Geopolitics, not remorse, the reason US rebuilt Japan
Historians are still debating whether or not the United States was justified in dropping two atomic weapons on Japan.
However, in “History shows a contrite US after it bombed Japan” (May 25, online), the writer is mistaken to assume that the US decided to rebuild Japan out of remorse.
Most historians agree that the Allied occupation of Japan was largely divided into three phases. The first, from the end of the war until 1947, was aimed at punishing and reforming Japan so that it would never wage war again.
In this phase, the Allies held war crime trials, dismantled the Japanese military and large business conglomerates, had land reforms and barred former military officers from gaining political leadership in the government.
The second phase, from 1947 to 1950, was termed the “reverse course”. The US elected to rebuild the Japanese economy because of an economic crisis in Japan. The Americans were afraid that the communists might take over in Japan.
This fear was amplified by the communist takeover of China in 1949 and the spread of communism throughout the world. The US feared that if Japan’s economy was not rehabilitated, East Asia would be lost.
The final phase, from 1950 to 1952, was when peace treaties were signed, and it brought the end of the occupation.
It is evident that the reasons for rehabilitating Japan were geopolitical and not, as the writer has argued, remorse for dropping the atomic weapons.
