This paper will investigate the media portrayed and propaganda of how the emperor was presented as a driving force toward Japanese imperialism in Japan. The cry “for the emperor” persevered from the Meiji Restoration to WWII to continue to support the various shifting movements, militarism, and imperialism. The extent of the emperor’s influence and involvement during WWII was tested the most with Emperor Hirohito who lived during WWII and US Occupation.
The Japanese emperor was used as a source of conflict and concessions to both start and end wars and represented Japanese goals of becoming an imperialistic superpower on equal ground with others. Despite often not being the source of power the Emperor was viewed as an absolute monarch that stayed the same despite the shifts of power in the government from the Emperor ruled by the Tokugawa Shogun, Meiji by an oligarchy, Taisho by the liberal party and in Showa by Militarisms. The emperor reflected the …show more content…
Historians debate over whether Hirohito played a large part or not in the decision to join the war and later end it. Generally, current media perceptions agree that Emperors Hiroto sought the end of the war but most debate whether or not he supported it. At the time propaganda portrayed his support of the war and some continue to like the one by but newer evidence such as his self-bibliography portrayed him as wanting peace. While an article by the Japan times written by said Emperor Hirohito took a movement to end it sooner than the. Take different side using humanizing view of the once godly emperor to appeal to want for peace. Other practicality of to aid the war from Herbert Bix terming WWII as “Emperor Hirohito’s War”. Or taking the middle ground on the issue could have done more but due to the pressure of other governments. The true extent power is only clearly demonstrated when opposing
The Japanese emperor was used as a source of conflict and concessions to both start and end wars and represented Japanese goals of becoming an imperialistic superpower on equal ground with others. Despite often not being the source of power the Emperor was viewed as an absolute monarch that stayed the same despite the shifts of power in the government from the Emperor ruled by the Tokugawa Shogun, Meiji by an oligarchy, Taisho by the liberal party and in Showa by Militarisms. The emperor reflected the …show more content…
Historians debate over whether Hirohito played a large part or not in the decision to join the war and later end it. Generally, current media perceptions agree that Emperors Hiroto sought the end of the war but most debate whether or not he supported it. At the time propaganda portrayed his support of the war and some continue to like the one by but newer evidence such as his self-bibliography portrayed him as wanting peace. While an article by the Japan times written by said Emperor Hirohito took a movement to end it sooner than the. Take different side using humanizing view of the once godly emperor to appeal to want for peace. Other practicality of to aid the war from Herbert Bix terming WWII as “Emperor Hirohito’s War”. Or taking the middle ground on the issue could have done more but due to the pressure of other governments. The true extent power is only clearly demonstrated when opposing