WI:Hirohito refuses to renounce his divinity?
- Thread starter Parmenion
- Start date
I wonder how the Japanese people react to that. It'd be funny if they let him back in as soon as the occupation was over.
I mean I'd the emperor refuses to renounce divinity, there wouldn't have been an end to the war then. I may be wrong but I believe a sidelining of the monarchy was part of the deal.
No deal means the war goes on, which means Japan bleeds more. More bleeding means more cynicism towards those in charge. Whether or not that gets on the emperor's image is something different, but I still think the public would be able to accept it.
You'd still see far right fanatics as in OTL, possibly a bit worse, but things would settle into the same pattern, I believe.
The one caveat I can make is that perhaps a harsher stance on the monarchy also means a harsher stance on the pre-war right (IE Kishi and others who were quite right wing but played along with the Americans)
No deal means the war goes on, which means Japan bleeds more. More bleeding means more cynicism towards those in charge. Whether or not that gets on the emperor's image is something different, but I still think the public would be able to accept it.
You'd still see far right fanatics as in OTL, possibly a bit worse, but things would settle into the same pattern, I believe.
The one caveat I can make is that perhaps a harsher stance on the monarchy also means a harsher stance on the pre-war right (IE Kishi and others who were quite right wing but played along with the Americans)
Not quite, the war was over and done with when they told him to do it. The occupation was already well underway, there wasn't really an IJA left to fight.
kholieken
Banned
Also Emperor of Japan is STILL claims of divine descent. For Japanese "renouncing of divinity" is less important than westerner think.
Emperor had replaced/retired before. I think new era name for post-war is better for japanese people. 7-year old boy emperor could be sign of new better era for post-war japan.
Emperor had replaced/retired before. I think new era name for post-war is better for japanese people. 7-year old boy emperor could be sign of new better era for post-war japan.
Japanese Republic...
Hm I do wonder what will happen , as most of the republicans iirc were basically left leaning I'm not sure
Hm I do wonder what will happen , as most of the republicans iirc were basically left leaning I'm not sure
I agree, Hirohito would probably be pushed to abdicate. A lot of Japanese politicians were already planning for that, and most Americans were assuming he'd abdicate if not be executed.
"The Emperor's denial of his own "divinity," in an Imperial Rescript on January 1, 1946, created hardly a stir in Japan, because the Japanese, lacking our concept of "divinity" never had believed him to be "divine" as we use the term." Edwin O. Resichauer, *The United States and Japan,* p. 263 (fifth edition)
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Got replace with someone else who will lead the Country but may triggered revolted by veterans and civilian
EDITED: Allies occupation of Japan might have a hard time to control the country with mass revolts and likely disdain with the Americans for removing their Emperor in-power
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If his successor was another member of the royal family, I don't see revolts happening. Abdications had ancient precedent.
Well I could see the perspective of the Japanese people seeing the new emperor as a puppet for the Allies occupiers
From The Clash: U.S.-Japanese Relations Throughout History p262
...The new relationship [postwar US-Japan] was neatly defined some years later when an irreverent Senator William Fullbright (D:AR) quizzed diplomat John Foster Dulles behind closed doors:
The Chairman [Tom Connally, D:TX]: You say the Emperor calls on MacArthur but MacArthur never calls on him?
Mr Dulles: This is right...
Senator Fulbright: Does that prove, you say, the Emperor is no longer regarded as God?
Mr Dulles: Yes.
Senator Fulbright: What does it prove about MacArthur?
Mr Dulles:... I evoke my constitutional privilege.
My gut reaction is he goes on trial and soon thereafter meets an incompetent American Hangman.
I think it's more likely he formally abdicates and retires to a simple monastic life on an small outlying Japanese island... specifically, perhaps, to Okinawa (please ignore the American military base around him).
I think it would be easier for the occupation to work with an Emperor who was still seen as divine.
Sell it to Americans as making the occupation easy with a god on our side.
I am inclined to opine otherwise. The American hangman assigned to work in Japan, First Lieutenant Charles Rexroad, was quite competent (unlike the bungling John C. Woods of Nuremberg infamy). Rexroad had trained to act as a hangman while serving in San Quentin as a guard before the war, then assisted at several hangings under a professional Australian civilian executioner before being allowed to operate on his own. When assigned to Japan, Rexroad decided to adopt a Japanese style (*) noose he found at Sugamo Prison which was highly effective. Rexoad would be officially commnded by both the US Amy and the US Navy for his performance of duty. He ended his career by efficiently supervising the execution of Tojo in 1948.
(*) The Japanese used a noose which had a small wooden block attached to it. The block was used to ensure the victim was rendered unconscious even if the drop failed to severe the spinal cord. Use of this technique reduced the time it took for the victim to suffer clinical death (12 minutes on average as opposed to 14.6 minutes in a British style hanging).