The Japanese Invasion of China

Why did they lose their humanity? This is the most important question in this war. If we do not know the answer to this, the war will never truly end.

Education

Children were instilled with the idea that national interests come first, or that the individual exists for the nation. Textbooks referred to loyalty to the Emperor, obedience to the state, and the sacrifice of personal interests as collective honor, and admired the actions of war. Heroes died in battle and for their country. So most teenagers in Japan at that time wanted to grow up quickly for the honor of their motherland and become great Japanese citizens. These ideas were only in textbooks and commonly found in children's books.

Media

The media was completely controlled by the government to change public sentiment. Any message in newspapers, radio, or other outlets had to depict the act of invasion as East Asian co-prosperity, national defense, or other positive things. All media reports had to undergo strict review. The media used inflammatory text to emphasize that the war was a national honor and a civic duty.

Ideology

The Japanese government emphasized the ideology called Kokutai. It means:

• Every Japanese person was first and foremost a part of the country and had to serve the national interest.
• The Emperor held a sacred and inviolable status, to whom unconditional loyalty was owed.
• Sacrifice on the front lines was touted as the highest honor, embodying "loyalty to the nation".

Stability maintenance

Silencing and suppressing critics or those who did not support the government resulted in virtually no public opposition to the war within the country. There was a law in Japan called the Peace Preservation Law, from 1925 to the end of the Second World War. It prohibited organizing groups aimed at altering Japan's Kokutai or promoting socialist or communist ideologies. It labeled numerous political ideas and statements as endangering national stability and authorized police to arrest or punish those involved. During this period, tens of thousands were detained for issues related to their beliefs and associations.

Kamikaze

Kamikaze means “divine wind,” derived from the historical legend of a “wind sent from heaven” that saved Japan from Mongol invasion. This was a unit formed at the end of the Second World War. As the strength of the Japanese military declined, they used this unit to carry out suicide attacks. Their suicide was interpreted as bushido. The government redefined death for them to help overcome the fear of dying. Many team members expressed their fear of death in letters to their families, so the survival instinct had not truly been eliminated.

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So, I want to use this to emphasize the importance of independent and critical thinking. Goodbye, see you next time.