An end to a war
By RT | August 15, 2010
There is only one God…
On this date in 1945, Emperor Hirohito took to the airwaves to tell the Japanese that their country had surrendered.
In reading about this, I learned that the emperor at that time in Japanese society was also considered to have divine status. I wonder he ever believed that he actually did have god-like power.
Imagine being the leader of a country wherein everyone believes you have the power of a god.
Imagine being that country that thought it could beat the allies because of that so-called divine power.
While people argue about the force used to end WWII, it cannot be dismissed that the true end to Japan, as its inhabitants knew it at that time in history, was that it no longer had a “supernatural” force embedded in its leader (not that it ever did). The bombs did physical and mortal damage, but a lot of the identity of Japan was lost in its leader’s inability to retain his “divinity” combined with the combat defeat.
Eventually, we all realize that our leaders are human and have no special, divine power. I do sometimes wonder if they, the ultra-ego’d leaders (and their blind followers) ever understand that fact. History has a way of showing the eventual humanization of those placed on pedestals.
Lesson learned: Never follow men; they are flawed and can be defeated. Sometimes they believe their own hype a little too much for their own good. In short, they cannot turn water into wine.
I chose this picture of Emperor Hirohito and President Reagan. It is kind of symbolic, for obvious reasons. However, in a deeper sense, Reagan was someone a lot of people looked to for leadership and felt he could do no wrong…he had his flaws and was quite human. Hirohito, shown as a much older man, had to endure the truth of his humanness for many years after WWII.
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August 15th, 2010 at 10:47 pm
When the Emperor took to the airwaves, that was the first
time the citizenry ever heard his voice.
See ? Having a leader with Divine backing has an upside. (just kidding).
August 16th, 2010 at 7:55 am
In one last act of defiance, Hirohito screams…BONZAI!!!..and passes some Divine Wind.
August 16th, 2010 at 2:29 pm
JT
They should make a drinking game out of how many times our present politicians put their mugs in front of a camera.
Jon Brooks
Mmmmkay.
August 16th, 2010 at 7:44 pm
THAT would stimulate the economy.