Japanese Propaganda Used In War Without Mercy

The Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in 1941 led to America’s introduction into World War II in the Pacific Theater, and to an extensive series of propaganda attacks between the two countries. The United States intelligence and military were totally caught off guard when the Japanese military bombed Pearl Harbor Naval Base. In his book War Without Mercy, Dower explains how the Japanese and Americans used propaganda to perpetuate the war. Dower provides many examples of propaganda used by both the American and Japanese points of view. The propaganda that he references in War Without Mercy is very hateful towards each country and makes the Japanese and Americans seem dehumanized. There were a variety of ways propaganda

American propaganda was extensive along the west coast. The United States and other countries who were at war with the Japanese used several derogatory terms to describe the Japanese people mostly including animal names such as monkeys or apes. General Blamey noted to his men, “Your enemy is a curious race -- a cross between the human being and the ape. And like the ape, when he is cornered he knows how to die. But he is inferior to you, and you know it, and that knowledge will help you to victory.”(Dower, p.71). This is an example of racist remarks that Dower cites, and it is probably one of the least offensive. The way that Americans acted during the war was very brutal, several soldiers would collect trophies such as ears or even send back skulls of dead Japanese to their wives and family. Dower also discussed the different ways soldiers on the battlefield talked about the Japanese. “The Navy representative to the first interdepartmental U.S. government committee that was assigned to study how Japan should be treated after the war revealed himself to be a literal believer in Admiral Halsey's motto "Kill Japs, kill Japs, kill more Japs."”(Dower, p.55). This shows how America operated after the attack on Pearl Harbor and showed that many Americans had no sympathy for killing the Japanese soldiers and citizens. American soldiers and also Japanese soldiers were relentless during

Like the Americans, the Japanese felt that they were a superior race. “Japan is the divine country. The heavenly ancestor it was who first laid its foundations, and the Sun Goddess left her descendants to reign over it forever and ever. This is true only of our country, and nothing similar may be found in foreign lands. That is why it is called the divine country.”(Dower, p.222). This illustrates how Japan compared themselves to gods and goddesses and believed that they were equally important. Instead of insulting the enemy, the Japanese referred to themselves as being a part of the ‘Yamato Race’ and also classifying themselves as being ‘pure’. The Japanese used propaganda, but not like the other country’s they fought against. They used it to help show the citizens and soldiers why they were fighting and basically used it to make them feel good about