Crimes Against Humanity? Was the aggression demonstrated by the Japanese justification for use of the atomic bomb?

Feudal Japan Japan had a long history of rule by samurai who operated under the bushido (“way of the warrior”) code - demanded loyalty, unquestioning, obedience, and suicidal bravery in battle This mentality stayed long after actual samurai control ended, including the 1930’s idea that Japan’s future would require “total war,” the unity of the military and industry.

Bushido Code in WWII Military recruits were taught that officers were infallible (made no mistakes) and an officer’s commands were as an order from the emperor himself. Japanese recruits were brutally trained and subject to physical violence for even minor mistakes

Bushido Code in WWII Anyone’s surrender was deeply dishonorable Japanese didn’t care for or understand the Western idea of surrender or lack of shame at wanting to preserve life when fighting no longer served a purpose Surrender turned a soldier into a non-entity and cause you to be treated worse than an animal

Bushido Code in WWII Japanese officers knew that their cultural teachings of respect for authority, fear of exclusion, and loss of face would keep troops in line and stop them from asking questions General officers brutalized prisoners and made camp conditions horrible.

Bushido Code in WWII Japanese officers called the Geneva Conventions the “coward’s code.”

Treaty of Versailles Japan had a good relationship with the West before WWII When discriminated against at the Treaty of Versailles and rebuffed when they asked for an amendment about equality be added to the treaty, hard feelings developed

Divinity of the Emperor Declared divine - a direct descendant of the sun goddess Amaterasu – in 1890 As a living god, the emperor was due honor and complete obedience This was taught in schools, at home, and in the media The use of the emperor allowed Japan to become a totalitarian state

Racial Superiority Japanese believed they were racially superior to others; people of other cultures were seen as less than human Believed they had the right to rule all of Asia and even the world

Racial Superiority “By 1941, [the Japanese] were ready to take on the white world in war, and they truly did not care anymore what the white man thought of them. They had torn the Geneva Convention to pieces. White men could go to hell, and the Japanese would be the ones to send them there.” -Gavan Dawes Prisoners of the Japanese

Statistics Estimates of the number of people killed – most who were non-combatants – by the Japanese military between the mid-1930’s and 1945 is estimated to be as high as 20 million Only 4% of Allied prisoners in German hands died, while 25% of those captured by the Japanese died

End of the War in the Pacific What steps did the Allies take to overcome the Japanese and why didn’t the Japanese take the chances offered?

After the Islands As early as 1942, the U. S. began firebombing Japanese cities Bombing in Japan became easier once the Allies recaptured islands in the Pacific In 1944, strategic bombing of Tokyo and civilians began A single early bombing raid killed nearly 88,000 people, injured 41,000, and over a million were left homeless

Closing In Widespread destruction and high casualty rates from months of raids caused many Japanese to doubt the military’s ability to defend the country After V-E Day, the Soviets closed in on Japan from the West as the U. S. closed in from the East

Opportunities Not Taken In July 1945, the Potsdam Declaration was made by the Allies, demanding Japan’s surrender and warning that the country would be devastated if the war continued Japan rejected the demands two days later

Opportunities Not Taken Hiroshima was bombed on August 6 th Fatalities were as high as 230,000; 171,000 homeless Truman announces the bombing to the U. S. and warns of more to come Japan begins talks with Allies about surrender

Opportunities Not Taken Nagasaki bombed on August 9 th Japan agreed to surrender if the emperor got to keep his position. UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER was restated; third bomb prepared as negotiations stalled After a series of conventional bombings, the Japanese agree to unconditional surrender on August 14th

Peace Treaty Japan had to pay reparations to Allies Its military and industry were restricted Territories invaded by Japan were returned or redistributed Japanese war criminals were put on trial/ executed China was not invited to attend the peace talks

Occupied Japan U. S. occupied Japan for six years to eliminate Japan’s war potential and to Westernize the country