It is generally known that the Japanese military treated their POWs in the 2nd World War in a very cruel manner. During WWI the Japanese fought on the side of the British. The German POWs were treated quite well - many of them decided, they wanted to stay in Japan after the war. - Why the change of paradigm?
In the 19th century the West was the model - one researcher even said: Forget about Asia, follow the West. The same open-mindedness showed then crown-prince Hirohito when he was in Europe. - Japan faced an increasing population and was not able to increase the resources correspondingly. Therefore the imperialist strategy was devised (actually in imitation of the West). Japan had already occupied Taiwan and Korea.
To expand the empire, the military was expanded. A very severe inner discipline was maintained with every little mistake punished severely with punishment. In this line of brutalization the soldiers also were forced to beat and punish each other. Any opposition against this militarization was eliminated (the military had amongst others two prime ministers killed).
All Western values were ridiculed, the Japanese were portrayed as a master race. The Chinese were called chamorro as contemptuous term, meaning that they range with insects or in any case not human beings. This is why the attack on Manchuria and even more the Nanjing massacre were executed with unprecedented brutality.
The Allies didn't reckon with the Japanese army, but the German Reich did. On September 27, 1940 the Tripartite Pact between Japan, Italy and Germany was signed. Shortly after that Japan started to occupy Northern Indochina (Viet Nam). They launched the slogan "Asia for the Asians".
The USA did not accept this procedure and threatened to cancel the delivery of fuel. To prevent this, the Japanese military decided the surprise attack on Pearl Harbour.
The warfare in Asia was especially brutal, as surrender was not an option for the Japanese army. If they died for the divine emperor, the soldiers would have share in his divinity. Also in the US army the Japanese were dehumanised - prisoners were not taken. Even when a Japanese soldier had surrendered, he had no guarantee that his life was spared. In Life Magazine appeared a photo: a soldier had sent his girlfriend a skull of a Japanese soldier which all his comrades had signed.
Cannibalism was known in New Guinea, when the Japanese army was besieged there and they were forbidden to surrender.
On the island of Saipan many civilians committed suicide to prevent to be fall into the hands of the Americans.
March 10, 1945: Fire Storm in Tokyo.
On the island Tokashiki the civilians were urged to use kamikaze tactics against the US army.
North of Borneo (Sandakan): hunger march of allied POWs to a Japanese base, where they were killed later to conceal war crimes against POWs.
After the war, the emperor was not put on trial. His role in the militarization of Japan is still debated, but the allies kept him as symbol of continuity.
In the 19th century the West was the model - one researcher even said: Forget about Asia, follow the West. The same open-mindedness showed then crown-prince Hirohito when he was in Europe. - Japan faced an increasing population and was not able to increase the resources correspondingly. Therefore the imperialist strategy was devised (actually in imitation of the West). Japan had already occupied Taiwan and Korea.
To expand the empire, the military was expanded. A very severe inner discipline was maintained with every little mistake punished severely with punishment. In this line of brutalization the soldiers also were forced to beat and punish each other. Any opposition against this militarization was eliminated (the military had amongst others two prime ministers killed).
All Western values were ridiculed, the Japanese were portrayed as a master race. The Chinese were called chamorro as contemptuous term, meaning that they range with insects or in any case not human beings. This is why the attack on Manchuria and even more the Nanjing massacre were executed with unprecedented brutality.
The Allies didn't reckon with the Japanese army, but the German Reich did. On September 27, 1940 the Tripartite Pact between Japan, Italy and Germany was signed. Shortly after that Japan started to occupy Northern Indochina (Viet Nam). They launched the slogan "Asia for the Asians".
The USA did not accept this procedure and threatened to cancel the delivery of fuel. To prevent this, the Japanese military decided the surprise attack on Pearl Harbour.
The warfare in Asia was especially brutal, as surrender was not an option for the Japanese army. If they died for the divine emperor, the soldiers would have share in his divinity. Also in the US army the Japanese were dehumanised - prisoners were not taken. Even when a Japanese soldier had surrendered, he had no guarantee that his life was spared. In Life Magazine appeared a photo: a soldier had sent his girlfriend a skull of a Japanese soldier which all his comrades had signed.
Cannibalism was known in New Guinea, when the Japanese army was besieged there and they were forbidden to surrender.
On the island of Saipan many civilians committed suicide to prevent to be fall into the hands of the Americans.
March 10, 1945: Fire Storm in Tokyo.
On the island Tokashiki the civilians were urged to use kamikaze tactics against the US army.
North of Borneo (Sandakan): hunger march of allied POWs to a Japanese base, where they were killed later to conceal war crimes against POWs.
After the war, the emperor was not put on trial. His role in the militarization of Japan is still debated, but the allies kept him as symbol of continuity.
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