We, the Japanese People: World War II and the Origins of the Japanese Constitution (2 Volume Set)

432 Pages·2002·33.392 MB·English

by  Dale Hellegers

~ Japanes¢
World War IT and
the Origins —
of the fapanese
OOTY
DALE M. HELLEGERS
“In this comprehensive account of U.S. wartime
planning for a defeated Japan and the drafting
of a new Japanese constitution, the author
traces the activities of the official agencies,
organizations, and individuals involved in both
processes. Her book conveys the human confu-
sion, uncertainty, ambiguity, and conflict that
are often left out of more analytical treatments.
This is a first-rate historical case study of policy
making.”
Peter Duus, Stanford University
his 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 partici-
pants 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 constitu-
tion.
Confusion and strife marked planning for
the democratization of Japan, first in Washing-
ton, then in occupied Tokyo. Policy makers in
the State, War, and Navy departments, the Joint
Chiefs, and the White House contended bit-
terly over how to devise an “unconditional
surrender” that would minimize Allied casual-
ties and give the victor supreme authority over
a soundly defeated Japan. By war’s end, there
were still no firm guidelines on such crucial

Jap anese
Wes heV eopie
Wey
7

:
’ :
”
;
— .
—
7 oe
2
= a oI
7
.a ‘a ene ’ = -
- ro7
r

; : worries p24 eee
-eHOd-2 7 ;
‘
i ‘ _
’ . :

t =
i
a v
e 7
lee _ t > a
. ft

:
, fl
:
‘

7
a 2

a ™ : /F
Le 7

e nee ia
ooaoe|oeottwe SP) ea,a *
Japp anese
World War II and
the Origins
of the fapanese
Constitution
DALE M. HELLEGERS
VOLUME ONE @&@ WASHINGTON
Stanford University Press
Stanford, California
2001
Stanford University Press
Stanford, California
© 2002 Dale M. Hellegers
Printed in the United States of America on acid-free, archival-quality paper.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Hellegers, Dale M.
We, the Japanese people : World War II and the origins of the Japanese constitution /
Dale M. Hellegers.
p: cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-8047-3454-2
1. World War, 1939-1945—Armistices. 2. World War, 1939-1945—Japan. 3. Japan—
History—Allied occupation, 1945-1952. 4. Constitutions—Japan. I. Title.
D813.J3 H45 2001
940.53 144’0952—dc21
2001042977
Original printing 2001
Last figure below indicates year of this printing:
10 09 08 07 06 05 04 03 02 O1
Designed and typeset by Princeton Editorial Associates, Inc., Scottsdale, Arizona
To the memory of my father, Lieutenant Jay C. Moss,
who fought the war but never knew the peace
a % alabis eo
” sone vem varias sae
?
t rt i _
"9
7
~
on
i Soe an) >
a “~-
anne | ee— é
: i
7
= 2 " aes
ze - >
2 he
: < : ° ASrw re h Lie a im a9
Arar sail : (ee )2h-at ©
'su s
ae
7 af Tes. Puy Aiienn ate?
ad
u 7 : a
» dt :
wr
i ha [a
~ “ oe ia