Show 62 - Supernova in the East I

In examining Japan’s history and culture, Dan Carlin, alongside other commentators, delves into how Japan’s intense cultural values deeply influenced its military and government structures, propelling the nation towards notable modernization efforts while also setting the stage for its profound commitment to duty, honor, and sacrifice.

Japan's cultural uniqueness and intensity shaped the government's and military's extreme values and attitudes

The discussion illuminates Japan's blend of old, traditional aspects, and the intense cultural conditioning of its people. The nation’s status as an island allowed for a unique cultural evolution, sometimes leading to internal and external conflicts due to its insularity. The Tokugawa Shogunate's focus on social order and resistance to foreign ideas exemplifies the early inclination towards preserving cultural purity and discipline.

The Japanese were culturally conditioned to embrace concepts like duty, honor, sacrifice, and patriotism to an exaggerated degree compared to other societies

Through periods such as the Meiji Restoration, Japan rapidly transformed, striving to compete with global powers while retaining its unique cultural heritage. During this time, the population was propelled by a cultural momentum that encouraged exceptional commitment to the state, sometimes to a detrimental extreme. Patriotic education became a cornerstone of civic duty and glorified the Emperor's role, fostering an ideology of fanatical devotion that could supersede individual well-being.

The Emperor was viewed as a divine, inviolable figure whose orders were to be obeyed without question, even by the military

Throughout Japan's transformation, the emperor maintained a divine and central position, with significant political and spiritual influence over the military and public life. The combina ...

Japan's entry into imperialism was characterized by victories and expansionist policies that cemented the nation as a colonial power in Asia. Through wars and strategic political maneuvering, Japan sought to increase its influence and territorial possessions, which set the stage for its eventual conflict with China.

Japan's victory over China in the First Sino-Japanese War gave it a taste for colonial conquest

Japan's seizure of Taiwan and Korea demonstrated its willingness to subjugate and exploit other Asian nations

During the Meiji Restoration, Japan managed its transformation from a possible colonial victim to a colonial predator, adopting a militaristic and expansionist mindset. By getting involved in Korean politics, Japan began to challenge Chinese influence in the region. The First Sino-Japanese War of 1894 presented Japan's military prowess against China, defeating the latter on both land and sea, with surprisingly minimal Japanese casualties. The victory catapulted Japan onto the world stage, winning international respect and shocking Westerners.

In the aftermath of the war, Japan gained Taiwan and a sphere of influence over Korea, marking its initial territorial expansions. Japan's proficiency in modern warfare and its willingness to subjugate and exploit Asian nations like Taiwan and Korea set the foundation for its future colonial endeavors. These actions and the successful integration of Korea by 1910, along with effective subordination of its economy and downsizing of its populace to second-class citizens or chattel, showcased Japan's desire for expansion.

Japan's victory over Russia in the Russo-Japanese War further emboldened its imperialist aspirations

The early 20th century further saw Japan's imperialist ambitions amplified after annexing Korea in 1910. Following the Russo-Japanese War, Japan received the South Manchurian Railway and a small mining concession in Manchuria. This instance, referred to as a "free little taste" of potential domination, acted like "soft-core steroids," increasing Japan's power and spiking its appetite for further colonial conquest.

Japan's occupation of Manchuria and establishment of the puppet state of Manchukuo set the stage for conflict with China

Japan used incidents and fabricated provocations to justify its military expansion into Manchuria and deeper into China

Japan's motivations for expansion into Manchuria were driven by the area's richness in raw materials and emerging market opportunities. The South Manchurian Railway, initially obtained as a settlement from the Russo-Japanese War, allowed Japan to dip its toes into colonial venture. Carlin compares the development in Manchuria to Britain's corporate colonization of India, starting from hotels and branching out to homes and schools, a corporate-led colonial expansion.

The intensifying competition and gradual Japanese entrenchment culminated in the puppet state of Manchukuo after an explosive incident on a railway line, a pretext ...

The civilian government in Japan faced significant challenges from the military, with insubordination and intra-military factionalism severely undermining the government's control and contributing to Japan’s isolation on the world stage.

Insubordination and intra-military factionalism undermined the civilian government's control over the military

Junior officers and radical ultranationalist groups were able to instigate military actions that the government was powerless to stop

The Tokugawa Shogunate's fear of rising up of the samurai class points to potential power struggles within the government, indicating challenges to civilian control. Radical nationalists, including junior military officers, viewed the zaibatsu and the government as corrupt and influenced by the West. These elements aimed to return the emperor to power and revive old samurai virtues as part of their utopian vision.

Dan Carlin discusses a distinctive aspect of Japan's history, "Gekkou-Kujo," a cultural practice where lower-ranking individuals could act insubordinately. This cultural backdrop allowed junior officers to hijack policy, demonstrated by the 1928 bombing incident and the reluctance of the military to cooperate with Prime Minister Tanaka's investigation into a scandal, showing the military's defiance of civilian authority.

Furthermore, the prime minister, a general himself, faced difficulty in his position as his military comrades saw him as a politicized figure rather than an ally. Alongside this, junior officers and radical ultranationalist groups, including the Imperial Way faction, could prompt events like the 1931 railway explosion, forcing reactive measures by the government and military.

The military's "right of supreme command" granted it autonomy from civilian oversight, leading to the military pursuing its own expansionist agenda

The military's right of supreme command granted it significant autonomy from civilian oversight, as they answered only to the emperor. Political leaders, therefore, had no control over the military, which at times led to conflicting expansionist agendas. The Navy desired to prepare for a potential Pacific war, while the Army had plans for Manchuria and future aspirations of confronting the Soviet Union.

The military's pursuit of its own expansionist agenda was evident when the Japanese army in Manchuria acted without informing the government, as officials found out about actions through newspapers. Such autonomy and defiance of civilian orders rendered the government powerless and unable to admit a lack of control to the international community.

The government's inability to reign in the military's aggression led to Japan's isolation on the world stage

Japan's withdrawal from the League of Nations in response to international condemnation of its actions in Manchuria demonstrated its defiance of global norms

Japan's aggressive actions in Manchuria, including the unauthorized advancement of troops into the region, led to international condemnation and a subsequent investigation by the League of Nati ...

Throughout the podcast, the hosts dive into the brutal history and devastating violence that marked the Japanese conquest of China in the 20th century.

The massacre of civilians in the Chinese city of Shanghai demonstrated the Japanese military's disregard for human rights

The Japanese conquest was marked by instances of extreme violence against civilians, as noted in the podcast. An example given was the massacre at Port Arthur during the Sino-Japanese War, which displayed behaviors that were considered medieval at the time. Justifications for the violence included claims of retaliation, assertions that the victims dressed as civilians were actually enemy soldiers, and arguments that reported casualty figures were inflated.

During the conflict in Shanghai, a mass exodus ensued, with civilians described as trying to escape "mad and mercilessly," where "the weak had little chance." In their rush for safety, people's feet would sometimes slip in "blood and flesh," painting a picture of the gruesome conditions they faced.

The accidental bombing of civilians by Chinese forces highlighted the horrific toll of the conflict on the Chinese population

Ironically, some of the most horrific tolls on the Chinese population came from accidents on the Chinese side. During an attempt to bomb Japanese warships, Chinese planes mistakenly released bombs over populated areas, resulting in extreme carnage with a high loss of life and injury. The death toll from these bombings exceeded 650 people and included men, women, and children. Press coverage brought international attention to the tragedy. Graphic photographs of the aftermath, such as the image of a burned but crying baby, shifted the mood particularly in the United States, generating sympathy and aid for China.

The Japanese conquest of Nanjing resulted in one of the worst atrocities of the war

The podcast touches on the events leading up to what would be known as the "Rape of Nanjing." The ...