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A comment on Historians Find Another Spy in the U.S. Atomic Bomb Project. Parent comment

Re:Historians Find Another Spy in the U.S. Atomic Bomb Project by glandium on Sunday November 24, 2019 @04:33AM (#21619313)
Note that the US did, in fact, occupy Japan for 6 years or so after WWII.
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Re:Historians Find Another Spy in the U.S. Atomic Bomb Project by darawk on Sunday November 24, 2019 @04:52AM (#21619392)
That occupation was nothing like typical colonialism, though. The occupation was there simply to ensure their transition to democracy, and then they left.
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Re:Historians Find Another Spy in the U.S. Atomic Bomb Project by glandium on Sunday November 24, 2019 @05:41AM (#21619562)
Nitpick: transition back to democracy.
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Re:Historians Find Another Spy in the U.S. Atomic Bomb Project by ptaipale on Sunday November 24, 2019 @06:39AM (#21619777)
Serious question: what do you mean with "back" to democracy? I have never thought of either shogunates or the imperial development after Meiji restoration as "democractic". Is there a significant democractic era in Japan somewhere before?
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Re:Historians Find Another Spy in the U.S. Atomic Bomb Project by claudeganon on Sunday November 24, 2019 @07:51AM (#21620100)
Yes, absolutely. Prewar democracy in Japan was a complicated thing. It was largely controlled by elites from the Meiji to early Showa periods, but in the late 1920s universal male suffrage was extended with one huge caveat - the Communist Party was outlawed and police and intelligence services were given carte blanche to lock up, torture and kill leftists unless they publicly rescinded their views. While these acts largely succeeded in destroying opposition, defacto military rule was only put in place during the late 1930s.

Japan’s modernization, grappling with democratic and populist forces, and unfortunate collapse into fascism is some fascinating history to read about. “Japan in Crisis: Essays on Taisho Democracy“ is a good starting point.

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Re:Historians Find Another Spy in the U.S. Atomic Bomb Project by Iv on Sunday November 24, 2019 @11:28AM (#21621389)
Probably a frenchman nostalgic of the Republic of Ezo :-)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Ezo

Yes the Last Samurai had a kernel of truth, but it was not about an American guy, it was a bunch of French officers who deserted to help the Shogun in exchange of him proclaiming a republic. It has all the elements of an epic movie, including a desperate boarding of an ironclad by a samurai-French force that was repelled by a gatling gun: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Miyako_Bay

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Re:Historians Find Another Spy in the U.S. Atomic Bomb Project by glandium on Sunday November 24, 2019 @07:47AM (#21620085)
Check out search results for "Taishō democracy".
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Re:Historians Find Another Spy in the U.S. Atomic Bomb Project by ptaipale on Sunday November 24, 2019 @10:25AM (#21620918)
Well, yes, but was it significant enough to warrant the post-1945 change as "back to democracy"? I feel that is pretty doubtful.

As Wikipedia puts it: Overall, during the 1920s, Japan changed its direction toward a democratic system of government. However, parliamentary government was not rooted deeply enough to withstand the economic and political pressures of the 1930s, during which military leaders became increasingly influential.

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Re:Historians Find Another Spy in the U.S. Atomic Bomb Project by dunkelheit on Sunday November 24, 2019 @07:13AM (#21619935)
No, they didn't leave: https://militarybases.com/overseas/japan/
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