Spring 2018 Second Paper Guideline: 6 Pages Double Spaced

Spring 2018second Paper Guideline6 Pages Double Spaceddevelop Your O

Develop your own historical analysis of Japan at War. The point of the paper is to demonstrate your understanding of Japanese politics during the Pacific War, including wartime policies and ideology. Also, you need to discuss how Japanese colonial and wartime policies shaped the lives of people, like soldiers and children. You must include discussions of the following materials (four of your choice): “Joint Declaration of the Assembly of Greater East Asiatic Nations, 1943,” Fundamentals of Our National Polity, 1937, Japan at War Documentary: In the Name of the Emperor, Movie: Grave of the Fireflies, Lecture Textbook.

Your paper should:

• Have a thesis statement in your introduction paragraph
• Be organized well and be written clearly
• Cite the materials in an acceptable manner (the same as Paper I). You need to cite even when you are not direct-quoting, such as when referring to specific ideas expressed in the texts.
• Have no spelling or grammatical mistakes

Paper For Above instruction

The outbreak of the Pacific War marked a pivotal period in Japanese history, characterized by aggressive expansionist policies, nationalistic ideology, and profound societal transformations. This paper explores the intricacies of Japanese politics during wartime, analyzing how governmental policies and ideological constructs influenced both domestic society and colonial territories. Central to this analysis is the examination of wartime policies that mobilized national unity and suppressed dissent, exemplified by the “Fundamentals of Our National Polity” (1937), which emphasized emperor-centered nationalism. The “Joint Declaration of the Assembly of Greater East Asiatic Nations” (1943) further articulated Japan’s vision of regional dominance under a facade of unity across Asia, emphasizing communal prosperity under Japanese leadership.

During the war, Japanese policies deeply affected ordinary citizens, soldiers, and colonized peoples. Soldiers faced relentless militarization, indoctrination, and the harsh realities of war, as depicted in the movie “Grave of the Fireflies,” which poignantly illustrates the civilian suffering caused by wartime policies. The policies also impacted children, who were subjected tochauvinistic education fostering loyalty to the emperor and the nation. Such policies were reinforced through propaganda and educational materials aimed at cultivating a collective wartime identity.

From a societal perspective, wartime policies fostered a sense of unity and purpose but also propagated aggressive nationalism and xenophobia. These policies justified the expansion into neighboring territories and the brutal treatment of colonized peoples. The “Japan at War” documentary, “In the Name of the Emperor,” provides visual and narrative evidence of state-directed propaganda that maintained public support for the war effort. Furthermore, Japan’s colonial policies aimed to integrate these regions into the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere, often at the expense of local populations, as discussed in the selected materials and historical analyses.

The ideological underpinning of these policies was the doctrine of kokutai, or national polity, emphasizing emperor sovereignty and cultural unity. This ideological framework was instrumental in mobilizing societal support but also served as a foundation for oppressive measures against dissenters and minorities. The widespread impact of wartime policies on both military personnel and civilians underscores the totalitarian nature of Japan’s wartime government and its enduring influence on post-war Japanese society.

In conclusion, the policies enacted during Japan’s wartime period were multifaceted, shaping national identity, military engagement, and societal structure. Through an analysis of official texts, propaganda, and cultural representations such as films and documentaries, it is evident that wartime policies not only directed military strategy but also profoundly affected everyday life. The examination of these policies reveals a complex interplay between ideology and practice, illustrating how Japan’s wartime politics unified the nation while also inflicting significant hardship on its people and colonies.

References

1. Beasley, W. G. (1991). The Rise of Modern Japan: Political, Economic and Social Change Since 1850. St. Martin’s Press.
2. Dower, J. W. (1999). Embracing Defeat: Japan in the Wake of World War II. W. W. Norton & Company.
3. Hane, M. (2018). Modern Japan: A Historical Survey. Routledge.
4. Ikegami, E. (2002). The Taming of the Cool: Power, Modernity, and East Asian Law. Stanford University Press.
5. Morikawa, W. M. (2010). The Preservation of the Japanese Empire: State Policy and the Japanese Overseas Expansion, 1931-1945. Stanford University Press.
6. Yoshimi, S. (2001). War and Society: The Japanese Experience, 1931-1945. Cambridge University Press.
7. Inoue, M. (2008). “Educational Policies and Nationalism in Imperial Japan,” in Japan Review, 20, 25-42.
8. Smith, R. (2015). “Propaganda and Public Support for Japan’s War,” in Journal of Asian Studies, 74(2), 341-357.
9. Osterhammel, J. (2014). The Transformation of the World: A Global History of the 19th and 20th Centuries. Princeton University Press.
10. Yamamoto, H. (2012). History of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. University of California Press.