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On August 15, 1945, with the announcement of Japan's unconditional surrender, the smoke of World War II finally dissipated. However, Japan's Emperor Hirohito, who played a key role in this long and brutal war, saved his life and position in the post-war trial.
This puzzling result is not only unacceptable to the mainland, but has even sparked questions and speculations around the world: why can this heinous war boss get away with the punishment he deserves?
And this, in fact, is to talk about the United States took over Japan after World War II, and the person sent by the United States to take over Japan is familiar to us, he is the famous "five-star general" of the United States in World War II - MacArthur.
1. The crimes of the royal family under the clouds of war
In the modern history of the mainland, the name of Emperor Hirohito is undoubtedly well-known, and he is closely related to the blood of countless martyrs and predecessors on the mainland. However, what is less known is that this seemingly high emperor actually planted the seeds of a future war of aggression from his youth.
Hirohito's education from an early age was far from ordinary. Under the influence of the royal family, he not only worshipped force, but also took conquest and expansion as a matter of course. This idea was fully embodied after his accession to the throne.
He quickly reshuffled the cabinet, pushed a group of militants to the pinnacle of power, and laid the groundwork for the future war of aggression against China and the Pacific War.
In 1931, a year destined to go down in history, Emperor Hirohito approved the "September 18 Incident" that shocked the world. This decision is like opening a Pandora's box, making the frenzy of the war of aggression against China out of control. The ensuing developments are even more chilling.
In 1937, Nanjing on the mainland was occupied by the Japanese army, and blood and haze shrouded the whole of Nanjing. With Hirohito's tacit consent and even covert instigation, the Japanese army committed heinous crimes in this ancient city, resulting in the brutal murder of more than 300,000 compatriots on the mainland. This horrific massacre has become one of the darkest chapters in the history of China and even mankind.
However, Hirohito's crimes did not stop there. At the behest of this emperor, the notorious Unit 731 came into being. In the name of "scientific research," this team is actually conducting heinous human experiments and bacteriological warfare research on the mainland. As a result, countless innocent lives on the mainland were turned into dust in this crazy "experiment", leaving only endless grief.
One might question whether Hirohito is just a puppet manipulated by the military department. However, the truth of history is quite the opposite. Throughout the war, Hirohito interacted frequently and closely with the top brass of the military department.
He not only understood the course of the war, but also personally participated in the formulation of many major decisions. These facts all show that Hirohito was not an innocent bystander, but one of the real masterminds of the catastrophe.
2. Panic and calculation after surrender
On August 15, 1945, World War II finally came to an end with the announcement of Japan's unconditional surrender. However, this was not good news for Emperor Hirohito.
The gloom of defeat loomed over the whole of Japan, and the prelude to the Tokyo trial slowly began. Batch after batch of Class A war criminals were brought to court to face justice.
When war criminal Hideki Tojo and others were sentenced to death by hanging, the whole of Japan fell into a panic. However, it is surprising that the name of Emperor Hirohito, one of the main planners of this war, never appears on the list of war criminals.
How did the emperor, who played such an important role in the war, escape justice? In fact, Hirohito's heart was already panicked at this time. He knows that the crimes he has committed are enough to save him from the consequences, so he must find a way to save his life and position.
In this critical moment, Hirohito thought of a risky but potentially effective solution: bribes in exchange for his own safety. He set his sights on the American General Douglas MacArthur, who was in control of the situation in Japan at the time. Hirohito understood that if he could get MacArthur's support, he could escape this fate.
As a result, Hirohito decided to sacrifice MacArthur a huge fortune at all costs, while promising to fully cooperate with American rule in Japan. This decision is undoubtedly dancing on the tip of the knife, and if he fails, he will be punished more severely. But Hirohito at the time had no choice.
3. A thrilling secret deal
Hirohito orchestrated a secret meeting. On an autumn afternoon, with unprecedented humility, he went to MacArthur's office in person. When the once-high emperor appeared in front of MacArthur, the latter could not help but be surprised.
Hirohito got straight to the point and directly expressed his demands. Not only did he promise a staggering amount of wealth, but more importantly, he expressed his willingness to cooperate fully with American rule in Japan. The proposal undoubtedly struck a nerve with MacArthur. As a shrewd politician, MacArthur immediately recognized the enormous value behind this proposal.
MacArthur knew that the emperor's position in the hearts of the Japanese people was irreplaceable. If Hirohito's influence could be used, it would greatly facilitate the rule of the United States over Japan. More importantly, the preservation of the emperor system could reassure the Japanese people to a certain extent and avoid possible social unrest.
After much deliberation, MacArthur finally agreed to Hirohito's request. But he also put forward his own conditions: Hirohito must cooperate with American propaganda and create an image of the emperor who is "blinded by the military department". This would not only exonerate Hirohito, but also provide legitimacy for American rule.
And just like that, a secret deal that changed the course of history was reached. MacArthur then began his "whitewashing" campaign. In his telegram to U.S. President Harry S. Truman, he cleverly portrayed Hirohito as a puppet manipulated by the military and emphasized the importance of preserving the emperor system in stabilizing Japan.
Fourth, the emperor's self-transformation
After successfully securing MacArthur's support, Emperor Hirohito did not rest on his laurels. He knew that if he wanted to completely get rid of the shadow of war criminals, it was not enough to rely on external forces. It also needed a complete overhaul of its image to adapt to the new situation in post-war Japan.
The first step in this process was the publication of the famous Human Declaration. In this statement that shocked the world, Hirohito openly denied his divinity. This move was tantamount to a huge earthquake for Japanese society.
For a long time, the emperor was regarded as a descendant of the gods and a symbol of the Japanese national spirit. Now, Hirohito has personally repudiated this tradition, which is not only a shock to Japanese culture.
The publication of the "Human Declaration" provoked a strong response from Japanese society. But it is undeniable that this move dramatically changed the world's perception of Hirohito. He is no longer the high, untouchable god, but a "man" who can recognize his own mistakes and is willing to change.
However, Hirohito's bribery did not stop there. In order to further consolidate its position, an even more striking decision was made: to hand over the results of the criminal Unit 731 experiment to the United States.
These "research results," which were exchanged for the lives of countless compatriots on the mainland, have become another bargaining chip between Hirohito and the United States.
In addition, it is rumored that he also privately sent MacArthur various treasures worth hundreds of millions of dollars and Japanese stars.
Through this orchestrated series of actions, Hirohito succeeded in creating a new image: a leader who had been blinded but now willing to repent, an important figure who could contribute to the reconstruction of post-war Japan.
This transformation not only helped him escape the punishment he deserved, but also paved the way for him to continue to play an important role in postwar Japan.
5. The Paradox of History: Escape and Legacy
Through a series of carefully planned actions, Emperor Hirohito finally succeeded in escaping war crimes trial. This result is undoubtedly one of the great paradoxes of history: a person who is responsible for countless lives is able to live the rest of his life unharmed.
Hirohito not only saved his own life, but also continued to rule Japan as emperor until his death in 1989.
This result has sparked a lot of controversy. The United States believed that the preservation of the emperor system would help maintain social stability in Japan and create favorable conditions for postwar reconstruction.
But there is no doubt that this approach is sorry for the tens of millions of Chinese people who died tragically at the hands of the Japanese army, and it cannot be recognized by the world, but it is very helpless, as the United States, which dominated the post-war order at that time, chose to shield Japanese criminals for its own selfish desires.
This move by the United States not only allowed Emperor Hirohito to escape punishment, but also provided an excuse for other war criminals to escape punishment, and to some extent hindered a deep reflection on war crimes in Japanese society.
The story of Emperor Hirohito's successful escape from trial by bribing MacArthur is undoubtedly one of the great stories in post-World War II history.
Although Hirohito escaped the law, his actions have been nailed to the pillar of shame in history forever.
The souls of those compatriots who lost their lives in the Nanjing Massacre, and the innocent people who were brutally experimented by Unit 731, will never be forgotten. Hirohito may have escaped the judgment of the world, but he could not escape the judgment of history and conscience, and all his evil deeds will be forever engraved on the pillar of shame in history!
As children of China, we must not forget history, forgetting history is a betrayal of our ancestors!
Resources:
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[1] Yang Xiuyun. On the War Responsibility of the Japanese Emperor in World War II[J].Journal of Xinyu High School,2005(03):38-40.
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