the name MacArthur. Despite his leadership of a highly successful occupation, MacArthur was not actually responsible for the majority of the restructuring; Planners in D.C drew up most of the process.On August 15, 1945, the Japanese people heard their emperor’s voice for the first time, and while he avoided using the word "surrender," his meaning was clear. The emperor was heard far too late(Japan had lost 2.3 million soldiers and 800,000 civilians in the war) in the days ahead the emperor did provide a great deal of national unity. By accepting MacArthur's implied bargain (help me and I'll keep you from being tried as a war criminal) Hirohito did his part to remake Japan along an American model, backing the new constitution, forcibly renouncing his divinity, and trying lead by example as Japan's first supporter of the democratic system. By the time his 62-year reign came to an end, Japan had risen, by means of American industrial replacements(ain’t irony fantastic),to become one of the world's richest countries. It was in demonstrating this remarkable capacity for change that Hirohito truly became the living symbol of his people...
