My research paper my topic is the Japanese religion Shinto before and after World War II. In my previous blog posts I have discussed the religion of Shinto and what is was. In another blog post I covered the aspects of Shinto. Within this blog post I will try and fill you all in on Shinto after WWII. Truthfully, this aspect has been challenging to find information on.
During WWII Confucius advocated educating all people regardless of wealth or social class. Prior to 1868, thousands of temple schools existed in Japan. Students would learn subjects such as reading, writing, math and calligraphy. The Meiji government changed the school system when it instituted education reform in 1872. The government created a public school system and required all children to attend. By the turn of the century 90 percent of school-aged children were enrolled in elementary school. The Imperial Rescript on Education of 1890 stated rules for behavior clear. The document specified how people should behave. By the late nineteenth century the government was centralizing, education and the military were modernizing and the economy was industrializing. A strong sense of nationalism arose from the expansion of the empire.
In 1941 Japan decided to attack the United States. Much of the ideology or beliefs behind Japan’s extreme nationalism can be tied to the history of State Shinto. The education system and mandatory military service promoted the idea that the first loyalty of Japanese citizens was to the state. Japan's defeat in the war signified the collapse of state Shinto.
On July 26, 1945 the United States, Great Britain and China announced the Potsdam Declaration. This called for the unconditional surrender of the Japanese. Japan did not comply so the United States dropped an atomic bomb over Hiroshima on August 6th and Nagasaki on August 9th. After being urged by U.S. General Douglas MacArthur, Emperor Hirohito professed his humanity. These statements directly contradicted the philosophy of the Meiji Constitution. By renouncing that he was divine the emperor weaken the state Shinto.
I still need to find more information on the change of Shinto after WWII. Once I find the information, I think my research paper will have great information.
On July 26, 1945 the United States, Great Britain and China announced the Potsdam Declaration. This called for the unconditional surrender of the Japanese. Japan did not comply so the United States dropped an atomic bomb over Hiroshima on August 6th and Nagasaki on August 9th. After being urged by U.S. General Douglas MacArthur, Emperor Hirohito professed his humanity. These statements directly contradicted the philosophy of the Meiji Constitution. By renouncing that he was divine the emperor weaken the state Shinto.
I still need to find more information on the change of Shinto after WWII. Once I find the information, I think my research paper will have great information.
I think the information you have so far is great, Maddie! Honestly, this is one of the most interesting topics primarily because of the political influence the Shinto had over the nation. The information about the education reform was quite eye opening. Not only that, but the fact that the Japanese defeat lead to the fall of the religion makes me very intrigued on the influence the outcomes of a war lead to. Keep researching! It will be a great paper, I'm sure of it.
ReplyDeleteThe role of the United States in the decline of Shinto is especially interesting. By defeating the Japanese in WWII, forcing Hirohito to renounce his divinity, we changed the course of an entire nation. This makes me especially curious about what would've happened to Shinto/where Shinto would be today if WWII had never occurred. Do you have any theories on this? I love the history in this blog, and can tell that your paper is going to be amazing!
ReplyDeleteHistory is one of my favorite subjects so I'm quite eager to read or hear more about your paper. WWII was a mess, but I never really heard much of the Shinto aspect so I really like that you're touching on that topic. It's crazy to think how different not only the east would be, but also the west if WWII never happened. War is a touchy topic to discuss since personal opinions can find their way in and try to overlap factual information. It seems like you're very knowledgeable on the topic. Do you think war is a necessity in our world today, or could it be used as only a last resort?
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