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Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan

Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan

Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan
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Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan

by Bix, Herbert P

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Condition
New
ISBN 10
0062560514
ISBN 13
9780062560513
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About This Item

Harper Perennial. New. Special order direct from the distributor

Synopsis

Winner of the Pulitzer PrizeIn this groundbreaking biography of the Japanese emperor Hirohito, Herbert P. Bix offers the first complete, unvarnished look at the enigmatic leader whose sixty-three-year reign ushered Japan into the modern world. Never before has the full life of this controversial figure been revealed with such clarity and vividness. Bix shows what it was like to be trained from birth for a lone position at the apex of the nation's political hierarchy and as a revered symbol of divine status. Influenced by an unusual combination of the Japanese imperial tradition and a modern scientific worldview, the young emperor gradually evolves into his preeminent role, aligning himself with the growing ultranationalist movement, perpetuating a cult of religious emperor worship, resisting attempts to curb his power, and all the while burnishing his image as a reluctant, passive monarch. Here we see Hirohito as he truly was: a man of strong will and real authority.Supported by a vast array of previously untapped primary documents, Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan is perhaps most illuminating in lifting the veil on the mythology surrounding the emperor's impact on the world stage. Focusing closely on Hirohito's interactions with his advisers and successive Japanese governments, Bix sheds new light on the causes of the China War in 1937 and the start of the Asia-Pacific War in 1941. And while conventional wisdom has had it that the nation's increasing foreign aggression was driven and maintained not by the emperor but by an elite group of Japanese militarists, the reality, as witnessed here, is quite different. Bix documents in detail the strong, decisive role Hirohito played in wartime operations, from the takeover of Manchuria in 1931 through the attack on Pearl Harbor and ultimately the fateful decision in 1945 to accede to an unconditional surrender. In fact, the emperor stubbornly prolonged the war effort and then used the horrifying bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, together with the Soviet entrance into the war, as his exit strategy from a no-win situation. From the moment of capitulation, we see how American and Japanese leaders moved to justify the retention of Hirohito as emperor by whitewashing his wartime role and reshaping the historical consciousness of the Japanese people. The key to this strategy was Hirohito's alliance with General MacArthur, who helped him maintain his stature and shed his militaristic image, while MacArthur used the emperor as a figurehead to assist him in converting Japan into a peaceful nation. Their partnership ensured that the emperor's image would loom large over the postwar years and later decades, as Japan began to make its way in the modern age and struggled -- as it still does -- to come to terms with its past.Until the very end of a career that embodied the conflicting aims of Japan's development as a nation, Hirohito remained preoccupied with politics and with his place in history. Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan provides the definitive account of his rich life and legacy. Meticulously researched and utterly engaging, this book is proof that the history of twentieth-century Japan cannot be understood apart from the life of its most remarkable and enduring leader.

Reviews

On Jun 15 2011, TheObservatory said:
A very knowledgeable collector asked me to find a copy of this book for him, as his field is Japan before and just after World War II. He was extremely pleased with the copy I found as it is in Fine condition with Fine dust jacket.Thanks to the dealer for this copy!Dee

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Details

Bookseller
Russell Books Ltd CA (CA)
Bookseller's Inventory #
ING9780062560513
Title
Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan
Author
Bix, Herbert P
Book Condition
New New
Quantity Available
14
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10
0062560514
ISBN 13
9780062560513
Publisher
Harper Perennial
This edition first published
2016-09

Terms of Sale

Russell Books Ltd

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About the Seller

Russell Books Ltd

Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Biblio member since 2006
Victoria, British Columbia

About Russell Books Ltd

Family owned and operated since 1961. Located in Downtown Victoria selling new, used, and remainder titles in all categories. We also have an extensive selection of Journals, cards and calendars.

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