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NHK WORLD PRIME
Season 6 • Episode 2 • Emperor Showa Speaks: The Path to War - Part 1 (1928-1937)
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NHK WORLD PRIME Season 6, Episode 2: Emperor Showa Speaks: The Path to War - Part 1 (1928-1937)
Eighty years have passed since the attack on Pearl Harbor, which led to the start of the Pacific War. It has recently come to light that, soon after Japan's defeat, Emperor Showa spoke at great length about the path to war. This discussion was recorded in the Haietsuki (Records of Imperial Audiences) by Tajima Michiji, the grand steward of the Imperial Household Agency. The emperor spoke repeatedly about his regrets over the failure to rein in the insubordination of the Imperial Army that began with the Zhang Zuolin Incident in 1928. In addition, the journals of the emperor's grand chamberlain Hyakutake Saburo were made public in September 2021. These newly available historical documents, coupled with dramatic recreations, are used to examine the decision-making of the emperor and his close aides in the period leading to the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War in 1937. (Excerpt) Watch NHK WORLD PRIME Season 6, Episode 2 Emperor Showa Speaks: The Path to War - Part 1 (1928-1937) in HD free online. Enjoy high-quality streaming of NHK WORLD PRIME Season 6, Episode 2 and share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Episodes
28 episodes
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In 2020, the Communist Party of China celebrated its centenary, hailing its own legacy as a so-called "red gene." What does that "red gene" actually mean for ruling a country of 1.4 billion people under a one-party state? We spent 3 months embedded with Party branches in 2 rural communities to chronicle the disparities in development, prosperity and ideological indoctrination. As the Party gears up to mark its 100th year, the supreme leader of China, Xi Jinping, pushes a "back to the roots" strategy of indoctrination called "passing on the red gene." How is the Party's history being presented to the people of China today? How are local cadres dealing with social disparities driven by big-money capital flows? See the real face of today's China as we spend 3 months in frontline rural Party branches.
50 min
Emperor Showa Speaks: The Path to War - Part 1 (1928-1937)
Eighty years have passed since the attack on Pearl Harbor, which led to the start of the Pacific War. It has recently come to light that, soon after Japan's defeat, Emperor Showa spoke at great length about the path to war. This discussion was recorded in the Haietsuki (Records of Imperial Audiences) by Tajima Michiji, the grand steward of the Imperial Household Agency. The emperor spoke repeatedly about his regrets over the failure to rein in the insubordination of the Imperial Army that began with the Zhang Zuolin Incident in 1928. In addition, the journals of the emperor's grand chamberlain Hyakutake Saburo were made public in September 2021. These newly available historical documents, coupled with dramatic recreations, are used to examine the decision-making of the emperor and his close aides in the period leading to the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War in 1937. (Excerpt)
50 min
Emperor Showa Speaks: The Path to War - Part 2 (1937-1941)
Soon after Japan's defeat, Emperor Showa spoke at great length about the path to the Pacific War. This discussion was recorded in the Haietsuki (Records of Imperial Audiences). The emperor spoke of his remorse over the inability to restrain the Japanese military during a time of international upheaval. In addition, the journals of the emperor's grand chamberlain Hyakutake Saburo were made public in September 2021. In 1941, the emperor had high expectations for negotiations with the US. Japan's advance into southern French Indochina (now Vietnam) brought unforseen American economic sanctions. In the end, the emperor ordered Tojo Hideki to form a Cabinet, and went on to sanction the beginning of the war. The journals record his anguish in great detail. These newly available historical documents, coupled with dramatic recreations, are used to examine the decision-making of the emperor and his close aides in the period leading to the outbreak of the Pacific War. (Excerpt)
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