Brutal Japan, Loving Japan

World War II is characterized by the brutality of the German genocide and the mounting casualties in the war against Japan over the Pacific. During the war, America has made many decisions that would be seen today as a huge violation of human rights. This includes the maltreatment of its own Japanese citizens and brutality against Japanese POWs. Some say that the Japanese were the most brutal to its enemies due to their strict honor code - the Bushido, and the harsh treatment each soldier received from his superiors. However, the Japanese are still humans. Few Japanese soldiers survived to see their nation reformed into a democratic society. How did these war veterans who experienced the clash of two opposing sociopolitical ideas perceive their own actions? What do these veterans reveal about the morality of Imperial Japanese troops?

The most iconic example of a Japanese soldier transitioning from the old Imperial Japan to the new democracy is Hiroo Onoda. Onoda was an Imperial Japanese Army intelligence officer who did not surrender in August 1945. He held out in the Philippines for 29 years after the end of the war, refusing the believe that Japan had lost. It was not until he met his former commander in 1974 that he finally surrendered. Surprisingly, he took advantage of his popularity to release an autobiography upon returning to Japan. In his interviews, he claimed to be troubled by the withering of traditional Japanese values. Nonetheless, he seemed to integrate seamlessly with the new democratic order. This demonstrates that Imperial Japanese soldiers during World War II did not commit brutal deeds due to their violent nature. Instead, they felt honored to be soldiers, much like Americans do, and believed that they should throw away their lives valiantly for the sake of their family and their country. When Onoda surrendered in 1974, he carried a knife with him that was given to him by his mother. His mother gave him the knife to kill himself if he was to be captured. This demonstrates how the Japanese did not see life as insignificant, but rather saw death as inconsequential. These are two completely different concepts, and the latter proves how humane and united the Japanese people really were during the war.

In terms of Imperial Japanese military officers, many would characterize them as brutal and unsympathetic to their soldiers. However, this was completely untrue. The relationship between a commander and his subordinates was stronger within the Japanese military than any other military in the world. The harsh treatment was seen as a norm by both parties, and the same disciplinary belief can be seen to some degree within the Japanese Self-Defense Forces today. In fact, Onoda's commander made a promise with him and the other soldiers that "whatever happens, we'll come back for you." There is no brutality within the hearts of Japanese men. The brutal actions of World War II Imperial Japanese soldiers were ironically a result of their love for their motherland and the strong bond they have with their kinsmen.