HIST 80b Lecture Notes - Lecture 17: Douglas Macarthur, Post-Occupation Japan
8 May 2017
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
The japanese viewed their new territories as newly independent from western encroachment, and saw the sphere as an international economic partnership. Asian territories became pows, and tactics of deprivation were used to kill these pows (specifically by withholding chemicals for necessary medical treatments). General douglas macarthur had sought to become president of the united states, and focused on how he was depicted in the media. Macarthur had been humiliated with losses in the pacific. When the americans arrived in manila they sought to bring the united states - based aesthetic movements to the newly occupied city. Macarthur heavily controlled the release of photos that served as propaganda. His photo with the emperor sought to convey a message of superiority (example: via height and strength). Globally, it was expected that the united states would occupy japan in a harsh manner. However, macarthur actually pursued an occupation of soft peace, in contrast to the earlier war violence, that was notably liberal.
