Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan
Herbert P. Bix
Rave
Positive
Mixed
Pan
Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan
Herbert P. Bix
Rave
Positive
Mixed
Pan
Rave
Positive
Mixed
Pan
... important and provocative.
Bix’s Hirohito seems as contradictory as other versions of the man, but Bix does at least have a coherent line on his subject which doesn’t rely on demonic conspiracy theories. It is largely the line of the left: the Emperor as a leading agent of reaction against liberal tendencies in twentieth-century Japan. This is persuasive, as far as it goes.
In this provocative and disturbing work, [Bix] paints a far more complex portrait of Hirohito. Aided by newly available material from Japanese archives, Bix convincingly asserts that the emperor was deeply involved in most aspects of the Pacific war, from start to finish, and he voiced few objections to the most brutal outrages of his military. It is particularly disturbing to see how the cocoon of lies spun around Hirohito has been used by conservative and especially reactionary politicians in Japan to advance their nationalistic agenda. This book will undoubtedly cause a storm of controversy, especially in Japan. However, it is a vital contribution to an ongoing and critical debate..
... a rare achievement: a work that turns established knowledge upside down.
Bix penetrates decades of 'public opacity' to offer a stunning portrait of the controversial Japanese emperor.
... draws on an impressive array of fresh sources.