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Hirohito: Behind the Myth
A biography of Japan's Emperor, the man who started an extraordinary period in history. The work covers the period prior to 1939, World War II and the post-war reconstruction of Japan.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1987
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115 people want to read
About the author
Edward Samuel Behr
16 books11 followersEdward Samuel Behr was a journalist; he worked primarily as a foreign & war correspondent. He began his career in the early 1950s with the Reuters news agency, then worked for Time-Life, serving as bureau chief in several cities around the world for Time Magazine. He then took a position with Newsweek in 1965 as Asia bureau chief, based in Hong Kong. Later in his career, Mr. Behr also made a number of documentaries for the BBC. He wrote several books during his life on various subjects, including a memoir which was published in 1978.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
October 21, 2020
Much more critical of its subject than Mosley's 'Hirohito', Behr's biography adduces arguments that Hirohito, Emperor of Japan, bears substantial responsibility both for the rise of the right-wing military clique which ruled Japan and the wars they brought upon their country.
September 28, 2011
This biography of the former Emperor of Japan, who reigned from about the 1920s through the 1980s, has a definite agenda: it seeks to prove that, contrary to what was apparently conventional wisdom when it was written, Hirohito knew about, and was actively involved in planning, Japan's bombing of Pearl Harbor and its invasion of China.
Because of that, even though its subject's reign covered such a vast span of time, most of the book deals with the war years, the late 1930s and early-to-mid 1940s. That stuff was all very interesting and informative, but I think I would've wanted a bit more about the later years of his reign, since so much changed about his role after the war. The book addresses that to an extent: the abrupt change from his being thought of, and treated as, a god incarnate to being a sort of ceremonial head of state more like the British monarch. But I would have wanted to see more of how he adapted to that diminished role, especially since the book had done such a good job of showing how resourceful and adaptable he proved to be during the war years and the American occupation.
One thing that might be really interesting to some readers, but also confusing and potentially boring to others, is all the intrigue, plotting and behind-the-scenes negotiation that goes on in Hirohito's court. I found myself hard pressed to keep track of who was who, who was doing what and who knew about who was doing what. Especially since the revolving cast of characters includes not just princes and courtiers but also prominent army and navy officers. That adds up to A WHOLE LOT of names to keep straight.
There are some exciting parts, though: one of these plots leads to an attempted coup by a rogue faction of army officers, who plan to sneak into the houses of various high-level ministers and kill them in the dead of night; the other highlight was an incredible plan, at the start of the Occupation when no one was sure if the Allies were going to let Japan keep its "emperor system", to spirit away a child of royal blood and bring him up in secret as the real heir to the throne, which he would claim when he grew up.
There's also a lot of very interesting stuff about what the culture was like in Japan at the time; mostly, though, the book focuses a fairly narrow band of scrutiny on the military, diplomatic and political events of World War Two, specifically with an eye to tracing Hirohito's involvement in Japan's aggression. This is interesting, too, but maybe more interesting to someone with a specific interest in World War Two than to someone with a more general interest in Japan's history. The latter reader might find herself wishing the narrative could "zoom out" a little; I know I did sometimes.
Because of that, even though its subject's reign covered such a vast span of time, most of the book deals with the war years, the late 1930s and early-to-mid 1940s. That stuff was all very interesting and informative, but I think I would've wanted a bit more about the later years of his reign, since so much changed about his role after the war. The book addresses that to an extent: the abrupt change from his being thought of, and treated as, a god incarnate to being a sort of ceremonial head of state more like the British monarch. But I would have wanted to see more of how he adapted to that diminished role, especially since the book had done such a good job of showing how resourceful and adaptable he proved to be during the war years and the American occupation.
One thing that might be really interesting to some readers, but also confusing and potentially boring to others, is all the intrigue, plotting and behind-the-scenes negotiation that goes on in Hirohito's court. I found myself hard pressed to keep track of who was who, who was doing what and who knew about who was doing what. Especially since the revolving cast of characters includes not just princes and courtiers but also prominent army and navy officers. That adds up to A WHOLE LOT of names to keep straight.
There are some exciting parts, though: one of these plots leads to an attempted coup by a rogue faction of army officers, who plan to sneak into the houses of various high-level ministers and kill them in the dead of night; the other highlight was an incredible plan, at the start of the Occupation when no one was sure if the Allies were going to let Japan keep its "emperor system", to spirit away a child of royal blood and bring him up in secret as the real heir to the throne, which he would claim when he grew up.
There's also a lot of very interesting stuff about what the culture was like in Japan at the time; mostly, though, the book focuses a fairly narrow band of scrutiny on the military, diplomatic and political events of World War Two, specifically with an eye to tracing Hirohito's involvement in Japan's aggression. This is interesting, too, but maybe more interesting to someone with a specific interest in World War Two than to someone with a more general interest in Japan's history. The latter reader might find herself wishing the narrative could "zoom out" a little; I know I did sometimes.
January 25, 2020
It should be immediately be pointed out that this book really isn’t, in the strictest sense, a biography. How does one write a biography of a Japanese emperor anyway? These figureheads were in many ways similar to royalty, yet the Japanese legend argued that the lineage of their emperor could be traced all the way back to the Sun God (whoever that was). So the Emperor and his family were treated with the utmost reverence and although they may have been rarely seen by their adoring populous, they certainly were never heard. There was very strict protocol when dealing with the gods.
So someone as protected as an emperor really doesn’t warrant too many details that can be weaved into something resembling a biography. This book is actually a challenge to the common myth of Emperor Hirohito’s role during World War II; the time that clearly served as the biggest blemish in the entire history of the nation.
The common understanding of the nation of Japan during the first half of the twentieth century is that the small somewhat isolated Asiatic nation decided it was time to flex its muscle and compete with the big boys in neighboring Europe. These nations were carving up the rest of the world and colonizing those whom they perceived as weaker, and Japan certainly wanted a seat at the table. Japan brutally turned on its neighbor China in the 1930s which indirectly caused the U.S. to get involved in World War II. Japan wasn’t any kinder to its Western rivals. This is all background, understand. None of these presumptions are challenged in this book.
What IS challenged in this book, again, is the role of Hirohito behind the scenes. Most historians tell us that Hirohito was so guarded behind his palace walls, that he wasn’t at all instrumental in Japan’s jingoistic land grabs, raping, and murdering. It was the fault of Japan’s nationalist and military leaders, we’re told. Actually, Hirohito is credited for aiding in the ending of World War II after the annihilations of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. So in a land of tyrants, history tells us that at least Hirohito had a somewhat decent head on his shoulders in finally achieving some sort of peace.
So author Edward Behr makes a very convincing argument that Emperor Hirohito was much more conniving than the world gave him credit. He details many events, conversations, and rare second-hand tales that show that the supposed peace-loving godhead was actually all in favor of his nation achieving power and glory even if it was tantamount to ruthless butchering and conquering. Sometime around 1943, though, many in the know in the nation of Japan realized that they were fighting a losing effort. What made this particular conflict more brutal than normal was that the Japanese culture simply couldn’t fathom the concept of ‘surrender’. This is a nation that would gladly throw their children and elderly into the path of the enemy rather than admit defeat. Even after the two atomic bombs are dropped, some diehards in power simply couldn’t fathom the notion of giving up. Here is where the author does agree with most in that Hirohito does realize that it’s best to lay down weapons and face whatever atrocities their conquerors may inflict upon them.
Enter Douglas MacArthur who proves to be one of the most magnanimous conquers in the history of civilization. Much of what is commonly known of Emperor Hirohito can be traced to MacArthur. Some speculate that the general was aware that Hirohito wasn’t as squeaky as most perceived, but with the geopolitics of the world already radically shifting in the late 1940s, the argument could be made that MacArthur realized he needed a strong ally so close to communist Russia. So the Emperor is quickly forgiven by the western world, MacArthur begins a friendly occupation, and within a span of only a few years, Japan begins to rebuild from out of the ashes. Could this have happened if Hirohito been thrown in front of a firing squad like many of the other Japanese war criminals? Who knows? Hindsight tells us that things did, in fact, work out for the best. The author probably agrees with this, but that still doesn’t mean that the truth prior to and during the war deserves to be hidden away.
This book was written in 1989, and I honestly don’t know how much of an impact that it had on how many people thought of Japan during World War II. Sadly, my guess is many people in 1989 (and definitely 30 years later) really don’t know, nor do they care. I doubt most people under 60 years of age could even identify who Emperor Hirohito was, nor his significance. I really enjoyed the book. It’s a tad on the ‘scholarly’ side – lots of big words and rambling pontifications. There were many times when I wished I had a dictionary handy. This book reminds me of one of those books that is required reading for a world history class one might take in college. I don’t mean that in a bad way, it’s mainly an observation.
A good alternate look at a key figure during the most calamitous conflict in history that makes one ask some hard, necessary questions.
So someone as protected as an emperor really doesn’t warrant too many details that can be weaved into something resembling a biography. This book is actually a challenge to the common myth of Emperor Hirohito’s role during World War II; the time that clearly served as the biggest blemish in the entire history of the nation.
The common understanding of the nation of Japan during the first half of the twentieth century is that the small somewhat isolated Asiatic nation decided it was time to flex its muscle and compete with the big boys in neighboring Europe. These nations were carving up the rest of the world and colonizing those whom they perceived as weaker, and Japan certainly wanted a seat at the table. Japan brutally turned on its neighbor China in the 1930s which indirectly caused the U.S. to get involved in World War II. Japan wasn’t any kinder to its Western rivals. This is all background, understand. None of these presumptions are challenged in this book.
What IS challenged in this book, again, is the role of Hirohito behind the scenes. Most historians tell us that Hirohito was so guarded behind his palace walls, that he wasn’t at all instrumental in Japan’s jingoistic land grabs, raping, and murdering. It was the fault of Japan’s nationalist and military leaders, we’re told. Actually, Hirohito is credited for aiding in the ending of World War II after the annihilations of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. So in a land of tyrants, history tells us that at least Hirohito had a somewhat decent head on his shoulders in finally achieving some sort of peace.
So author Edward Behr makes a very convincing argument that Emperor Hirohito was much more conniving than the world gave him credit. He details many events, conversations, and rare second-hand tales that show that the supposed peace-loving godhead was actually all in favor of his nation achieving power and glory even if it was tantamount to ruthless butchering and conquering. Sometime around 1943, though, many in the know in the nation of Japan realized that they were fighting a losing effort. What made this particular conflict more brutal than normal was that the Japanese culture simply couldn’t fathom the concept of ‘surrender’. This is a nation that would gladly throw their children and elderly into the path of the enemy rather than admit defeat. Even after the two atomic bombs are dropped, some diehards in power simply couldn’t fathom the notion of giving up. Here is where the author does agree with most in that Hirohito does realize that it’s best to lay down weapons and face whatever atrocities their conquerors may inflict upon them.
Enter Douglas MacArthur who proves to be one of the most magnanimous conquers in the history of civilization. Much of what is commonly known of Emperor Hirohito can be traced to MacArthur. Some speculate that the general was aware that Hirohito wasn’t as squeaky as most perceived, but with the geopolitics of the world already radically shifting in the late 1940s, the argument could be made that MacArthur realized he needed a strong ally so close to communist Russia. So the Emperor is quickly forgiven by the western world, MacArthur begins a friendly occupation, and within a span of only a few years, Japan begins to rebuild from out of the ashes. Could this have happened if Hirohito been thrown in front of a firing squad like many of the other Japanese war criminals? Who knows? Hindsight tells us that things did, in fact, work out for the best. The author probably agrees with this, but that still doesn’t mean that the truth prior to and during the war deserves to be hidden away.
This book was written in 1989, and I honestly don’t know how much of an impact that it had on how many people thought of Japan during World War II. Sadly, my guess is many people in 1989 (and definitely 30 years later) really don’t know, nor do they care. I doubt most people under 60 years of age could even identify who Emperor Hirohito was, nor his significance. I really enjoyed the book. It’s a tad on the ‘scholarly’ side – lots of big words and rambling pontifications. There were many times when I wished I had a dictionary handy. This book reminds me of one of those books that is required reading for a world history class one might take in college. I don’t mean that in a bad way, it’s mainly an observation.
A good alternate look at a key figure during the most calamitous conflict in history that makes one ask some hard, necessary questions.
January 4, 2024
Get her, Jade!!!
November 26, 2014
This book was certainly interesting. It was even informative. And credible -- until the end, when it dove off a cliff.
I've read enough elsewhere to not fully believe that Hirohito was a Japanese King George VI. I knew that he knew something about the Rape of Nanking and at least vaguely about the infamous Unit 731.
Well, he knew more than vaguely about that. (And, to keep "cover" for Hirohito, Behr points out that Unit 731's Gen. Ishii was not only never prosecuted for war crimes, but also allegedly taught courses at the U.S. Army's Fort Detrick. Informed Americans know what's done there.)
A main point of Behr is that after Hirohito got loyal troops to (somewhat slowly) put down a coup attempt in February 1936, he tacitly agreed to give the militarists behind -- in spirit if not actuality -- the coup free reign in China. From there, he allegedly partially lost his grip, but was partially deliberately riding the wave, wanting things like what became called the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere.
But, generals couldn't deliver all promised victories. Pessimism of some in the navy failed to dissuade him. So, the war was expanded ... with Hirohito's active consent.
Behr points to what he claims was Hirohito's intransigence from spring 1944 on, claiming that if he had accepted something like the Potsdam Declaratoin much earlier.
All fine and good, and believable. So too is the very end, about how Hirohito (and his backers in the Japanese hierarchy) outmaneuvered Dugout Doug MacArthur, and his backers in the US hierarchy.
But, right before that, there's a major oops.
Behr claims that Japan's nuclear program was more advanced than Nazi Germany. In a country that had fewer resources, and probably had fewer world-class physicists even after the Jewish flight, that's ridiculous.
Behr then tops that by moving from ridiculous to preposterous with a claim I'd never heard about before.
And that is that Japan allegedly did an N-test explosion on an island off the coast of Korea, on Aug. 12, 1945.
I believe you can understand why I couldn't even give this a fourth star, let alone a fifth.
I've read enough elsewhere to not fully believe that Hirohito was a Japanese King George VI. I knew that he knew something about the Rape of Nanking and at least vaguely about the infamous Unit 731.
Well, he knew more than vaguely about that. (And, to keep "cover" for Hirohito, Behr points out that Unit 731's Gen. Ishii was not only never prosecuted for war crimes, but also allegedly taught courses at the U.S. Army's Fort Detrick. Informed Americans know what's done there.)
A main point of Behr is that after Hirohito got loyal troops to (somewhat slowly) put down a coup attempt in February 1936, he tacitly agreed to give the militarists behind -- in spirit if not actuality -- the coup free reign in China. From there, he allegedly partially lost his grip, but was partially deliberately riding the wave, wanting things like what became called the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere.
But, generals couldn't deliver all promised victories. Pessimism of some in the navy failed to dissuade him. So, the war was expanded ... with Hirohito's active consent.
Behr points to what he claims was Hirohito's intransigence from spring 1944 on, claiming that if he had accepted something like the Potsdam Declaratoin much earlier.
All fine and good, and believable. So too is the very end, about how Hirohito (and his backers in the Japanese hierarchy) outmaneuvered Dugout Doug MacArthur, and his backers in the US hierarchy.
But, right before that, there's a major oops.
Behr claims that Japan's nuclear program was more advanced than Nazi Germany. In a country that had fewer resources, and probably had fewer world-class physicists even after the Jewish flight, that's ridiculous.
Behr then tops that by moving from ridiculous to preposterous with a claim I'd never heard about before.
And that is that Japan allegedly did an N-test explosion on an island off the coast of Korea, on Aug. 12, 1945.
I believe you can understand why I couldn't even give this a fourth star, let alone a fifth.
March 14, 2025
This is a difficult book to review. I enjoyed learning about Hirohito, the Emperor of Japan who presided over World War II. On the other hand, the war years were a blur as I read them. So many facts. The author clearly wants us to come away with the opinion that Hirohito was much more directly involved in the war than was let on. However, it's difficult for me to come to terms with that considering that the Imperial Household Agency wouldn't even let him eat a specific type of fish because it contained poison before it was cooked. And with what we know about how restrictive the IHA is today, it's confusing.
I definitely enjoyed reading about the Emperor's personal life. How a person lived is something I always am glad to read about.
Any hardcore World War II buff would enjoy this I am sure.
I definitely enjoyed reading about the Emperor's personal life. How a person lived is something I always am glad to read about.
Any hardcore World War II buff would enjoy this I am sure.
November 22, 2023
Emperor Hirohito lived to bridge the late 19th century Japan of the Meiji Era with the ultra modern 21st century Japan. Born in 1901 and deceased in 1989 he witnessed, if not presided over, an unprecedented and almost unbelievable period of change. But his personal role in all this change is fraught with controversy and obscured visibility.
This book attempts to demonstrate his personal culpability relating to Japan’s imperial expansion in the 1930’s and 40’s. It is thorough and credible but is lacking a nuanced analysis of the reality of the times, the immediate preceding history of Japan and the cultural constraints of the Imperial system in Japan.
Nevertheless, I am glad I have this work in my library.
This book attempts to demonstrate his personal culpability relating to Japan’s imperial expansion in the 1930’s and 40’s. It is thorough and credible but is lacking a nuanced analysis of the reality of the times, the immediate preceding history of Japan and the cultural constraints of the Imperial system in Japan.
Nevertheless, I am glad I have this work in my library.
April 8, 2020
While I found this book surprisingly readable, and very informative, the author's use of sensational language and emotional embellishments made it somewhat difficult to focus on the factual understanding of events. Nonetheless, I came away from this book better informed about Emperor Hirohito and Japan's role in WWII. I would say this was a worthwhile and informative read, if not the most objective one, and includes many details that most accounts would likely omit.
April 16, 2020
I found this in my school’s library before quarantine while looking for a different Hirohito book. This was published in the late 80s so by today’s standards it is a little dry but extremely informative. I would like to read a lot more about postwar Japan to see how it became the country it is today.
August 31, 2021
cijfer: 8
duidelijk verhaal over deze keizer (zeker als je, net als ik, een geschiedenis fanaat bent)
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December 21, 2025
Props to my friend for letting me borrow this lol
April 23, 2013
The book ‘Hirohito behind the Myth’ is an incredible biography of the great emperor Hirohito. Hirohito’s story begins in his early days as a young boy as he finds himself constantly being isolated from the Japanese public or deepening his love for marine biology his father emperor Taisho had also conceived a mental illness at the time in which Hirohito was growing up. Hirohito would grow up to be a smart and respectful man who later would come to marry princess Nagako. Hirohito’s life never revolved around one certain place he would constantly travel even in his days as an emperor by the time his days as an emperor came to an end he left japan as the second most powerful economic power in the world despite losing to the Americans of course.
The form in which the book was written was incredibly dry however the events that occur and the diversity of characters in the book make the story seem as if it where something out of an action movie Hirohito definitely lived an interesting life full of action and adventure. One of the other things I also liked was how the book takes the time to describe important side characters before he explains their actions and how they affected Hirohito or a certain situation
The book itself actually does not have a slow start so it doesn’t fail to keep the reader’s attention at first however whether the reader continues to read the book or not is almost entirely based on their interests this book is a great read for someone who takes interest in war history it definitely gives the reader a feel of how japan was during that time period and how life as an emperor was as well. The only reason I see as to why most readers would prefer not to read this is because the book definitely does start to become dry in some chapters throughout the story but it definitely does get better as you read on.
The form in which the book was written was incredibly dry however the events that occur and the diversity of characters in the book make the story seem as if it where something out of an action movie Hirohito definitely lived an interesting life full of action and adventure. One of the other things I also liked was how the book takes the time to describe important side characters before he explains their actions and how they affected Hirohito or a certain situation
The book itself actually does not have a slow start so it doesn’t fail to keep the reader’s attention at first however whether the reader continues to read the book or not is almost entirely based on their interests this book is a great read for someone who takes interest in war history it definitely gives the reader a feel of how japan was during that time period and how life as an emperor was as well. The only reason I see as to why most readers would prefer not to read this is because the book definitely does start to become dry in some chapters throughout the story but it definitely does get better as you read on.
February 1, 2015
The author suggests that Japan detonated a nuclear device at the very end of the war. There are enough moments like that in the book to make credibility an issue, which is important if you are making the case that Hirohito, who emerged from World War II with a surprisingly good reputation, knew about the atrocities committed by his troops during the China incursion, and the subsequent hostilities with the Allies. It would hard to imagine Hitler getting the same kind of pass. Behr makes the case that Hirohito was spared by three factors: (1) his own elasticity in adopting to the Occupation, and his denial of knowledge (2) a conspiracy on the part of his courtiers to cloak the Emperor's knowledge and tacit approval of events like the Rape of Nanking and the attack on Pearl Harbor, although at least one official gave the interrogators enough information about Hirohito to have convicted him of war crimes under the standards that were being used in post-war Japan and (3) Douglas MacArthur, who allowed him to retain the throne without any real investigation of his culpability.
Behr makes his case, using an exhaustive parsing of Japanese and American records. That being said, his is a highly opinionated book, and if the evidence is not solid, Behr still does not hesitate to conclude the worst possible interpretation of imperial behaviors.
Not really a biography of the Emperor, either. It would be interesting to know if there has been any new work into the role of Prince Konoye, Hideki Tojo and Empress Nagato during the run up to the war and the period 1941-1946 itself.
Behr makes his case, using an exhaustive parsing of Japanese and American records. That being said, his is a highly opinionated book, and if the evidence is not solid, Behr still does not hesitate to conclude the worst possible interpretation of imperial behaviors.
Not really a biography of the Emperor, either. It would be interesting to know if there has been any new work into the role of Prince Konoye, Hideki Tojo and Empress Nagato during the run up to the war and the period 1941-1946 itself.
December 3, 2016
Reviews written by historians note that this book, while this book purports to give an unbiased view of Emperor Hirohito, it reads more like the view of a prosecuting attorney. Indeed, I came across a number of references where the author uses words such as - Hirohito must have seen the reports, or all information funneled through the palace - to indicate that he was not a puppet emperor who had no control of the military, but was indeed complicit in the pre-war and Asian-Pacific war decisions. I came away from reading this with an impression of a crown prince who had been raised in a very isolated environment and, while at the center of decision making, had little real understanding of world reality as well as the reality of the sacrifices of the ordinary Japanese people. If you are a student of Japanese history and its ambiguous 19th and 20th century historical relationship with the US, with neither side being able to claim clean hands, this is a must read book. It gives one an in-depth understanding of the machinations of the Showa Emperor and his retinue as well as the political intrigue and politically motivated assassinations carried out by the right wing suppporters of the Japanese army during the 1930s and 40s which carried Japan into the tragedy of war.
July 26, 2016
I liked this book but it is a little long. Obviously if you have a little trouble remember names this will be a little bit difficult considering most of the characters are Japanese and some share surnames. I wish the author could have gone more in depth on who Hirohito was as a person and not spend as much time on the council surrounding him. Behr did do a marvelous job; however, as dispelling the mirage of Hirohito in history as a puppet of Japanese aggression and militarism. It paints Hirohito as the person, not the helpless god-emperor his followers wanted to portray him as. If you're a fan of history give it a go, but it is quite dry so be prepared for that.
January 5, 2017
An interesting book exploring the impacts the Japanese emperor had on the events of WW2 and Imperial expansion. The author cuts through the post-war propaganda and calls the narrative of Hirohito being an unwitting puppet of his military advisers into question while not straying to far into complete condemnation of the man. The book puts forward a believable middle-ground argument.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews