Hirohito and the making of modern Japan

Written by Herbert Bix

597 words

“Japanese actually believed him as a son of god for long years”
First of all, this book was really easy to read, although this book is written in English, this kind of stories are very familiar and interesting to me. Yes, this book talking about the modern Japanese empire, which gave a huge pain to a lot of people and nations for its own evil demand. Everyone knows that one of the biggest victims caused by Japanese empire was my country, Korea. If you want to learn or not in the history, Korea was part of Japanese empire so that’s still our history what we have to remember forever.
“Hirohito Michinomiya” he was born at April 29th, 1901, as the blessed first prince of 123th Japanese kingdom. His father was 123th Emperor “Daisyo” , at that times, Japanese already modernized their nation by a lot of European countries and mostly, USA. They planned to invade whole Asian nation just like Korean Peninsula for make their idealistic empire. Almost every Japanese believed that him, as if he’s like son of the god. They thought he will be the only hero of the world with their “great” Japanese people, just like German believed Hitler and his way.
Imperialism, fascism, and human’s violent mind made such a great combination called Holy war for all Asian people and their rights against white invaders. Such a nice title. All for Asian. In the name of Asian, and they actually killed a lot of Asians for one part of Asian country, their Japan.
Even before Hirohito became the 124th emperor, warlord. His father “Daisyo” already started the holy war against Korea, China, and Russia. Their people gave them a immortal belief, even some of them created a fake history tale, like, Japanese first emperor created the whole world. It’s pretty ridiculous story to all of us today, but in 20th centuries Japanese truly believed that non sense. Actually, at that time, what we call World war season today, almost everyone was mad at making their history and their title more brilliantly, so they can make the war’s name what they made more justice looking.
Even during the World war 1, even after he became a 124th emperor of Empire at 1926 spring, Japanese didn’t stop invading other nations, and does made tons of destroying. A lot of people died for fought against somebody’s holy blessed nation, and the great God, Emperor. Unfortunately, as you know already, to Japanese empire, Korea was a relationship like Jewish or Polish people with German Nazi. They took everything what they needed for war and keeping their colonies, from Korean. Man and woman, every stuff can work, money(crazy high tax for only Korean and Chinese). That’s all Hirohito and his modernized Japan did it to world.
Bunch of today’s historians says, ‘almost every behavior what Japanese and Japan did it to world at 20th centuries, that’s all for their father, their heart, their emperor, their god, the immortal Hirohito’.
That’s why after war, Japan gave up to allys, Hirohito decided to announce to all Japanese that he is not a god, he is just a normal human who is just 124th king of nation, Japan.


How has reading this book changed your opinion of a certain person or topic?

I actually know much about this guy. Because that’s all important part of our history. But I got how brutal he was from this book.

How has the book increased your interest in the subject matter?

This book increased my whole interests in our Asian history, especially in this dark side. When we think about that that’s just 60~70 years ago, it will be valuable for commemorate with others forever.