115 degrees in the summer, and they shared latrines and showers in open rooms with no privacy. Japanese-Americans considered themselves living in the ‘concentration camps’ of the United States.
Emporer Hirohito
In June 1942 Japan experienced its first major defeat of the war. This turned the tides of Japan’s success and allowed the United States to advance while Japan was week By 1944 the United States bombing raids came close to Tokyo within the next year massive bombing occurred on other major Japanese cities. Japan’s war tactics were that of their ancient samurai heritage. Becoming a prisoner of war was considered shameful and surrendering was no an option. Many Japanese perished because they didn’t see any other alternative. In 1941, Japan’s military leader General Tojo said, “Do not live in shame as a prisoner. Die, and leave no ignominious crime behind you.”
“Although some Japanese were taken prisoner, most fought until they were killed or committed suicide. Pilots and soldiers were told, “Win or lose, you will fight and die for you country.” In the last, desperate months of the war, this image was also applied to Japanese civilians. To the horror of American troops advancing on Saipan, they saw mothers clutching their babies hurling themselves over the cliffs rather than be taken prisoner.”
Japan wouldn’t back down after the war in Europe had ended and bombing in Japan continued. To end the war the United States dropped atomic bombs on two Japanese cities. On August 6, 1945 a bomb hits Hiroshima killing over 140,000 people. Hiroshima was a city of 200,000. On August 9, 1945 a bomb hits Nagasaki combined these bombs kill over 200,000 citizens. It was five days later on August 14, 1945 that Japan surrenders to the Allied powers and the 14 years of war in Japan end.
Kaye Sparks