Every country that becomes rich does so due to hard work. Whether you borrow the knowledge and technology from an already developed country as Japan and China did, or figure it all out the hard way yourself as Europe and the US did during the Industrial Revolution, none of it is easy.

I suppose the one exception might be natural-resource-rich countries that allowed foreign companies to extract the riches in return for profit sharing, but it remains to be seen whether that's sustainable.

"I'm particularity fascinated by how Japan raised from the ashes, literally, to become what they are."

Keep in mind Europe and Britain did that too. It's hard to say which was more decimated - Europe after years of bombing and tank warfare razed much of the continent, or the Japanese mainland after months of localized firebombing and two atomic blasts.

Also don't forget that Japan had already developed into a superpower on its own by the early 1900s, a relatively short time after the Meiji Restoration opened the country and accelerated industrialization in 1868. They had the experience and knowledge to do it again after WWII, with a little funding from the US who needed an Asian bullwark against Soviet Communism.

Japanese culture is arguably the very best in the world at learning from other cultures, and have been doing it for hundreds of years, borrowing parts of their language, fashion, military techniques, and other aspects from others, originally China and somewhat Korea, more recently the US and Europe. There is an admirable curiosity and lack of shame at learning from others and building on it. Of all the countries in the world, Japan may be the least affected by 'Not-Invented-Here' syndrome.

I really wish more of that would rub off on the US.