Hideki Tojo Biography

The young warriors were taught to sacrifice everything for the emperor or lord. In Japan, the emperor represented the laws and the state and was considered divine. Loyalty was an ethical demand stemming from this political theory. A samurai was obligated to appeal to the wisdom of his lord by committing seppuku.

ukio Mishima, a Japanese rebel who wanted his government to bring back imperial power and samurai traditions back to Japan soon after the ending of world war 2. As past traditions had been overrun by more westernized influences which Mishima had believed lacked courage and principles. All resulting in Mishima committing ritual suicide in the commander’s office soon after taking the commander hostage and addressing the local garrison from the commander’s balcony. Although Mishima had took his life, he had done it with honor; he had rather commit suicide than accept his country’s way of governing. In “Patriotism,” Yukio Mishima explains how this kind of suicide is an honorable act rather than a cowardice one through his fictional character, Lieutenant

His father was in World War II, a Marine in the Third Marine Division. He fought the Japanese in the Pacific.

He was extremely accomplished in the Eastern Theatre and was instrumental in the U.S. victory over the Empire of Japan. Some of his more notable accomplishments from

The reasons for the Japanese behaving as they did were complex. The Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) indoctrinated its soldiers

Shumko and Toto’s article provides information on symptoms and recovery time while even putting together true stories about athletes who have had concussions. The article starts off with a story of a boy who suffered a concussion while playing soccer. Shumko and Toto expand from that story by following it up with statistics on how many people have concussions to offering information on how health assessment centers for athletes have concussions programs. The author’s gives a broad view on concussions and the positive outcome’s of making more people aware of the injury.

On August 9, Soviet forces entered into the Pacific theatre through a three-pronged invasion into Manchuria. Their entry into the war concerned the Japanese immensely because it further split Japan’s already thin troop numbers and caused fear that communist sympathizers in Japan would cause trouble on the home islands during the critical final act of the war. “The author has long made it a habit, when meeting with former members of the Imperial Army and Navy, to ask which had a greater impact at the time: the atomic bombs or the soviet entry into the war? The responses run about 50- 50, yet all agree that neither blow would have been sufficient: if they had not coincided, (Hata 2007).” The threats of communism were well acknowledged by the Japanese government as they had cracked down on supporters of communism and arrested hundreds of them during the war, (Hata 2007). However the timing of the Soviet entry was even more terrifying to the Japanese government because they believed if the government fell, communism might succeed in planting its roots in Japan before a new government could take its place. After the American occupation began, many Japanese politicians and royalists were quick to shed light on the political atmosphere regarding the Emperor and his political orientation. Baron Hiranuma Kiichiro was quick to

Beating had long been an acceptable and routine method of discipline within the Japanese Army. Soldiers could strike subordinates with no questions asked and no explanation warranted. The slightest distinction between ranks was of critical importance because it meant the difference between who could inflict blows, and who could expect to receive them. This sort of institutionalized brutality had a tendency to work its way down the ranks to the lowliest private. One can imagine what would happen when an enlisted man, hardened by this psychology of top-down violence, found himself suddenly thrown into a foreign and not altogether distasteful situation in which he was the superior, in charge of a group of helpless prisoners. For some, the temptation to beat proved irresistible. For others, beating was only the beginning." (Hampton 91-92)

Understanding and defining the impact on today’s modern army by the 442nd Infantry Regiment during WWII, is evident by their unique formation that stood out amongst organizations during that period. While trying to compare the differences in social acceptance from a unit composed almost entirely of Soldiers of Japanese ancestry, you must first understand the period in which this unit left its legacy.

All this was fueled by Tōjō’s belief that there was no alternative to waging war with America; he believed America was starving Japan into submission, which he felt was unacceptable for the expansion of the Japanese Empire (Japan).

The Japanese had a military code which stated that, “A soldier who surrendered was a traitor”6. In other words, the Japanese soldiers would not surrender by themselves because they would rather be killed than look as cowards among the community. John Falconer stated that, “One Jap infantry private was so exhausted that he stumbled and fell in front of us Americans….two riflemen came up, picked up the fallen soldier, took him off the road …. then we heard a shot and the two Japs returned alone”7. The Japanese were not willing to give up their honor system, which forced the American army to use atomic weapons. In the beginning, the American army attempted to use peaceful solutions to end war, but because of the honor system, atomic weapons were needed. The Japanese not only fought with fierce actions, they also mistreated American soldiers and acted uncivilized. Captain Mark Wohlfeld shared his experience of how he was mistreated. “I quickly dropped it on the ground. The Jap took his rifle and cracked me across the head. I fell. My head was covered in blood”8. Wohlfeld and his perspective demonstrates that the japanese wanted to fight and were unwilling to surrender or fight friendly. Another perspective that proved the mistreatment to the Americans came from Sergeant Ralph Levenberg. Levenberg argued that the Japanese, “Would be riding on the back of a

The Japanese people are stoic patriotic people. They did come together as a community to assist each other but they suffered through their pain alone. They did not look for sympathy or a shoulder to cry on. Mr. Tanimoto wrote in a letter describing how some Japanese died without yelling out for help. He wrote, “They died in silence with no grudge, setting their teeth to bear it. All for the country (Hersey, p. 69)!” They were proud people for their country and didn’t want to appear weak. Mr. Tanimoto also wrote in his letter, “Look, I lost my home, my family, and at last bitterly injured. But now I have got my mind to dedicate what I have and to complete the war for our country’s sake (Hersey, p. 69).” Hersey also informs us of thirteen year old girls singing their national anthem while being crushed to death. Not concerned about their well-being but for the love of their beloved country. To know that you’re going to die yet sing something that means so much to you shows heroism. It is as if the thirteen year old girls died for

World War II was devastating to an many involved and much damage has been done on both sides, physically and mentally.To Japan WWII is known as “the fifteen- year war” as some may not have regarded, Japan’s view of the war is radically different from the U.S. and others involved. “An aptitude for being unloved: War and Memory”, Dower’s essay demonstrates that Japan viewed themselves as victims of the war rather than aggressors, and that some aspects of the war were “whitewashed”, but this isn't solely unique to Japan in this situation. As it is common in most every history, especially in America who are still reluctant in admitting responsibility to the Vietnam war or slavery. As well as setting a reminder to listeners of how Americans excussed the emperor from responsibility.

Heike Monogatari, with its multitude of battles and skirmishes, provides a wonderful chance to analyze the way of the warrior in ancient Japan. There aren't a great number of surviving works from this period that show in such great detail both the brute and the compassion of the Japanese warriors. They followed carefully a distinct set of principles which made up the well-rounded warrior. Loyalty to one's master, bravery and glory in any situation, strength, martial skills, compassion, and interest in the arts were all held with the highest esteem. Few warriors could become well known without possessing each of these skills. Religious beliefs shaped a warrior's behavior tremendously.

War played a central part in the history of Japanese samurai. As regional clans gathered manpower, resources and struck alliances with each other, they formed a hierarchy centered around a toryo, or chief. This chief was typically a relative of the emperor