• The Occupation and Americanization of Japan

    Author(s):
    Yalın Akçevin (see profile)
    Date:
    2019
    Subject(s):
    Japan, United States, World War (1939-1945), Cold War (1945-1989)
    Item Type:
    Article
    Tag(s):
    Occupation of Japan, Democratization, Economic reform, Americanization, SCAP, United States of America, World War II, Cold War
    Permanent URL:
    http://dx.doi.org/10.17613/wxyr-p505
    Abstract:
    This study will focus on the topic of “Americanizing” reforms carried out under the tenure of General MacArthur as SCAP, during the American Occupation of Japan. The guiding question here, asks in what ways the political and economic reforms carried out by the Occupation – specifically democratization, the new constitution, land reform, and zaibatsu busting – have been influential in the long-term Americanization of Japan. The argument here, in response to this central question, is that the reforms carried out by the American occupiers have been successful in the long-term Americanization of Japan – despite their varied levels of success, as they have disrupted uniquely Japanese structures with American brand concepts. In arguing this point, we will make use of a range of historical scholarship, personal accounts of Japanese citizens and General MacArthur, as well as relevant American policy documents – all of which shed light upon the formation, functioning, and impact of the Occupation on Japan. We will begin our study with a look into the nature of the Occupation and the Occupiers – the SCAP General Headquarters (GHQ) – that have carried out these reforms. The discussion will then shift to the specific political and economic reforms, which will culminate in a holistic overview – bridging the Occupation to the present – in order to judge the level of Americanization brought upon Japan.
    Notes:
    I have deposited this as an "article", however, please note that this was a term paper written for an undergraduate course titled "The US and the World Since 1945". I have edited the file to remove any personal information - such as my student ID - and kept the body of the work intact in terms of content.
    Metadata:
    xml
    Status:
    Published
    Last Updated:
    3 years ago
    License:
    All Rights Reserved

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