JAPAN’S WAR
IN COLOUR
PROGRAMME LENGTH
2 hours
SCREENING DETAILS
Monday 11 August at 8.30am EST/ NZ
This program is based around colour file shot in Japan before 1945.
A Holy War
The program is constructed from the original colour film letters and diaries of the
Japanese who lived through this period.
Denis Mootz
STAYING FOCUSED.
This is the data collection stage of the activity.
The detailed questioning is designed to ensure that students decode the visual and aural materials
presented to them in the video.
The video programs can be stopped at the end of each section. This will allow students to share and
discuss answers.
Introduction.
Note the images used in the opening. Implications?
Note the sentiments of the Japanese civilians and airmen expressed here. Implications?
How old was the Japanese “Empire”?
Note the statement on the “key to success”. Implications?
Act 1.
Note the festival in Osaka in 1937.
When was the “restoration” of the Emperor achieved?
Note the expression “rush to modernity”. Meaning? Implications?
What “deep seated fear” existed in Japan? Why?
Note the description Tokyo in 1937.
Note the extent of the Japanese Empire.
Note the journalist’s statement of Japan’s “global mission”. Implications?
Who Asia’s first industrialised nation? Result?
Note the Datsun motto. Implications?
What “world problems” did Japan face? Result?
Note the sentiments of the farmer forced to borrow money. Implications?
Who were the “Blood Brothers”? Note their actions. Result?
Why did Japan’s “courtship with parliamentary government begin to turn sour”? Result?
Note the description of the actions of the military police. Result?
Why was the Emperor’s brother Prince Chichibu going to Britain in March 1937?
How had the relationship between Britain and Japan changed since WW1?
Note Churchill’s comments on Japan and re-armament.
Note the comments from Lt Commander Ishimaru at the naval review in 1937. Implications?
What pact did Japan have with Nazi Germany in 1937? Result?
Note Prince Chichibu’s experiences in Germany. Result
Who led the sentiments of the leader of the Japanese Fascist Party? Implications?
What major “question” about Asia faced Japan?
Act 2.
Why was there a Japanese “military presence” in China?
When did this relationship between Japan and China begin? Implications?
Note the events in Manchuria in 1931. Results? Implications?
Note the sentiments of Colonel Ishiwara. Implications? Result?
Note the events of July 1937 in China. Result?
How did the Japanese people greet this war?
Note the film shot in Shanghai in January 1938. Implications?
Note the description of the “brutal” conflict.
Note the Japanese soldier’s comments on the Chinese as “ignorant slaves”. Implications?
How was the news of the fall of Nanking greeted in Japan 13 Dec 1937?
Note the comments on “inhuman” acts from both civilians and soldiers. Implications?
Why didn’t the Japanese people hear details of the “rape” on Nanking?
Why did Hitler and Mussolini meet in Rome on 4 May 1938? Implications?
Why were more and more Japanese soldiers called up for the conflict in China? Implications?
Note the policy of national spiritual mobilization launched in February 1938. Result?
Note the role of children in this mobilization.
What united the Japanese nation? Result? Implications?
Note the events in Europe in June 1940.
Why did Japan now sign the “Axis” pact with Germany and Italy? Result?
Note the comments on Japan’s Empire.
Note the activities of the Tokko. Result?
Note the use of the “Burma Road” by Britain and USA. Implications? Result?
Why was Japan running out of resources? Result?
Act 3.
Note the 24 September 1941 message from Japan to their secret agent in Pearl Harbour.
Note the events of 7 December 1941. Result?
Note the announcement by Prime Minister Hidecki Tojo of “a great victory”. Implications?
How did the Japanese people react to the news of this event?
Note Ensign Kazuo Sakamaki‘s comments on the “Japanese spirit”. Implications?
Note events at Hong Kong.
What was Japan’s mission in the South Asia area?
Note where else Japan intended to liberate Asian populations from foreigners.
Why was Singapore important? Result?
Note the commander’s instructions to his troops on how to deal with Europeans. Result?
How many British and Empire soldiers were captured at Singapore.
Note the events of 19 February 1942 at Darwin.
Note events in the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia).
Note events in Ceylon (Sri Lanka).
Note the extent of the Japanese Empire. Result?
Note the Japanese belief about how to be accepted as “a first class” nation. Implications?
Why did the Japanese decide to attack the USA at Midway in June 1942? Result?
Note Admiral Yamamoto’s caution to the Japanese about a lengthy war. Implications?
Why was the USA waiting for the Japanese fleet? Result?
Note the Japanese media reports of a “great victory”.
Note events in New Guinea in 1943. Implications?
Note the Japanese soldier’s comments on when a war is easy. Implications?
How was the war being felt at home in Japan?
Note the decision made at Tokyo’s zoo. Result?
Note the events at Saipan in the Mariana Islands in June 1944.
Why was capture of the Marianas important to Japan? Result?
Note the impact of the losses in the Marianas on the Imperial Japanese Navy and Army.
Note Japanese fears about their treatment if captured. Result?
Act 4.
Note events at Peleliu Island in September 1944.
Why was the fighting barbaric? Result? Implications?
Note the Japanese atrocities committed on Guam.
Note the new tactic used in the battle of the Philippine Sea in 25 November 1944.
Note details of the “Special Attack Corps”. Result?
Note the instructions in the “suicide manual”.
Note the sentiments of army pilot Yoshi Minagi. Implications?
How effective were the kamikaze attacks? Result?
Note events at Okinawa in April 1945. Significance?
What new tactic did the Japanese use on Okinawa. Result? Implications?
What event made Japanese officers “ecstatic” during the defence of Okinawa?
Why did the Japanese begin to broadcast war news in English?
What news did the Japanese receive in 8 May 1945? Implications? Result?
Note the fate of the civilian population of Okinawa. Result?
Act 5.
Note details of the USA fire bombing of Japanese cities. Result?
What factors disabled the Japanese “war machine”? Result?
Note Churchill’s comment on how the Japanese could survive.
What choice were the Japanese given at Potsdam in July 1945? Result?
Note events at Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. Result?
Why did Emperor Hirohito speak to the Japanese people on the radio? Result? Implications?
Note the sentiments of Shintaro Uno. Implications?
Note the liberation of the Allied POW camps across Asia. Result?
Note the Japanese comments on the treatment of prisoners. Implications?
Note the death toll in the POW camps.
Who was Japan’s new “ruler”?
Note his “entrance” when he arrived in Japan. Implications?
Note details of the repatriation of Japanese soldiers.
Note the aftermath of the atomic bombs. Result?
Note the condition of the general Japanese population.
Note details of the war crimes trials. Result?
Why wasn’t Emperor Hirohito charged as a war criminal? Result?
Note the comments on creating a new nation. Implications?
EXTENSIONS.
Useful, interesting, challenging, books, sources and websites will provide materials to supplement and
complement the History presented in the video program.
The data collected here should be used in the notemaking below.
Some useful Internet sites:
Japan: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Japan
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e641.html
http://people.cohums.ohio-state.edu/bender4/eall131/EAHReadings/module02/m02japanese.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_War
Meiji Restoration:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2130.html
http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/special/japan_1750_meiji.htm
http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/watkins/meiji.htm
http://asianhistory.about.com/od/japan/f/What-Was-the-Meiji-Restoration.htm
Japanese Empire: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_of_Japan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukoku_ky%C5%8Dhei
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_territories_occupied_by_Imperial_Japan
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/japan_quest_empire_01.shtml
http://www.historyorb.com/asia/japan_economic_expansion.php
Japanese “Fascists”: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statism_in_Sh%C5%8Dwa_Japan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_of_Japan_(internal_politics_1914%E2%80%9344)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Japanese_nationalist_movements_and_parties
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Way_Faction
Sino-Japanese War: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Sino-Japanese_War
http://www.history.co.uk/study-topics/history-of-ww2/sino-japanese-war
http://asianhistory.about.com/od/warsinasia/a/First-Sino-Japanese-War.htm
Russo-Japanese War: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russo-Japanese_War
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/russo-japanese%20war.htm
http://alphahistory.com/russianrevolution/russo-japanese-war/
http://www.russojapanesewar.com/intro.html
Mukden Incident: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchurian_Incident
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Sino-Japanese_War
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_invasion_of_Manchuria
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwantung_Army
Manchukuo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchukuo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puyi
Chrysanthemum Emperor: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_cult
http://www.eaec.org/cults/shinto.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_of_Japan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Chichibu
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/aug/21/japan.jonathanwatts
Tokko: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokubetsu_K%C5%8Dt%C5%8D_Keisatsu
http://japan_literature.enacademic.com/422/THOUGHT_POLICE
http://www.willamette.edu/~rloftus/peacepres.html
Nanking: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanjing
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanking_Massacre_denial
http://thediplomat.com/2014/02/nhk-governor-nanjing-massacre-never-happened/
http://www.zzwave.com/cmfweb/wiihist/njmassac/nmjapv.htm
Naval Agreements: http://www.thenagain.info/webchron/World/BritainJapan.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Naval_Conference
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Naval_Treaty
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Naval_Treaty
http://www.fsmitha.com/h2/ch10-japan5a.htm
Axis: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axis_powers
http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005177
http://www.worldwar2history.info/war/Axis.html
Pearl Harbour: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harbor
http://history1900s.about.com/od/worldwarii/a/Attack-Pearl-Harbor.htm
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/pearl.htm
Isoroku Yamamoto: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isoroku_Yamamoto
http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/naval/p/Yamamoto.htm
http://ww2db.com/person_bio.php?person_id=1
Japanese Advance in Asia: http://www.secondworldwarhistory.com/japan-ww2-events-timeline.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South-East_Asian_theatre_of_World_War_II
http://asianhistory.about.com/od/warsinasia/a/World-War-II-Asia.htm
Fall of Singapore: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Singapore
http://www.ww2australia.gov.au/japadvance/singapore.html
https://www.awm.gov.au/education/talks/1942-fall-of-singapore/
http://www.historynet.com/battle-of-singapore
Attack on Darwin: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombing_of_Darwin
http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/japanese-bombing-of-darwin
http://www.naa.gov.au/collection/fact-sheets/fs195.aspx
Midway: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Midway
http://www.nationalww2museum.org/learn/education/for-students/ww2-history/at-a-glance/midway.html
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-midway
New Guinea: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Guinea_campaign
http://www.ww2australia.gov.au/lastbattles/
http://kokoda.commemoration.gov.au/war-in-papua/
Saipan / Marianas Islands: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Saipan
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-saipan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDUy0uzmaU4
http://www.nationalww2museum.org/see-hear/collections/focus-on/saipan-and-marianas.html
Peleliu Island: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Peleliu
http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/wwii/peleliu/
Philippine Sea: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Philippine_Sea
http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/worldwari1/p/philippinesea.htm
Iwo Jima: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Iwo_Jima
http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2011/10/world-war-ii-the-fall-of-imperial-japan/100175/
Kamikaze: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamikaze
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/kamikazes_and_world_war_two.htm
Okinawa: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Okinawa
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/general-article/pacific-civilians-okinawa/
Hiroshima & Nagasaki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_bombings_of_Hiroshima_and_Nagasaki
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/timeline/factfiles/nonflash/a6652262.shtml
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/bombing-of-hiroshima-and-nagasaki
http://ww2db.com/battle_spec.php?battle_id=49
War Criminals: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_war_crimes
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/macarthur/peopleevents/pandeAMEX101.html
Emperor Hirohito: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hirohito
http://www.pacificwar.org.au/JapWarCrimes/USWarCrime_Coverup.html
http://www.humanities360.com/index.php/the-role-of-emperor-hirohito-in-japan-in-world-war-ii-412/
Occupation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupation_of_Japan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_Japan
NOTEMAKING.
This is the collation stage of the activity. Students need to organise the field of information and begin to
explore its context.
Directions and /or Inquiry questions are provided for notemaking / summary exercises that
will follow the viewing of the video.
The materials / data for the summaries have been collected above.
The activity could be done in teams, groups, or by individuals, or as a class with teacher direction.
1. Draw up a timeline / chronological chart of the events described and discussed in this program.
2. Note details of the efforts made by the Japanese to become a world ‘power’.
3. Note details of the Japanese Empire.
4. Note details of the domestic politics of Japan after the 1920s.
5. Note details of the role and the authority of the Emperor of Japan.
6. Note details of the relationship between Japan and the world ‘powers’.
7. Note details of the Japanese conduct of WW2 to the battle of Midway.
8. Note details of the Japanese conduct of WW2 after the battle of Midway.
9. Note details of the Japanese defeat in WW2.
10. Note details of the treatment of Japan after its defeat in WW2.
ISSUES & INQUIRY.
Key issues and inquiry questions that have been raised by the video are addressed at this stage for
discussion and research.
1. Why did Japan attempt to become a world ‘power’?
2. Why did the Japanese believe that they were “liberating” Asia?
PROBLEMS of EVIDENCE.
Questions of reliability and validity of the perspectives, evidence and sources presented in the video
program need to be considered, tested and researched.
1. How did the relationship between Japan and the ‘powers’ change between 1914 and 1941?
2. Why wasn’t the Emperor of Japan charged as a war criminal in 1945?
COMMUNICATING.
The key issues and inquiry questions are potential topics for debate, essay writing, reports, historical
recount and explanation.
1. Write a REPORT on Isoroku Yamamoto.
2. Prepare notes (both sides) for a DEBATE of the proposition that
Japan’s aggression in WW2 was a response to the prospect of economic collapse.
3. Why did the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor in 1941?