Showa: The Age of Hirohito

This is a very good book on the history of Hirohito, starting from before he was even born. The author of the book is one of the people that definitely believes that Hirohito took an active part in the planning and prosecution of the Japanese aggression, ranging from China on. Either he supported the activities, or he said nothing and let them take place.

The book has something I have not read anywhere else. After MacArthur got established in Japan, Hirohito came to him and was willing to take the blame for the war and to be arrested and prosecuted, perhaps even executed. That Hirohito was so open with him was one reason why MacArthur took him off the list of war criminals.

The book also includes the immediate post-war reconstruction, and later times right through the death of Hirohito. It's a very good book, well written and interesting.

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Japan main page
Japanese-American Internment Camps index page
Japan and World War II index page