A History of Japan

Kurosawa Akira is one of the most celebrated filmmakers in modern times whose work continues to enjoy considerable influence today. Born at the end of the Meiji period, he witnessed a lot of change throughout his life and brought many changes of his own to the filmmaking landscape of Japan. Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Kobo , Apple Books , Bookshop.org , and many other online platforms!

This final regular episode of the podcast features the politics, economics, and cultural developments of 1980s Japan as the Shōwa Period came to a close in 1989. Thank you so much for listening, I hope you enjoyed this journey through Japanese history with me. Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Kobo , Apple Books , Bookshop.org , and many other online platforms!

The social extremes of the Oil Shock Period ranged from radical terrorism, ahistorical revision of the Pacific War, the emergence of several new genres of anime, and the birth of the video games industry. Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Kobo , Apple Books , Bookshop.org , and many other online platforms!

To help mitigate the damage to Japan's economy during the Oil Shock period, its government would engage in global economic forums, encourage conservation among consumers, and expand into new energy sources. Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Kobo , Apple Books , Bookshop.org , and many other online platforms!

The 1973 Oil Crisis had a devastating effect on Japan's economy and led to a period of rapid political turmoil as the ruling LDP, for the first time in the party's history, failed to obtain a simple majority of seats in the diet. Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Kobo , Apple Books , Bookshop.org , and many other online platforms!

After Japan's surrender in August of 1945, the Empire of Vietnam witnessed a revolution and its winners crafted a declaration of independence. However, forming a new nation-state during the Cold War would prove to be a long, bloody struggle. Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Kobo , Apple Books , Bookshop.org , and many other online platforms!

The Korean Peninsula was divided after the second world war as the Soviet Union occupied the north and the US occupying the south. Though this division was initially meant to be temporary, the subsequent Korean War and its aftermath cemented the divisions for both North and South as the Cold War brought troops from both the United States and the People's Republic of China into direct conflict. Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Kobo , Apple Books , Bookshop.org , and many other online platforms!

As the People's Republic of China sought to establish itself as a modern nation state, its government chose to imitate the Soviet Union's path to modernization as they collectivized agriculture, labor, and industry with unfortunately devastating results. Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Kobo , Apple Books , Bookshop.org , and many other online platforms!

After the Japanese Imperial Army evacuated China, any hopes of peaceful reunification were dashed as the Nationalists and Communists continued fighting the Chinese Civil War, the result of which would see the birth of the People's Republic of China. Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Kobo , Apple Books , Bookshop.org , and many other online platforms!

As incomes soared and standards of living likewise rising, the demand for entertainment in Japan also rose and the industries of film, television, and animation would produce some of the most innovative and influential works ever made. Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Kobo , Apple Books , Bookshop.org , and many other online platforms!

The Economic Miracle period witnessed, as its name suggests, tremendous economic growth throughout Japan. However, that growth came at a cost to Japan's organized working class as well as white collar workers whose pursuit of productivity often compromised their health. Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Kobo , Apple Books , Bookshop.org , and many other online platforms!

Ikeda Hayato managed to garner the necessary support to become the President of the LDP and the Prime Minister of Japan after Kishi Nobusuke's resignation in 1960. He would prove to be almost the polar opposite of his arch-conservative predecessor, creating much of the social safety net which Japan continues to enjoy today. His successor, Sato Eisaku, lobbied for the return of Okinawa Prefecture and was forced to wrangle with complicated geopolitical challenges and domestic disturbances. Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Kobo , Apple Books , Bookshop.org , and many other online platforms!

Conservatives and Leftists both experienced party mergers after the 1955 general election. However, it was the Liberal Democratic Party who would emerge as the big winner for the foreseeable future. Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Kobo , Apple Books , Bookshop.org , and many other online platforms!

The Allied occupation changed Japan's social norms in a variety of ways. When the occupation ended, some of those changes would remain while others would fall by the wayside. In the midst of rebuilding, economic chaos, and privation, the Japanese film industry entered its golden age. Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Kobo , Apple Books , Bookshop.org , and many other online platforms!

Japan's economy expanded rapidly during the postwar rebuild - too rapidly. Hyperinflation created unrest and frustration which the labor movement hoped to harness. Meanwhile, the diet passed a sweeping land reform which radically transformed Japan's agrarian sector. Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Kobo , Apple Books , Bookshop.org , and many other online platforms!

While the Allied occupation forces had initially supported the restoration of far-left parties to Japan's political arena, the advent of the Cold War led to a reversal of sorts which included de-purging those who had supported imperial-era war crimes and purging some on the left whose loyalty to the US was in doubt. Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Kobo , Apple Books , Bookshop.org , and many other online platforms!

The aftermath of the Pacific War led to an Allied occupation of Japan, during which time Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers (SCAP) Douglas MacArthur and his subordinates attempted to reorganize the Japanese state away from militaristic authoritarianism and transform it into a contemporary liberal democracy. Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Kobo , Apple Books , Bookshop.org , and many other online platforms!

From 1931 to 1945, the empire of Japan was engaging in secret human experimentation in northeast China in violation of multiple international laws. The results of these experiments was felt on the battlefields of China and beyond as the empire became increasingly desperate to recover their advantage in the second world war. Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Kobo , Apple Books , Bookshop.org , and many other online platforms!

In this episode, I discuss some of my favorite and not-so-favorite films which depict the events of the second world war. Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Kobo , Apple Books , Bookshop.org , and many other online platforms!

In this episode, we explore the different uses of concentration camps during the second world war in both Axis and Allied nations. Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Kobo , Apple Books , Bookshop.org , and many other online platforms!