IGNOU HISTORY NOTES : History Of China and Japan (1840-1949) - Japanese After World War -II

IGNOU HISTORY Study Notes for IAS, UPSC Exams

History Of China and Japan (1840-1949)

Japan After World War -II

Structure

26.0 Objectives
26.1 Introduction
26.2 The Allied Occupation
26.2.1 Political Implications
26.2.2 Economic Implications
26.2.3 Japanese Reactions to the Occupation
26.3 The Period of High Growth (1952-73)
26.3.1 Political Developments
26.3.2 Economic Growth
26.4 The Oil shock and After
26.5 Let Us Sum Up
26.6 Key Words
26.7 Answers to Check Your Progress Exercises

26.0 OBJECTIVES

This Unit deals with the economic and political developments in post World War-I1
Japan. After reading this Unit you will be able to understand:

the character of the Allied occupation of Japan after the War,
the reasons behind Japan's rapid economic development,
the post-war political system and the domination of the Liberal Democratic Party, and
the basis for Japan's foreign relationsalong with the importance of the U.S. alliance.

26.1 INTRODUCTION

Japan surrendered to the.Allied powers on 14, August 1945 and in two weeks the
Supreme Commander of the Abed Forces (SCAP) General Douglas MacArthur
anived to begin the occupation of Japan which lasted till the San Francisco Peace
Treaty went into effect in April 1952. However, it was in fact the United States that
was the dominant occupying force. It determined the political and economic policies
of Japan. Certain measures were carried out through the SCAP to reform Japan and
prevent it from becoming an expansionist power once again. This Unit takes into
account not only the surrender of Japan but the various problems related to its
occupation by the allied forces. The reactions of the Japanese have also been
discussed. In order to assess the economic development of Japan we have gone
beyond our period of study. This has been done with a purpose i.e. to understand thf
impact of the policies during our period of study on the period of high economic
growth (1952-73) and the problems faced thereafter. This, in fact is the concluding
Unit of the course on the history of Japan which also comments upon the future role
of Japan in international economic scenario. In 1945 Japan was devastated by war
and its economy and society was in shambles. The future looked bleak and
unpromising yet by 1971 Richard HaUoran was writing in the New York Ties that
the Japanese were "the best-dressed, longest iived, wealthiest nation in Asia."