AHC: Purge the Japanese Army of disobedient officers in the 30s

kvnrthr

OTL Japanese army was completely out of control, to put it lightly. Political assassinations, starting wars without authority, etc etc. It could have used a lot of cleaning, but would it have been possible?

Supposing the emperor gave such a purge (doesn't have to be executions, but could just include demotions, being kicked upstairs etc) loud and public support, would it have a good chance of succeeding? I can't think of any other politician or even army officer who can support such a thing without being assassinated themselves.

Also not sure if an extremely active and vocal Hirohito would be kind of ASB.
 
RMcD94

RMcD94

Seems pretty easy to me. The entourage who goes to Europe realises the importance of army control during Hirohito's Grand Tour. Hirohito also emerges from his shell on this visit and isn't so reserved/passive.

Besides in OTL they did purge a few times in response to coups or threats just not very aggressively. They also gave light sentencing and deliberately undermined their own authority.
 

ArtosStark

I am not an expert but my understanding is that the various clans and factions tended to protect their own. And they all were disobedient to some degree. It might be difficult to remove the troublemakers without removing entire branches of your military.
 
marathag

marathag

Banned
Hirohito: I understand you think yourselves to be the modern embodiment of the Samurai.

You Officers gathered here today have all failed in that, in not following my directives.

Since you considered yourselves to be honorable enough to be part of that glorious history, you can go out the same way.

New white robes and a blade provided to each of you.
Use them wisely.

Those not choosing that particular way of the warrior
will be publicly hung and body left to rot, and your family to two generations will be considered Burakumin, lowest of the low.
You have one last chance to retain a scrap of your honor.
 

Finbarr the Fair

marathag said:
Hirohito: I understand you think yourselves to be the modern embodiment of the Samurai.

You Officers gathered here today have all failed in that, in not following my directives.

Since you considered yourselves to be honorable enough to be part of that glorious history, you can go out the same way.

New white robes and a blade provided to each of you.
Use them wisely.

Those not choosing that particular way of the warrior
will be publicly hung and body left to rot, and your family to two generations will be considered Burakumin, lowest of the low.
You have one last chance to retain a scrap of your honor.
Click to expand...
At this point the army officers will take the Emperor into protective custody as he has clearly been misinformed and misled by traitors in the Palace staff. Who will be rooted out by the Loyal Army.

After new advisors have been selected the Emperor will go into seclusion under military guard. And the nation will be told what measures he has approved. A proxy (selected by the Army) can represent the Emperor at meetings of tbe Imperial Council.

Seriously, the Emperor was, if not exactly a figurehead , not in any sense the ruler of the nation.

ETA. I suspect your post was sarcasm, sorry for falling into the trap!

😀
 
marathag

marathag

Banned
Finbarr the Fair said:
Seriously, the Emperor was, if not exactly a figurehead , not in any sense the ruler of the nation.
Click to expand...
He had the power, but never chose to fully exercise it.
He could have been like Ming the Merciless, but going with the flow was so much easier.
He flexed a little power in 1936 February 26 Incident,where 19 ringleaders were executed, and 40 imprisoned. The Army's 'Imperial Way' faction got bobbed.
He could have gone far deeper in purging the Army
 

yulzari

Yes. The Japanese equivalent of a side room with a glass of whiskey and a loaded revolver with the expectation of doing the right thing.
 

kholieken

Banned
The problem is Radical in Japanese Army do have widespread support, both high among Imperial Family and among common citizens. When PM Inukai assassinated, during trial Court receive 100 000 letters written by blood voicing support. There are also other incidents where cheering masses give support to assassin.

Japanese Militarism is joint effort by government, military, and ordinary citizen. Pacifistic Myth that WW2 is sole responsibility of Military Officer, or Hirohito is mistake. Japanese population (like its counterpart in Germany and Italy) also bear responsibility for it.
 
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Sargon

Sargon

Donor
Monthly Donor
In one of my stories I have an attempted coup go wrong following various events. In the attempted takeover of government, which includes moves (as was done in the 2.26 Incident) to secure the Imperial Palace, the Empress is accidentally caught up in events and seriously wounded. Predictably this causes the usually placid Emperor to become absolutely furious and as control is regained an unprecedented radio broadcast is made such is his anger, to hunt down all such elements. This has the result that loyal Army units and the Navy crack down on the fanatics in their ranks, and sees large mobs of the population taking to the streets incensed by this slight to their sovereign and hunting down the remainder, leaving no safe place for them to hide in.

Thorough de-purging follows and it also results in the grip the Army and Navy ministers have on the Cabinet (they could threaten to resign and bring down the government to get their way, or just resign and bring it down if they couldn't) being removed.


Sargon
 
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