JAPAN

#26
Naylork.weebly.com
Explain the role of the United States in the rebuilding of Japan after WWII.
WW2 Videos
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNgU_CRWnRU - kid history
 Pearl Harbor
• On December 7, 1941 Japanese
forces attacked the US Naval base,
Pearl Harbor, located in Honolulu,
Hawaii.
• Hundreds of Japanese fighter
planes descended on the base
• Destroyed or damaged American naval
vessels and over 300 airplanes
• More than 2,400 Americans died in the
attack, including civilians, and another 1,000
people were wounded.
• The day after the assault, President
Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Congress
to declare war on Japan.
http://abc13.com/society/this-day-in-
history-pearl-harbor-attacked/1642628/
Allies
• Great Britain
• USA
• China
• Soviet Union
(USSR)

Axis
• Germany
• Italy
• Japan
 Background WWII
• The Pacific battles between the Axis and Allied
Powers were very bloody.
• The Allied Powers used an Island Hopping technique
to take over islands and get closer to Japan.
• Kamikaze Pilots-Japanese pilots in World War II who
deliberately crashed their airplanes onto enemy ships
• Hitler surrenders (May 7, 1945) but Hirohito
doesn’t
• https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/world-war-
ii-history
 Decision to drop
the bomb….
United States believed
• Americans were suffering many
casualties , Japanese were showing
no signs of possible negotiation.
• If the United States dropped the
atomic bomb, surrender and peace
would probably occur.
• Americans viewed Hirohito as a
symbol of military aggression
Japan believed…
• Japan is willing to fight to the
bitter end as an underdog.
• Emperor Hirohito was totally
against unconditional surrender.
• Unconditional surrender was
destruction of “divine” monarchy.
The Atomic Bombs
Hiroshima • August 6th 1945, 8:15 AM, “The Little
Boy” was dropped over the center of
Hiroshima
• It exploded about 2,000 ft. above the
city and had a blast the equivalent to
13 kilotons of TNT.
• Due to radiation, approximately
152,437 additional people have died.
The Atomic Bombs
Nagasaki
• August 9th 1945, 11:02 AM “The Fat Man”
was dropped over Nagasaki
• It detonated in the air above the city,
making it far worse.
• An area of about 5 square miles was
destroyed.
• Nearly 65,000 people were immediate
casualties.
Hiroshima Nagasaki
HTTPS://WWW.
YOUTUBE.CO
M/WATCH?V=J
L4KQFXG2KU
 Surrender
•After the atomic bombs
Hirohito (Japan’s
Emperor) surrendered
on August 15th &
formally signed on
September 2nd.
 Aftermath
The roof had been
completely blown off our
building. I peered up at the
sky. The walls were also
destroyed – as were the
houses that surrounded the
factory – revealing a dead
open space. -MASAKATSU
OBATA, Nagasaki
Aftermath link- choose 3
• http://time.com/after-the-bomb/
 Rebuilding
• - After Japan’s surrender, Japan’s
economy and government were
devastated.
• - Industries and farms were destroyed.
• - The country’s infrastructure
(transportation, communication,
sewage, water, and electric
systems) was demolished.
 Occupation
• The US had a plan to occupy and
rebuild Japan in a way that
would guarantee the country
would not pose a military threat
to others in the future.
• General Douglas MacArthur was
sent to oversee Japan’s
restoration.
• The US occupied Japan from
1945 to 1952.
 New Government- 1947
• Japan’s military was disbanded and all weapons
factories closed.
• Japanese government and military leaders were
brought to trial and punished.
• Japan established a constitutional monarchy in
order to keep the emperor’s role in the country’s
culture.
• General MacArthur wrote the Japanese
Constitution. It is considered one of the most
democratic documents in the world today.
• Japanese citizens were granted many of the
same rights as American citizens.
•General McArthur
(USA) & Emperor
Hirohito (Japan)
1957
•Japan is granted membership
into the United Nations
Economy
• The US offered financial support to help kick start Japan’s
economy after WWII.

• This money coupled with a strong Japanese work ethic led to

a boom in Japan’s economic growth.

• Japan leans towards a market economy, which motivates

its citizens to develop new ideas and expand businesses.
Japan Today
•Today Japan has one of the most powerful
industrialized economies in the world. Like the
U.S., Japan encourages a market economy
which motivates people to develop new ideas
and expand businesses.
Complete the short answer
question on the back…