Rating: 
Summary: Reviewing the Embrace of Defeat
Review: John Dower's book Embracing Defeat is an attempt to provide an understanding of the Japanese by supplying a history from their perspective. By learning what life was like for the Japanese during U.S. occupation, which occurred right after World War II we come to understand the Japanese better. One way he provides this understanding is by using examples of individuals alive during this time period. When he talks about the hardships that veterans dealt with he quotes one from a newspaper. "Writing from a sanitarium, he describes the suicides of despairing fellow convalescents and concluded with the announcement that 'I myself am five minutes away from hanging,'" (Dower 61). By reading about individual the reader can see the emotions of the Japanese during this time. Right in the beginning Dower starts off with the story of a woman, Aihara Yu. "For three years, Aihara continued to pray for her husband's return. Only then did she learn that he had been killed in a battle with Soviet forces five days before she was summoned from the fields to hear her sovereign's voice," (Dower 34). Dower also uses statistics to validate the claims he makes. "A survey of families of elementary-school students found that in mid-1946 gruel took the place of boiled rice at least once a day. For a quarter of the families, gruel constituted the major part of all meals," (Dower 94). This brings out the food shortages that many Japanese families faced. To compliment the stories of individuals and statistics Dower uses many photographs. When he talks about how Japanese children's games were influenced by what was going on around them there is a picture of children pretending to be a GI and prostitute (Dower 111). When he discusses the writing of a new Japanese constitution a picture of a Middle school book is shown called The Story of the New Constitution (Dower 399). Another part of Dower's writing that allows the reader to get a full understanding of the occupation is his ability to write without discrimination. This is a problem in the majority of history books. Too often America is portrayed as the heroes going in and bringing Democracy to the primitive Japanese culture. "American decision to adopt a hands-off policy toward economic reconstruction seemed perfectly natural. Misery was accepted as proper punishment for a defeated adversary that had brought so much misery to others. It was in any case inconceivable to think of assisting in Japanese reconstruction when America's own allies were struggling to recover from the devastation of the recent war," (Dower 89). This explains why America did not help Japan's economic recovery, while at the same time it does not make Americans seem like bad guys. The problem with Embracing Defeat is it is sometimes too detailed. As Dower goes from subject to subject fully discussing each one before mentioning another some things are mentioned over and over. Like the Black Market, which is mentioned constantly. But as the point of the writing seems to be to fully show what the occupation was like for Japan this repetition of certain things is unavoidable. Ultimately what makes Embracing Defeat such a good book is the complete picture it paints. The Statistics, details, stories and picture combine together in a way without prejudice allowing the readers to make their own decisions about this history.
Rating:
Summary: Documentary Book writing of the highest calibre
Review: John Dower's recent offering is a lively page-turner as well as an all-embracing account of MacArthur's presidency after WWII. It deals with almost every aspect of Japanese society following the cessation of hostilities and then goes on to chart how life changed over the course of the Occupation. It's sympathetic look at Japanese society and doesn't shy away from pointing the finger at US hypocrisy when the Cold War changed American attitudes towards Japan's burgeoning political parties - particularly those on the left of the political spectrum. Embracing Defeat is a very, very good book. Some reviewers believe that Dower has whitewashed the fact that Japan never publicly admitted its war guilt. I don't think this is fair since it is common knowledge that they haven't - at least as a state. There seems little point in repeating what everyone already knows. Where Dower does break new ground is his analysis of why there has never been an admission of guilt. A deal was done to pin the blame on the militarists and absolve Hirohito and, by extension, his loyal subjects too. Moreover, at the time, it was widely touted that Japan had been defeated by science and not the Allied forces. The Americans were just as guilty as the Japanese when it came to spreading disinformation about who was to blame. On a wider scale, Embracing Defeat looks at a vast array of topics. We see how society changed once the Emperor declared an end to the war. Japanese became entrepreneurial almost over night after spending almost twenty years as yes-men to the militarists. There was a burgeoning of political, artistic and lifestyle movements that formed the basis for today's world-wide love affair with Japanese comics and cartoons. Dower takes us through the formation of the new constitution and leaves you fully congiscent as to why the 'Convoy' system so derided by Washington is in fact an American creation that the Japanese have never tried to change. Then there's an account of the war trials where Tojo went through the trap door. In Dower's opinion, the show trials were cleansing act of revenge without a proper trial or any attempt to round up those really responsible. This is probably correct, although some readers will find it hard to stomach given the staggering atrocities committed by Japanese forces throughout the Pacific Rim. The one area that is badly lacking, however, is economics. Japan experienced chronic hyperinflation before the Pacific War and remains highly reliant on imports of almost every raw material. The economy was absolutely knackered by 2nd September 1945. Its railways and maritime capabilities had been almost totally destroyed. So, how did Japan manage to stabilise its economy and then go on to become the world's second largest economy? I know since I'm an financial economist in Asia. But most readers probably aren't and I'm sure they'd like to know. Dower makes a stab at it, but this part reads more like an add on written by a historian with little knowledge of the Dismal Science. Still, I really liked Embracing Defeat for its broad sweep coverage of MacArthur's reign. Four stars.
Rating:
Summary: Made in Japan
Review: John W Dower's Pulitzer Prize winning Embracing Defeat: Japan in the Wake of World War II is an engrossing and well written history of the seven plus years of the occupation, recovery and rebuilding of Japan in the wake of their defeat in World War II. It is a non-linear social, political and economic history covering a range of topics, the sum of which effectively tell the story of how Japan got back on its feet under the carefully crafted guidance of General Douglas MacArthur, the 'supreme commander.' To a large degree, and possibly to his dismay if he knew, MacArthur is not the focal point, rather he is the invisible hand guiding and shaping the new Japan. This is more a book about a vanquished Japan than an American victor. The postwar Japanese perspective and experience are the focal points of the text. We rarely go behind the scenes of Allied thinking or machinations; we get little sense of how all of this is being orchestrated by the Americans occupying Japan. We rarely encounter GI's, and know little if anything of their day to day life in this far away land. The occupation forces here are shadow players. We know not if they are former combatants or late draftees with no real grudge to bear, or some combination. This is really the only shortcoming of the book; we are left to wonder and speculate at the composition and origins of the mercy of the occupation forces. Rather we get the full measure of the Japanese experience. The state of the country immediately preceding surrender and after, as occupation begins in earnest. The social, economic and political turmoil facing the country; the grief for those who died and guilt of those who lived. The narrative is compelling in every way as the Japanese face a future whose only certainty is that it is uncertain. Dower describes in detail the impact the surrender and the recorded announcement of that fact by the emperor had on the populace at home. He describes a country on the verge of collapse prior to Hiroshima; far worse off than the allies had anticipated. He details economic chaos, shattered lives, and the hopeless living conditions of a country to whom war had been brought home in the most terrible ways imaginable by both their own soldiers in the field and the allies in the air. The horror, humiliation and uncertainty facing those who were repatriated at the war's end some, several years later is chillingly recounted. Dower spends a significant amount of time detailing and revisiting Hirohito's exoneration and the reasons behind it, from any responsibility for the war. It is a fascinating study in the political mechanics of the time as the victors' attempt to rewrite history for their purposes. Dower takes us through the oftentimes-problematic issues of designing a new and revolutionary charter for the country, which remains effectively, unaltered to this day. He gives us a good view of post-war black-market activities, war destruction and a peek-a-boo look at some of the decadence which arose in Japan after the war. He shows us where the thinking behind the occupation went wrong as well. The chapter on censorship is almost amusing in its applied inconsistencies. The chapter on the development of a constitutional charter, which includes the most detailed view of American involvement in the reconstruction, is an interesting lesson on force-fed civics, as the Americans second guess all things Japanese. The section on the war crimes trials is difficult to read as some go scot-free while others are sentenced to death. The punishments are disturbingly meted out in a very irregular fashion. The author for some reason, doesn't spend enough time detailing why some criminals went off free (including a groups who were responsible for performing medical experiments on prisoners) including one who eventually went on to become Prime Minister after the occupation. Which begs the question as to why Dower seems to feel this individual should have been hanged. The overall effect on the waning occupation of the impending Korean War is fascinating. Our sudden need for this new and very strategically located ally in the face of losing former allies is carefully told as the world changes once again. The many photographs in the text are included as a part of each chapter, so their reference is close at hand. However, there were several instances later in the book where photographs are mentioned but not present in the accompanying text, as was the case earlier in the text. Finally there is no formal bibliography, which would have been useful.
Rating: 
Summary: Comprehensive Look at Occupation Japan
Review: John W. Dower's immense and impressive work, Embracing Defeat, Japan in the Wake of World War II, is well written, thoroughly researched and amazingly wide ranging in its examination of Japan. The book covers culture, politics, economics, philosophy and virtually all aspects of society from a varied range of sources from public documents and newspapers to secret reports, diaries, and poems, to name only a small fraction of the material. He presents many sides to any issue discussed, both the American perspective and the myriad of Japanese views. The delight of this book is watching it break down the image of a monolithic Japanese culture and instead present a complex tapestry of Japanese viewpoints and ideas that existed under the American occupation. It is a wonderful history of a hinge moment in Japan. Very well done.
Rating:
Summary: Solid Historical Analysis
Review: Mr. Dower's discussions of the Japanese economy, culture and constitution are incredibly well done, easy to read, and educational. Parts of his discussions of censorship by occupation forces and the war crimes trials seem to drag and take on a strident tone. In all, it is an exceptional book.
Rating:
Summary: Best history of the post WWII period in Japan...
Review: Other reviewers have summarized this book's strengths and weaknesses. This book ranks with the best histories ever written in the 20th century. Great historiography, wonderfully fluid writing, compassionate views of the Japanese and Americans: all these add up to a great read.
Rating: 
Summary: OK, but not recommended for the general reader
Review: Perhaps a little too scholarly for the general reader. Too much emphasis on obscure literary magazines for my taste, and not enough emphasis on exciting episodes. For example, the author enitrely skips the almost comic (but violent) attempt by fanatical officers to hijak the tape recording of the emperor's famous surrender message before it was broadcast. Still, contains much interesting stuff, and I imagine it would be particularly appealing to post-modern literary types. Photographs also fascinating.
Rating:
Summary: An Interesting Read, Highly deserving of the Prize
Review: Professor Dower has put together a marvelous book. Here he interweaves different historical narratives of post-war Japan. He looks first at the social history, and uses that to build the political issues. His idea is that for a while Japan was a vibrant democracy and had all of those leanings. It was the paradox of revolution on high by the Americans, and the oncoming of the cold war that killed the larger movement toward a freer and more democratic society. The history is well done. The true strenght and the reason that I give it the stars is in the writing. There are very few scholarly books that I would recommend to people not interested in history or Japan, but this is one of that elite group. It is scholarly, but it is also accessible, and Dower has a gift with words. He also integrates pictures into the text much better than many other historical writers, and places them so that they can be used as "evidence" for his argument's development. This is a book that one cannot miss. It is beautiful and it will undoubtably change the way you think of modern Japan.
Rating:
Summary: A Great and Informative Read at Times
Review: The beginning of this book is great. It provides a very readable and informative look at the state of Japan at the beginning of the US occupation at the end of WWII. However, later in the book I feel it drags too much and tries to present too much information. So, while I enjoyed the first 300 pages very much I did not like the 2nd half. The author I feel is also a little to sympathetic to the Japanese. Yes, Its reasonable to feel bad for all the displaced Japanese soldiers in Korea, China etc....but i the author i feel overlooks why those soldiers were there and what they did. Again, the book is well researched and at times brilliant. But I feel it is too long and at times just a bit too Pro-Japanese. I recommend after reading this book that you read the novel "The Emperors General."
Rating:
Summary: Turning SCAPanese
Review: The first third of "Embracing Defeat" is a brilliant survey of Japan in the wake of WWII. Dower gets at the pervading sense of depression (the 'kyodatsu' condition) while doing justice to the dynamic underground of panpan girls, pulp publishers, black marketeers and hard-living intellectuals that helped define the cultural response to democracy. After that, the book bogs down in detailing the high-political ironies of a "revolution imposed from above." Chief among these according to Dower was the staunch U.S. support for Emperor Hirohito and its uneven prosecution of war criminals, many of whom became useful as anti-Communist Cold Warriors in the '50s.
Dower's surely right to concentrate on the paradoxes of democracy by fiat and he does a thorough job of analyzing the strange mixture of New Deal idealism and imperial arrogance that fueled Macarthur's six-year rule. But I'm not sure he really accounts for its astounding success. The Japanese embraced Macarthur and his style of paternalist democracy with an almost embarrassing enthusiasm; the constitution that U.S. officials wrote over one week in 1946 is still the basic document for the modern Japanese state. Dower shows how carefully the occupiers controlled their image and points out subtle forms of Japanese resistance wherever it was allowed to emerge. But ultimately I wonder if his anxiety about using Japanese cultural traits to explain the welcome the enemy received hurts his analysis. I see his worry about being imperial; SCAP (Supreme Command for the Allied Powers) routinely used racist assumptions about the 'Oriental mind' to develop policy for democratizing Japan. But Dower may overcompensate by exaggerating the role of American censorship and duplicity in triggering such a warm popular response. Dower shows the considerable war guilt the Japanese avoided by embracing the basic terms of U.S. occupation. But I was still left wondering why he couldn't find more signs of resistance to such a high-handed occupation. For all his detailed analysis, I can't shake the feeling that Dower's missing something vital about why this insanely optimistic experiment worked, despite all the rich ironies and hypocricies he exposes. Still, this is a thoughtful,provocative study that's sure to be a landmark for a long time to come.
| 
