Refused Allied Requests for their surrender.
The defeat of Germany and Italy at the end of the Second World War convinced the Japanese
that they could not hold onto longer at the Pacific front. Her armies were in a disarray, her
navy was destroyed, and her depleting resources were a no match to the immense resources
of the USA, who joined the war on the Allied side and made it highly impossible for the
Japanese to win the war. The Japanese armies pushed forward to break the stalemate on the Pacific Front, but could not a breakthrough. The weariness and disagreement between the war leaders created both a political and military stalling of decisions on the issue of handling the question of surrendering to the Allies, whose vast resources and expert blockading of vital routes throughout the Pacific made it almost impossible for the Japanese to secure the much-needed resources to replenish their armies.
Further Explanation-
The decision to launch an invasion of Japan was taken in the historic Potsdam Declaration, where the Allied powers wanted to bring a swift end to the war. Japan, the tiny Pacific Island with its goals of achieving mastery over the Pacific, was considerably weakened by the constant assault of Allied troops on its armies, cities and the civilian population. The bombing of Japan’s industrial units meant that her armies could now have only limited supplies, which would not be enough for a decisive victory against the allies. The Prime Minister of Japan advised his military council of an all-out war using the remaining resources and armed Japanese forces, which could weaken the Allies. Surrender would mean that Japan would lose her prestige among the eyes of the civilians, and her leaders could be tried as war criminals. Moreover, the Allied Nations with their democratic institutions and western political structures could severely compromise the authority and prestige of Emperor Hirohito. The military council’s decision to fight till the last man standing was not received favorably by civilians, who fled the Japanese towns and villages, leading to a lack of faith in the armed forces. This lack of manpower to undertake industrial operations dealt a serious blow to the Japanese war effort, which ultimately culminated in their defeat by the Allies. When the Japanese refused to surrender due to unfavorable terms,
the USA and United Kingdom decided to drop two atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima
and Nagasaki, which brought about a swift end to the war.
Learn more:
1.The part of the U.S government that interprets laws is the
2.The U.S constitution structures the government by creating a system that
Answer Details-
Grade- High School.
Chapter- The Second World War
Subject- History.
Keywords-
Surrender of Japan, Allied Powers, Potsdam Conference, Yalta Conference, atomic bombs,
Treaty of San Francisco.
