"In Service of the Emperor"

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how "In Service of the Emperor: Essays on the Imperial Japanese Army", by Professor Edward Drea is a military history text full of insightful essays. It looks at how it covers an array of interesting topics and examples that present an unbiased and well documented account of the IJA from 1937 to 1945. Topics discussed include the IJA's strategy during the Pacific War, Japan's plans for defense against an invasion on Kyushu, and the role of the Emperor Hirohito in military decision making.

From the Paper:

"The Yamato spirit played an enormous role within the IJA. While training for combat, a Japanese soldier is told he belongs to the Emperor and that the only honorable way in which to serve is to die. The idea of joining the army to die for one's leader takes a faithful mind of a willing individual. Drea explains how important the opportunity to fight for Japan was to the Japanese. For hundreds of years the warrior class of samurai was held in the highest regard and revered, now any able bodied man could serve and die for the Emperor and bring great honor to his family and nation. However, training a soldier to want to die proved not to be the greatest strategy for winning a war."

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