Hirohito-(1901-1989)-Ruler of Japan
On December 7, 1941 Japan attacked Pearl Harbor ruining American ships and killing many American lives. A few years later after this event, I met with Hirohito ruler of Japan, in an important interview to discuss the events. Hirohito said that he feared America would attack Japan first. He felt that the best way to prevent this from happening was to send ships to attack Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. There were many American ships destroyed during this attack, which made America lose a lot of money.
I asked Hirohito to describe the events happening in Japan prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor. Hirohito said that in 1931, Japan seized Manchuria, China, for their coal and iron supply. In 1937 Japan also attacked Korea and French Indo-China (Vietnam). Hirohito said that China had given his country many things to help create war supplies and start oversea empires.
There were many consequences that Japan faced after they bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Hirohito said that on the next day, December 8, 1941, the United States declared war on Japan and entered into World War II. Hirohito felt that even if his country hadn’t attacked Pearl Harbor that the United States would have declared war on Japan, anyway. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, America feared that many Japanese-Americans were spies for Japan so the United States set up the Wartime Relocation Agency. This agency made all Japanese-Americans sell their businesses and homes and to move into barracks. When I asked Hirohito how he felt about this situation he said that America was discriminating the Japanese and didn’t have the right to say that all Japanese-Americans are spies for Japan. He feels that Japanese-Americans didn’t deserve to be put into labor camps.
On August 6, 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. The United States use of the atomic bombs as a weapon was the biggest consequence Japan faced after bombing Pearl Harbor. When I asked Hirohito about how he felt after this he said Americans were clueless to think that an atomic bomb would make Japan surrender to the Allied Powers. When the second atomic bomb was dropped on August 9, 1945 in Nagasaki, Japan, Hirohito wasn’t very happy. He didn’t want another city in Japan to be bombed so he felt that Japan had to surrender. Japan surrendered on August 14, 1945. This day became known as V-J Day.
When I asked Hirohito about what role Japan had in World War II he said that Japan was together with Germany and Italy as part of the Axis Powers. Hirohito felt that Japan was one of the superior countries that should have more land. Japan seized Manchuria, Korea, French Indo-China (Vietnam), Guam, Wake Island, Hong Kong, Malaya, Burma and the Dutch East Indies. Hirohito said that he had defeated the American and Filipino forces in the Philippines in 1942. Following this defeat, Hirohito felt that the American and Filipino soldiers had to do work for the Japanese so he made them walk the Bataan Death March. During this death march United States and Filipino soldiers were forced to march 100 miles with little food and water and no breaks. Hirohito felt this was a good punishment for the soldiers. ~Allie Libman
I asked Hirohito to describe the events happening in Japan prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor. Hirohito said that in 1931, Japan seized Manchuria, China, for their coal and iron supply. In 1937 Japan also attacked Korea and French Indo-China (Vietnam). Hirohito said that China had given his country many things to help create war supplies and start oversea empires.
There were many consequences that Japan faced after they bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Hirohito said that on the next day, December 8, 1941, the United States declared war on Japan and entered into World War II. Hirohito felt that even if his country hadn’t attacked Pearl Harbor that the United States would have declared war on Japan, anyway. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, America feared that many Japanese-Americans were spies for Japan so the United States set up the Wartime Relocation Agency. This agency made all Japanese-Americans sell their businesses and homes and to move into barracks. When I asked Hirohito how he felt about this situation he said that America was discriminating the Japanese and didn’t have the right to say that all Japanese-Americans are spies for Japan. He feels that Japanese-Americans didn’t deserve to be put into labor camps.
On August 6, 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. The United States use of the atomic bombs as a weapon was the biggest consequence Japan faced after bombing Pearl Harbor. When I asked Hirohito about how he felt after this he said Americans were clueless to think that an atomic bomb would make Japan surrender to the Allied Powers. When the second atomic bomb was dropped on August 9, 1945 in Nagasaki, Japan, Hirohito wasn’t very happy. He didn’t want another city in Japan to be bombed so he felt that Japan had to surrender. Japan surrendered on August 14, 1945. This day became known as V-J Day.
When I asked Hirohito about what role Japan had in World War II he said that Japan was together with Germany and Italy as part of the Axis Powers. Hirohito felt that Japan was one of the superior countries that should have more land. Japan seized Manchuria, Korea, French Indo-China (Vietnam), Guam, Wake Island, Hong Kong, Malaya, Burma and the Dutch East Indies. Hirohito said that he had defeated the American and Filipino forces in the Philippines in 1942. Following this defeat, Hirohito felt that the American and Filipino soldiers had to do work for the Japanese so he made them walk the Bataan Death March. During this death march United States and Filipino soldiers were forced to march 100 miles with little food and water and no breaks. Hirohito felt this was a good punishment for the soldiers. ~Allie Libman