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MANCHURIA TO HIROSHIMA SOURCE ANALYSIS
The Japanese politics of food during the second world war was very focused on their rice production
and exportation
...
It was also a vital part of the structure as it created “a strangle hold on the
population of Hong Kong that they could not have acquired in any other way” (source 8)
...
By the early 1940s, it is clear from sources 3, 4 and 5 that the
only thing that remained a staple part of the empire was rice, whilst other produce was in short
supply
...
Nevertheless, although it is not clear from 1940 the amount of rice that was
exported from Burma, the production levels are still relatively high initially
...

According to source 1, when Britain regained control in 1945 the rice production increased again,
suggesting the Japanese structures had negative consequences on Burmese rice production and
their ‘food politics’ was highly unorganised from the beginning
...
Despite sources 1, 2 and 3 are from unknown writers, they are reliable to use as
information for the current state of Asia at the beginning of the war
...
It is useful to look at the first 2 sources to gain wider context and a further
understanding of the impact the Japanese empire had on food supply
...
With nearly 3000 tons
of rice being exported from Burma in the years 1936-39 (source 1) it is probable that a lot of this rice
came from Burma
...
In source 5, letters written
by a POW on the Burma-Siam railways display the issues with food
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This was problematic because the
people could rarely afford the higher prices
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In Hong Kong the Japanese authorities eventually set up rations
where individuals could purchase 0
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20 per catty
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Even so, with 1,100 houses to cater for – each with an average
of 10 people per household – the rations were still not sufficient
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Once Hong Kong
had been invaded, their rice supplies were located and sent back to Japan, suggesting a struggle even
in their own country
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Therefore, according to these
sources alone, the Japanese structure for their ‘food economy’ was weak and disorganised
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However, once the “mechanics of rice rationing [were] fairly complete” (source 8) the Japanese
did realise that they needed to turn their attention to other problems
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Whilst eventually some
sugar was shipped back and rationed, it was given to the soldiers as a priority who had 20g per person
per day (source 3)
...
Rations in Hong Kong eventually included flour and oil, but prices increased
dramatically from 300 per cent to 1000 per cent mark ups
...
While the
information would have been used at the Japanese authority’s discretion, it definitely has an
underlying tone of worry, as it is admitting that it’s transportation links are weak, meaning that they
could not export their produce to the whole country efficiently
...

However, the soldier mentions that he is not allowed to tell his friends and family where they are,
therefore getting supplies to them when it was such a secret would prove difficult
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Meat was not a frequent part of the citizen’s or POW’s diet
...
Nevertheless, sources 4 and 5 are written by Japanese POW and so they
would not have been receiving favourable treatment or allowed to hunt for their own food
...

Contrasting the food shortages with the information given in source 3 about the daily provisions
for Japanese soldiers in 1943, it is clear they were given priority over supplies, with each soldier
receiving 650g of rice, 75g of fish and dried vegetables and 20g of sugar – all of which were in
extremely high demand in Asia during the war
...
They had daily
or weekly rations delivered and only had to pay if they had the means to do so (source 8)
...
The use of food as a way to control the empire’s growing population as well using it as
a reward those who showed loyalty to the regime was very clever
...
On the surface it may
seem that the Japanese had no principles or structure to their ‘food economy’, but they actually used
it as a way to gain control
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When analysing the sources alone they are not of much use, but when comparing and utilising
them together they build a much bigger picture of the Japanese food structure and how they used it
to gain autonomous power throughout the various countries they conquered
...
In contrast, source
7 and 8 talk of preferential treatment due to the soldiers and ethnic minorities showing unconditional
loyalty to the Japanese empire
...
The Burmese government convey concern in source 6, suggesting that although
they could be completely self-sufficient as a country, they could not export provisions, which was a
great problem
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Martha Wilson

Book Review: Paul Ham – Hiroshima and Nagasaki;
The Real Story of the Atomic Bombings and their Aftermath
The question of “was the atomic bomb really necessary?” is widely debated and difficult to
answer definitively
...
He is an Australian
historian who specialises in war, politics and diplomacy
...
Ham successfully uses primary sources from both America and Japan to show the
political, military, and civilian dynamics of both countries during the war
...
It was no secret
that Japanese national suicide was preferable to surrender, and the mobilisation of every man,
woman and child over the age of 12 is testament to this
...
Whilst it is not very concise at reaching its overall conclusion, it is a valuable contribution to the
subject and highlights situations that led to the bomb being dropped and reflects on the affect it had
on the Japanese civilians
...
In winter 1945, the Allies met at Yalta to discuss the imminent
defeat of Germany
...
However, British and American
relations with Russia were strained due to disagreement over the post war division of Germany
...
This is the
background to Ham’s argument that the bombs were a warning to Stalin to deter him from further
expansionism
...
1
Ham’s analysis of the situation on the home front in Japan gives weight to his argument that the
bombs were not necessary for Japan to surrender
...
This, along with the loss of over 60 cities due to air raids, made it clear that
the Japanese had effectively been defeated
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Hanson W
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Ham is adamant in Hiroshima Nagasaki that despite the threat from the Allies, Japan were more
concerned with the inevitable invasion from Russia
...
The Russian threat scared
Japan due to their strategy of direct military attacks compared to the “cowardly attacks on civilians”
from America
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5 million troops into Manchuria a week earlier than planned
1

Alperovitz, G
...
The Decision to Bomb Hiroshima
...
2016]
...
counterpunch
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With Stalin aware of the successful bomb test, Ham writes that Russia did not want
the war to end without their involvement and so brought forward the attack
...
This is backed up by Gar Alperovitz;
[It is important to note] that speaking privately to top Army officials on August 14 the Japanese
Emperor stated bluntly: “The military situation has changed suddenly
...
Suicide attacks can’t compete with the power of science
...
” 2

With this evidence from the Emperor himself, it seems likely that the Allies were determined to use
the bomb without consideration for alternative, less destructive solutions
...
This message was
intercepted by the Americans, but ignored by Washington, Ham says
...
General D
...
3

Ham discusses the non-military nature of Hiroshima and Nagasaki targets
...
Stimson wrote in his Harper’s Magazine article; “It should be used on a
dual target…a military installation or war plant…surrounded by…buildings most susceptible to
damage
...
Originally, Kokura
had been the primary target, one which perhaps made more sense from a military perspective due
to it holding Japan’s largest arsenal of weapons
...
Although he does also mention that Stimson wanted to save Kyoto as he
liked it aesthetically
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The Americans misrepresented Hiroshima as a military target that
would avoid the killing of civilians
...
Stimson wrote this article with hindsight to
explain the thought process behind the bomb, Ham is sometimes one-sided when explaining his
evidence
...

Although his argument is clear he is very biased and that shines through
...
His use of real life
accounts is effective in putting aside the military and economic effects of the war and showing that
2

(Alperovitz, 2011: online)
(Alperovitz, 2011: online)
4
Stimson, H
...
‘The Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb
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(194), pp
...

3

Martha Wilson

the citizens of Hiroshima and Nagasaki had to deal with the destruction of their whole city, family
and friends
...
John Dower wrote that the U
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prohibited
‘open reporting from Hiroshima and Nagasaki’5 suggesting that they knew what they did was wrong
...
This helps Ham’s argument as it shows a
determination to use the bomb and suggests an ulterior motive for the government
...

The use of American and Japanese evidence help convince and give the book a feeling of balance
...
A commonly taken approach by works on this
subject is to focus on a sole outcome of the debate
...
He explores the different factors in depth, and presents a well formed opinion
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Bibliography
Alperovitz, G
...
The Decision to Bomb Hiroshima
...
2016]
...
counterpunch
...
and Tree, S
...
The decision to use the atomic bomb and the architecture of an
American myth
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New York: Knopf
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(1996)
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(ed)
Hiroshima in History and Memory
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Ham, P
...
Hiroshima Nagasaki
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Sydney: HarperCollins Publishers
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(1947)
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’ Harper's Magazine, February
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5

Dower, J
...
‘The Bombed: Hiroshimas and Nagasakis in Japanese Memory, In Hogan, M
...
New York: Cambridge University Press, p
...


Martha Wilson



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