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  • SHOWA : CHRONICLES OF A FALLEN GOD: The fall of Hirohito

SHOWA : CHRONICLES OF A FALLEN GOD: The fall of Hirohito

by Paul-Yanic Laquerre (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 out of 5 stars (12)
Sexual slavery, human experimentation, mass murder, use of bacteriological and chemical weapons, the crimes committed in the name of Emperor Showa are countless. Still seen in the West as a puppet emperor used by unscrupulous military leaders to further their expansionist designs, Emperor Showa, generally known in the West by his personal name, Hirohito, remains one of the most controversial figures in modern history.

Since 1946, the image of a nervous little man wearing a badly cut civil servant’s cardigan and awkwardly saluting his subjects with a wave of his hat, an intellectual cut off from the real world, emerging from his laboratory only to ratify the decisions made in his name by a mainly faceless military clique, dominated the collective imagination.

Historians wishing to confront the “imperial hostage” thesis by invoking the wording of the Japanese Constitution that described the emperor as the “Head of the Empire” and the “Supreme Commander of the Army and Navy” collided for nearly 40 years with the “chrysanthemum curtain” erected in front of the imperial throne. The death of the Emperor in 1989, finally made it possible to lift up a few corners of this veil, leading in turn to the publication of a series of studies that for the first time revealed in broad daylight the true aspects of his role and personality.

“Showa: Chronicles of a Fallen God” is directly inspired by these studies and brings to life a monarch directly involved in government policies and totally aware of the crimes committed in his name by the military. This work also focuses on the tremendous propaganda campaign jointly carried out by the Japanese government and the American occupation command to exonerate the imperial family and protect countless war criminals in their fight against communism.

The novel is divided in four chapters, taking place from 1936 to 1946, and covering Japan’s plan to conquer the Far East, the military operations that resulted in the death of nearly 30 millions people and the policies that led to the defeat of the “Land of the Gods” and her shameful occupation by U.S. troops.

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  1. Print length
    206 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Accessibility
    Learn more
  4. Publication date
    December 1, 2013
  5. File size
    2.4 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00H6W4TYI
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 1, 2013
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ 1st
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.4 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 206 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-2981749819
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Best Sellers Rank: #5,092,907 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars (12)

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
12 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

  • froomist
    5 out of 5 stars
    corrects some macarthur-induced bs about japan and wwii; well written/fast paced
    Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2018
    Format: Kindle
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    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Easy to read, fascinating look at the leader of Japan and the state religion and how he wasn't at all what MacArthur's propaganda made him out to be. He was all in on the war, was not a reluctant tool of Tojo, etc., and was positively enthusiastic about the genocidal yet horribly botched invasion of China. The subject matter is fascinating, but we all know if the book is unreadable that doesn't matter; this one is very well done.

    3 people found this helpful
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  • J.
    5 out of 5 stars
    A compelling and different point of view on WWII
    Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2015
    Format: Kindle
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    I really loved this book.

    Unlike the usual studies or novels on WWII, which ALWAYS

    focus on the Western perspective, it really shows us the

    Emperor's point of view.

    Hirohito is presented here as the head of the Imperial state

    and the high priest of the shinto religion, a leader who not

    only authorized atrocities to please his gods and establish

    the Japanese sovereignty over the Far East, but above all,

    to keep his place on the throne.

    All the main characters are described in a very credible

    way, from Hirohito to his military staff, or people who are

    forgotten by history, like his brothers Yasuhito and

    Nobuhito.

    A unique and entertaining rendition that effectively

    contradicts the traditional « imperial hostage »

    propaganda of MacArthur's team.

    7 people found this helpful
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