"When Japan took Formosa in 1895 and Korea in 1910, they were profoundly shocked when the inhabitants of those lands wouldn't see things their way. This caused the Japanese to react harshly to this inconceivable situation. It is consistent with how they later behaved in Manchuria, the Philippines, China, and elsewhere. They are baffled and infuriated when someone disputes what they religiously feel is their right of primacy in a world destined by God to be Japanese."
"Jesus," muttered Byrnes.
"Indeed. Those in charge will not- can not- surrender even though they have been defeated in every definition of the term, and even though they know it. The code of Bushido is sworn to by every officer in the army and navy. In it he promises to never retreat or surrender. If he does surrender, he is considered dead by his family and government. If a surrendered Japanese soldier should ever be repatriated, he expects to be executed; thus, many of them are quite willing to fight to the death once death is an inevitability.
"They are a little more pragmatic about retreating. It is recognized as a part of maneuvering and it is an accepted virtue for a commander to save his men for another day. We've all noted that the Japanese fight to the last man only when there is nowhere else for them to retreat to. But a defeated general will often commit suicide in his shame at having failed his code and his emperor.
"In our recent announcements, we offered to let the Japanese keep their emperor subject to the wishes of the Japanese people, required that Japan be occupied by us, and further required that alleged war criminals be tried by us and, if found guilty, punished. Those officers, those modern samurai who consider themselves descended from medieval warriors and who follow Bushido, simply cannot do this. In fact, they cannot even comprehend what we are talking about. We tell them they must surrender unconditionally when they are not allowed to surrender at all. As to surrendering unconditionally, I'm not certain the concept even translates into their language.
"They also feel our terms desecrate the emperor. After all, how can the emperor be subject to the will of the Japanese people when he owns them? Although very much a figurehead, Hirohito is titular owner of every person and every piece of property in Japan.
"Additionally, the occupation of Japan by us is unthinkable according to Bushido. As to them being tried by us for war crimes, that too is inconceivable because they do not feel they have committed any crimes. How can living according to the code of Bushido, and aiding in the destiny of the master race, be any sort of a crime? Unthinkable. All of this goes to the essence of their fears: that Japan and her culture will disappear in the wake of an American victory."
Truman was aghast. "We plan no such thing."
"Unfortunately," Grew said grimly, "our words and actions conspire against us. For proof, all they have to do is look and see how we've dismembered Germany and replaced the Nazis with our own administrators. They see that happening to Japan and are terrified. Their propagandists have also done a marvelous j ob of scaring their own population half to death. There are millions of civilians who adamantly believe that Americans are monsters with blood slavering from their teeth, who will rape their women and eat their children alive.
"Laugh if you will at the absurdity of it all, but think of what we thought the Japanese would do if they landed in California in 1942. Bear in mind too that the overwhelming majority of the civilian population has never seen a European, much less an American. We might as well be from another planet as far as most of them are concerned."
"Do they all feel this way?" Truman asked, thinking of an earlier conversation in which that same "other planet" analogy was used.
"No. The diplomatic and administrative officials did not take any oath to adhere to Bushido, and the civilians, like the enlisted men in the army and navy, are stuck in the middle and just do what they're told. Some of the military give only lip service to Bushido."
Marshall was unconvinced. "Isn't it possible that they're not wanting us to try them as war criminals is nothing more than an attempt to save their own evil skins?"
Grew shrugged. "Absolutely. As to those who have pledged to die for Nippon, I really don't know how many will actually do that when the time comes. Almost surely a large number will fight, although many of them will be under orders and not necessarily enthusiastic about the idea. The enlisted military are trained very brutally and will obey without thought, while many of the civilian volunteers will be sent to battle under guard and be shot if they falter."
"Absurd," said Leahy. "The idea of a whole nation committing suicide is not rational. Nor is sending people out to certain death."
"Why not?" Grew admonished him gently. "We revere Nathan Hale and others who give their lives to save others when they had the chance to do otherwise. And"- Grew turned directly to Marshall and King- "haven't you or your field commanders ever sent someone out to do something that would likely result in their death?"
"But that's the exception," said Marshall, "while what you're describing is the rule. When we order men to fight a battle, we know that people will die, but we're elated when they don't. We don't have a national policy that requires suicide."
"Yes," said Grew. "And that is part of the cost of Japan's developing in such an isolated manner. As I said, their sense of values is, in many ways, so alien to us. I'm certain," he added wryly, "they feel the same about us."
"If their emperor is a god and god wants peace," Truman asked, "why are we still fighting? Why don't they obey their god and stop?"
Grew answered, "Because we should never think of Hirohito as god in the same Judeo-Christian way we were brought up to use the word. At best Hirohito is a demigod, or godlike. He became godlike when he became emperor and not before. When he dies, the new emperor, now a mere mortal, will become godlike. Which brings up a point. Hirohito must avoid being assassinated. If the military doesn't like the god-emperor they have, they are perfectly capable of killing him and putting a new one on the throne. Japanese god-emperors grow old, sick, and subsequently die- or can even be overthrown and murdered- and that's much the way it is with Hirohito.
"This is a paradox: only the emperor can order the Japanese to surrender. No one else will be obeyed by the fanatics in the Japanese military. We can defeat them and conquer them, but without the word of their emperor, many will not surrender. They have their own intelligence sources and must be aware that we are reducing the size of our military, which they will take as a sign of weakness and be encouraged by it. It will not alter the fact that they are defeated and know it full well, but they will not, can not, surrender. Again, only Hirohito can release them from the code of Bushido."
Truman stood and looked out the window. "And the fanatics have Hirohito."
Chapter 15
As he vomited bile onto the ground, former POW Dennis Chambers was happy that at least the diarrhea had let up. He had thought he was doing so well. His diet, one he would once have considered repulsive, had actually been helping him gain strength. The bugs, worms, and occasional mouse, coupled with leaves and grasses, were filling and apparently nutritious.
He thought he knew what had disagreed with him so violently and vowed never again to eat the leaves ofthat particular broad-leafed plant.
"Jesus," he moaned, and lay back on the earth and belched hugely. Right now he didn't care if fucking Hirohito himself came by and took him prisoner. After a while he noticed that he had stopped vomiting. Of course, he had nothing in his stomach to puke, but that hadn't kept him from trying before.