Topic+A-19+Show+how+defeat+affected+political+and+civic+life+in+Japan;+and+to+give+examples+of+ways+in+which+Japan+changed+under+U.S.+occupation

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 * Topic 19 Wikispace **

[|Japan during WWII video]

= = =__**Postwar Japan and Serious Damage**__ =
 * ~ In war, Japan loses ? people and severe damage to many ?.**

After Japan’s defeat in WWII, it left the country in ruins. The major industries and transportation networks were severely damaged. Two million lives were lost and Tokyo, and many other cities, had been largely destroyed (Hersey). The atomic bombs that the U.S. dropped left Hiroshima and Nagasaki into blackened wastelands. The United States gave Japan an option to surrender, but when they did not, the U.S. was forced to drop a nuclear bomb on Nagasaki. This nuclear bombing was one of the last uses of nuclear warfare for the 20th century (Hersey). 

Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki video

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=**__Occupied Japan__** =
 * ~ ? takes charge of U.S. occupation of Japan.**
 * ~ Explain the process of demilitarization in Japan.**
 * ~ The Japanese people adopt a new ? in 1947.**
 * ~ MacArthur puts ?** **reforms in place.**

After defeats suffered in World War II to Japan, it left many cities in ruins and about two million people dead. Eleven allied forces compromised the council of Allied forces that were to be in charge of Japan’s military occupation, but since the United States was the greatest leader in the war, America took responsibility for it (Korvessis). General Douglas MacArthur took charge of the U.S. occupation in Japan. MacArthur was determined to be fair and not to give Japan cause for more war against the U.S. To ensure peace, MacArthur began the process of demilitarization. To execute this, MacArthur had to disband the Japanese armed forces. He achieved this quickly, leaving the Japanese with only a small police force. MacArthur also began bringing war criminals to trial. Out of the 25 surviving defendants, former Premier Hideki Tojo and six others were condemned to hang (Beck 516).

On May 3, 1947, Japan’s new constitution went into effect. When MacArthur took charge of the U.S. occupation, he and his political advisors were told not to revive the Japanese economy, but to broaden land ownership and increase the participation of workers and farmers (Beck 516). This constitution changed Japan into a constitutional monarchy, like that of Great Britain. MacArthur called this process of creating a government elected by people, democratization. In this new democracy, MacArthur put forward a plan that required absentee landlords with huge estates to sell land to the government. The government then sold the land to tenant farmers at reasonable prices. Other reforms that he supported were the creation of labor unions (Beck 516).

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=__**Occupation Brings Deep Changes and the Changing Japanese Society**__ =
 * ~ Emperor kept on, but he ? power and becomes a ?.**
 * ~ Japanese people elect a legislature called the ?.**
 * ~ List the freedoms guarenteed by Japan's Bill of Rights.**
 * ~ According to Japan's Constitution, what are they not allowed to do?**
 * ~ In 1951, a peace treaty with Japan is signed; U.S. occupation ?.**
 * ~** **Japan and ? become allies.**

In 1946, after the new constitution was put into place in Japan, their emperor, Hirohito, decreased in power and became a symbol. Because of this new constitution, he had to declare that he was not divine. The action of Hirohito actually giving up most of his power shocked Japanese citizens, for they also believed that he was divine and that his will was the law. This shift of power ended over a thousand years of Japanese tradition. In 1947, the Japanese people elected a two house legislature called the Diet. The Diet chose the prime minister who led the new government. In addition to the new constitution, there was also a Bill of Rights made. This Bill of RIghts protects the basic freedoms (speech, religion, press, assembly, etc.) of individuals. The most talked about article in the Bill of Rights was Article 9 which stated that the Japanese could no longer take war (make the first call in war). They could only fight if the were fought at first.

The Japanese constitution was drafted by General Douglas MacArthurs' staff. It was originally drafted in 1946, creating a democratic nation. In August of 1945 the Japanese surrendered to the Allies, and General Douglas MacArthur ordered for Japan to be demilitarized, and democratized. Another Japanese and American document was the Japan Security Treaty, officially known as the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security Between Japan and the United States of America. The first attempt for a Japanese and American treaty was put in to effect in 1951, ending U.S. occupation. Later in 1957 though the Japanese wanted to revise the treaty, to say that since they could not defend themselves, since they could not have a military, that the U.S. would have to do so. Thus an alliance between the two was born.




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= = =__Citations__ =

Beck, Roger B., Linda Black, Larry S. Krieger, Phillip C. Naylor, and Dahia Ibo Shabaka. Europe and Japan in Ruins. United States of America: McDougal Littell, 2005. Print.

"Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki." //History Channel//. Web. 11 May 2011. [].

Eldridge, Robert D. "United States-Japan Security" // Encyclopedia of Modern Asia. // Ed. Karen Christensen and David Levinson. Vol. 6. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2002. 33. //Gale Virtual Reference Library.// Web. 6 May. 2011.

Hersey, John, Chappell, Warren, and Rosenwald, Edith. //Hiroshima//. New York: A. A. Knopf, 1946. Print. May 6 2011.

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">"Japan During WWII." School Tube. Web. 6 MAy 2011. []

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Kohn, George Childs. "Japanese Constitution of 1946." //Dictionary of Historic// <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">//Documents, Revised Edition//. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2003. //Modern World History Online//. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp? ItemID=WE53&iPin=HISDC1096&SingleRecord=True (accessed May 6, 2011).

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Korovessis, Despina. "Shizuko's Daughter." LIterature and Its Times Supplement 1: Profiles of 300 NOtable Literary WOrks and the Historical Events that INfluenced Them. JOyce Moss. Vol. 2: The Great Depression and the New Deal to Future Times (1930s - ). Detroit: Gale, 2003. 409-419. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 4 May 2011.

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Lippman, David H. "U.S. occupation of Japan." In Ackermann, Marsha E., Michael Schroeder, Janice J. Terry, Jiu-Hwa Lo Upshur, and Mark F. Whitters, eds. //Encyclopedia of World History: Crisis and Achievement, 1900 to 1950//, vol. 5. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. //Modern World History Online//. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp? ItemID=WE53&iPin=WHV129&SingleRecord=True (accessed May 5, 2011).

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Moore, Ray A. "Constitution, Japan-Postwar." // Encyclopedia of Modern Asia. // Ed. Karen Christensen and David Levinson. Vol. 2. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2002. 167-169. //Gale Virtual Reference Library.// Web. 6 May. 2011.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Stokes, Brian. "Japan, from World War II." //Encyclopedia of Western Colonialism since 1450//. Ed. Thomas Benjamin. Vol. 2. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2007. 665- 667. //Gale Virtual Reference Library//. Web. 6 May. 2011.

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