We, the Japanese People: World War II and the Origins of the Japanese ConstitutionThis is the definitive story of how the United States attempted to turn Japan into a democratic and peace-loving nation by drafting a new constitution for its former enemy--and then pretending that the Japanese had written it. Based on scores of interviews with participants in the process, as well as exhaustive research in Japanese and American records, the book explores in vivid detail the thinking and intentions behind the drafting of the constitution. Confusion and strife marked planning for the democratization of Japan, first in Washington, then in occupied Tokyo. Policy makers in the State, War, and Navy departments, the Joint Chiefs, and the White House contended bitterly over how to devise an "unconditional surrender" that would minimize Allied casualties while according the victor supreme authority over a soundly defeated Japan. By war's end, there were still no firm guidelines on a host of crucial issues, including how the Japanese system of government could be made acceptably democratic. The first months of occupation were chaotic, with General MacArthur organizing his staff around loyal followers and edging out experts sent from Washington. Hampered by a narrow interpretation of the terms of surrender and wishful thinking about Japanese compliance with American expectations, MacArthur set in motion a fiasco. Because of a translator's error, Prince Konoye, three-time Prime Minister of Japan, thought MacArthur had entrusted him with revising the Japanese constitution and assembled a staff of constitutional law experts and set to work. However, conservatives in the Japanese cabinet denounced his efforts and produced their own version, which MacArthur found unacceptable. MacArthur then secretly instructed his staff, with its very limited knowledge of either Japan or constitutional law, to draft a new Japanese constitution, which amazingly they did in a week's time. Expecting approval of its own draft, the Japanese cabinet was stunned when presented with a completely different American document. So unrelenting was the pressure exerted by MacArthur's officers that it was clear to members of the cabinet they had no choice but to adopt the American draft more or less intact, and publish it as their own. Because of the broad range of its meticulous research, the book will be a standard reference not only for students of Japanese history but also for legal scholars, diplomatic historians, and political scientists. |
Common terms and phrases
ABC 387 Japan Allied American atomic bomb Borton Byrnes CAD SWNCC Collection casualties Chiefs of Staff Civil Affairs Colonel Committee Constitution defeat Division Dooman draft Emperor enemy Eugene Dooman FMAD forces FRUS Germany Grew Harley Notter File Harriman Hilldring Hirohito HSTL Hull Ibid Imperial Intelligence interview by author invasion Japa Japan 15 Feb Japanese government Joint Chiefs July June Kyushu Lend-Lease MacArthur Manchuria Marshall McCloy meeting Meiji Constitution military government minutes of IDACFE naval Navy occupation Office Okinawa OPD ABC 384 OPD's operations Overseas Intell Pacific Pacific war peace Planners planning political postwar Potsdam Declaration President propaganda proposed psychological warfare Roosevelt SCAP Secretary Secretary of War Sept Soviet entry Soviet Union Stalin State's statement Stimson Stimson Diary Yale Stimson Papers strategic Throne troops Truman U.S. Department ultimatum unconditional surrender United V-E Day Washington Zacharias