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Time magazine published his cartoon likeness on its Dec. 22, 1941, cover — sinister, glowering, dusky yellow complexion — with the headline “Japan’s Aggressor.” He was said to have boasted that he would “dictate terms of peace in the White House.”
From the cover of the Dec. 22, 1941 issue of Time Magazine
It appears most of the articles are available and you can tell from the tone Japan was in for a real a$$ kicking.
From the cover of the Dec. 22, 1941 issue of Time Magazine
It appears most of the articles are available and you can tell from the tone Japan was in for a real a$$ kicking.
A good reminder that the Pacific War was deeply rooted in the racism of both sides. If you watch any of the US war movies made while the war was still taking place, you will see the Japanese are always portrayed as barbarians. Simian looking Japanese pilots cackle with hideous glee as they ambush and shoot down America's young gentlemen of the air, or drop bombs on Red Cross caravans, or strafe a group of fleeing orphans.
Racism was a primary cause of the war. The Japanese were firmly convinced of their cultural superiority and saw themselves as the rightful power to bring stability to Asia under Japanese hegemony. They also firmly believed that as a consequence of how rapidly and enthusiastically they had adopted western ways after their mid 19th Century awakening, that the western powers would very much welcome sophisticated, westernized Japan taking on the role of Asian policeman.
They were surprised, and incredibly insulted when they discovered that while the US didn't seem to have a problem with European powers carving out chunks of China and colonizing Pacific Rim island nations, American outrage was the reaction when Japan began to do it. The message from the White Colonial Club was "Yellows Need Not Apply."
This insult was made more severe by Japan having to accept the unbalanced Naval Treaties of the '20's where they would be limited to 60% of the war vessel strength of either the US or Great Britain.
For Japan, a nation with a culture deeply rooted in the concept of pride, these things were unendurable. The choice became accepting being classed by the west as a second rate power, or sustaining their program of expansion and damn the consequences.
Both sides in the Pacific War conceived of themselves as more righteous than any other people on the planet, it was self appointed chosen people vs self appointed chosen people.
A good reminder that the Pacific War was deeply rooted in the racism of both sides. If you watch any of the US war movies made while the war was still taking place, you will see the Japanese are always portrayed as barbarians. Simian looking Japanese pilots cackle with hideous glee as they ambush and shoot down America's young gentlemen of the air, or drop bombs on Red Cross caravans, or strafe a group of fleeing orphans.
Racism was a primary cause of the war. The Japanese were firmly convinced of their cultural superiority and saw themselves as the rightful power to bring stability to Asia under Japanese hegemony. They also firmly believed that as a consequence of how rapidly and enthusiastically they had adopted western ways after their mid 19th Century awakening, that the western powers would very much welcome sophisticated, westernized Japan taking on the role of Asian policeman.
They were surprised, and incredibly insulted when they discovered that while the US didn't seem to have a problem with European powers carving out chunks of China and colonizing Pacific Rim island nations, American outrage was the reaction when Japan began to do it. The message from the White Colonial Club was "Yellows Need Not Apply."
This insult was made more severe by Japan having to accept the unbalanced Naval Treaties of the '20's where they would be limited to 60% of the war vessel strength of either the US or Great Britain.
For Japan, a nation with a culture deeply rooted in the concept of pride, these things were unendurable. The choice became accepting being classed by the west as a second rate power, or sustaining their program of expansion and damn the consequences.
Both sides in the Pacific War conceived of themselves as more righteous than any other people on the planet, it was self appointed chosen people vs self appointed chosen people.
I also agree with Grandstander, but I want to add something. There is more to the racism angle in the Pacific War than just European versus Asian. Curiously, the Japanese were murderously viscious towards their fellow Asians who became their colonial subjects. Oddly enough, the Japanese were more brutal overlords than the Europeans they replaced with such high-sounding ideas about Asia for Asians. The Chinese, Burmese, Koreans, Filippinos, and Indonesians remember and resent it to this day. So my point is that the Japanese felt culturally superior not only to the Europeans (and I include Americans under that label) but also to all other people. Also, oddly, I think, was that compared to Hitler's Nazi credo, there was little overt rhetoric about being a "master race", but it just showed in their actions. Admittedly, the Japanese did not attempt to exterminate any whole group of people, so the racist crown (in an absolute sense) remains with Hitler.
Racism was everywhere in WW II. I've stated in the past my belief that had Germany won WW I, it would have been the French going about rounding up their Jews and affixing blame.
I'm always struck by how dishonest it requires people to be in order to sustain single minded hatred for other collectives. nicet4's post provided an excellent example. About Yamamoto, Americans were being told:
Quote:
He was said to have boasted that he would “dictate terms of peace in the White House"
Know what the actual context of that quote is? It comes from a pre war letter he wrote where he is arguing against going to war with America. In it he explains that Japan does not have the resources to defeat America, and that contrary to the idea of American rapidly accepting a negotiated peace, that winning the war would actually involve Japan having to march across the entire American continent in order to "dicate terms of peace in the White House."
For propaganda purposes, what was clearly an argument against the war, was converted into a "boast" of inflicting a humiliating defeat on the US.
Racism was everywhere in WW II. I've stated in the past my belief that had Germany won WW I, it would have been the French going about rounding up their Jews and affixing blame.
I'm always struck by how dishonest it requires people to be in order to sustain single minded hatred for other collectives. nicet4's post provided an excellent example. About Yamamoto, Americans were being told:
Know what the actual context of that quote is? It comes from a pre war letter he wrote where he is arguing against going to war with America. In it he explains that Japan does not have the resources to defeat America, and that contrary to the idea of American rapidly accepting a negotiated peace, that winning the war would actually involve Japan having to march across the entire American continent in order to "dicate terms of peace in the White House."
For propaganda purposes, what was clearly an argument against the war, was converted into a "boast" of inflicting a humiliating defeat on the US.
Dang, now I'm REALLY impressed! "Well-done" doesn't even begin to express it, my friend.
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