Difference between revisions of "Emperor Hirohito"
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| − | Accepting MacArthur's implicit bargain -- help me and I'll keep you from being tried as a war criminal -- Hirohito did his part to remake Japan along an American model, backing the new constitution, "renouncing" his divinity, and trying gamely to play the part of "Japan's first democrat." By the time his 62-year reign came to an end, Japan had risen like a Phoenix out of the postwar rubble to become one of the world's richest countries. It was in demonstrating this remarkable capacity for change that Hirohito truly became the living symbol of his people. <ref | + | Accepting MacArthur's implicit bargain -- help me and I'll keep you from being tried as a war criminal -- Hirohito did his part to remake Japan along an American model, backing the new constitution, "renouncing" his divinity, and trying gamely to play the part of "Japan's first democrat." By the time his 62-year reign came to an end, Japan had risen like a Phoenix out of the postwar rubble to become one of the world's richest countries. It was in demonstrating this remarkable capacity for change that Hirohito truly became the living symbol of his people. <ref>[http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/macarthur/peopleevents/pandeAMEX97.html Emperor Hirohito]</ref> |
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Revision as of 17:19, June 17, 2008
Hirohito (Shōwa, known as Tenno to his subjects) (Tokio, 1901 - 1989) Emperor of Japan from 1926 to 1989, the longest reign in Japanese history. During his period (Shōwa era) Japan went from a fairly rural country to one of the economic powers of the world. He was grandson of Emperor Meiji, and son of Emperor Taisho.
During the war against China (1931-32) and the invasion of Manchuria (in 1937) Japan took over other countries by force; in the Second World War, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japan and the United States got involved in war with the well known consequences. By the summer of 1945, some members of Japan’s government wanted to surrender.
On 15th August 1945, Hirohito announced the unconditional surrender.
Accepting MacArthur's implicit bargain -- help me and I'll keep you from being tried as a war criminal -- Hirohito did his part to remake Japan along an American model, backing the new constitution, "renouncing" his divinity, and trying gamely to play the part of "Japan's first democrat." By the time his 62-year reign came to an end, Japan had risen like a Phoenix out of the postwar rubble to become one of the world's richest countries. It was in demonstrating this remarkable capacity for change that Hirohito truly became the living symbol of his people. [1]
Hirohito married Princess Nagako Kuni. Akihito, their eldest son, is the current emperor of Japan.