Tatsuji Miyoshi Quotes

Although Emperor Hirohito had the status of a God, and his Prime Minister and Chief of the Military testified that they had never disobeyed the Emperor {587278}, there was a thorough attempt to whitewash the Emperor’s role—{587279}. Few Japanese, even years later would suggest that Hirohito might bear some personal responsibility. The Mayor was one of the few who made the statement of the obvious. He received 181 death threats and he was shot shortly thereafter by a right wing supporter of the Emperor’s.

Other war criminals had committed suicide in conformity with the Japanese custom. But Tojo stayed alive so that he could take the responsibility from the Emperor Herohito who many Americans wanted tried for his actions and inactions during the war. But Tojo made an error. At the beginning of his trial he testified that he always obeyed the Emperor even though he was the Prime Minister and the head of government. Therefore, the Emperor was guilty of those crimes he had discussed with Tojo and the cabinet. Later, he was persuaded to change his testimony and said that he led the country to war and the Emperor wanted peace, a statement that few believed. See {587278}. While the Emperor had committed war crimes General MacArthur believed that the Emperor left in place and unpunished would make it easier to govern Japan, than if he were tried and punished. However, he and his staff fabricated a report to exonerate the Emperor rather than make his recommendation to his superiors and the President so they could either accept his view or not. He was a unilateralist in the administrative sense of the word. See {587279} for additional material on the Emperor’s guilt.

none of a prosecutorial nature At the end of World War II, a major issue was whether to try the Japanese Emperor as a War Criminal. He had been the Commander and Chief of the Japanese Armed Forces, personally appointed virtually every military of civilian official of consequence—who served at his pleasure, had personally approved every major Japanese invasion (except some of the China incursions) and attack (including Pearl Harbor), personally allowed the execution of American captured prisoner of war flyers from the Doolittle raid on Tokyo, and was knowledgeable about most of the Japanese war crimes. However, General MacArthur thought him a stabilizing force in post-war Japan and never did a detailed investigation of his possible indictment. Instead he wrote this magnificently artfully worded telegram to General Eisenhower. MacArthur wanted to shock the Truman administration into allowing him to reduce the Emperor’s dictatorial powers but retain not only the monarchy but avoid indicting Hirohito. He succeeded, and there was no serious investigation of the Emperor as a possible war criminal despite many calls for Hirohito’s indictment from a few allied politicians {43748} and some American and allied veterans groups. Few could argue with the pragmatic result and the rehabilitation of Japan, but the justice of the decision—or lack thereof—has been debated since. See {43823}, {43824}, {603499}, {43831}, {603752}, {43841}, {601309}, {593777}, {43997}, {43999}, {594634}

The evidence pointed to the Emperor as being guilty of being responsible for war crimes. There were many who wanted to try the Emperor and if found guilty hang him. MacArthur was opposed to a trial for the Emperor as the practical consequence of a guilty verdict was too detrimental to his orderly occupation. The General’s view eventually prevailed, but only after material evidence and facts were withheld from Washington.

This vision, known as "The Third Rome" saw not only Moscow as the seat of Christianity for the world, but saw the Czar as the Head of the Christian unified Church. Constantinople had fallen to the Muslims and Rome to the Barbarians and the Pope had virtually no power at the time. Particularly interesting is his vision of transforming a civil Emperor to the head of the Church—one who was strong and wealthy enough to end the schism of the Eastern and Western Churches and command all. In this sense, he was following the Muslim concept of a single secular and religious, all powerful, leader—like the Caliph.

This testimony turned out to be a tactical error. The main purpose of Tojo was to protect Emperor Hirohito from responsibility for the war. See {587277}. But by admitting that he never disobeyed even the Emperor’s wishes, he made it clear that he had implemented the Emperor’s desired policies. Therefore, Hirohito must have been responsible. After this testimony there was some delay and he changed his testimony claiming that once he disobeyed the Emperor when he took the nation to war. Few believed this second version, but it was sufficient to keep Hirohito from being charged—which despite many calls for his trial, General MacArthur also did not want the Emperor brought to account as the institution was making the occupation of Japan very easy.

This and many other statements have been used to refute the allegation made by some that the Japanese Emperor and Commander in Chief had no influence and control over the military and thus was not responsible for any war crimes.

After the King’s appointment in 1921 she “advised” him on establishing this regime and operating the government. At a time that women could not even vote in England, Bell was a kingmaker and major power in an area of the world that was much more sexist than England at the time.

Actually, although the Emperor wanted to surrender, there was a military coup attempted to prevent his announcement being made to the Japanese people. Fortunately, it did not succeed, but he certainly had the alternative of fighting to the death. There were Japanese hard liners who believed that they could make the invasion of mainland Japan so costly in lives to the Allies that they could negotiate terms. The Atomic Bomb however, in the mind of the Emperor and other Japanese leaders rendered that strategy moot.

This speech to over 100,000 people galvanized the Indian nationalists They had been asking the British to change the constitution to give India more independence. Churchill was opposed to any policy that would diminish the British Empire, but needed the Indians as men of India served in the British Army in every major theater of WWII. So instead of saying "No" Churchill held out the possibility but at a later time. He argued that it was inopportune to alter the Constitution in the midst of a world war.

In one of the most unusual revolutions in world history, Brazil became independent from Portugal via a revolution led by the son of the Portuguese King and heir to the throne, Pedro I. The crown prince of Portugal, led Brazil in her breakaway from Portugal and by popular acclaim became Pedro I, Emperor of Brazil. He is probably the only monarch in history who was the heredity monarch of one kingdom and selected by popular acclaim to the throne of another.

Emperor Hirohito was never indicted at the behest of General MacArthur’s recommendations {605727}. Yet Bernard felt compelled to address the missing defendant’s guilt as did the English Judge {43999}

Allied calls for indictment of Emperor Hirohito. war crimes trials of Tojo and other Japanese leaders Senior officer responsible for investigating Japanese WWII war criminals. Fellers was the officer who had previously done the “research and investigation for his boss General Douglas MacArthur who had recommended no prosecution for the Emperor. See {605727}. Yonai was to get word to General Tojo and Admiral Shimada, already indicted as war criminals to minimize the role of the Emperor who had personally approved of Pearl Harbor and every major subsequent act of Japanese aggression. Shimada was “on board” but there were doubts about whether Tojo would go along with the deceptive exoneration of the Emperor.

At that point the Japanese were losing the war on every front. It is not clear whether Hirohito would actually have done such and not tried to escape in the end, however he certainly expected his subjects, military and civilian to do so. That expectation and the behavior of the Japanese troops fighting to the death on many islands was a powerful factor in leading Truman, Marshall and other key American leaders to use the Atomic Bomb. See Marshall: {641063}

The Emperor was writing to his son to explain the defeat of Japan. In what was a bit of revisionist history, the Emperor neglected to mention that with the exception of some of the incursions in China, Hirohito had personally approved every Japanese invasion including Pearl Harbor. Further, it was he who had approved the orders that Japanese troops should fight to the death rather than retreat or surrender.