japan
...illingly joined their country’s military forces to fight in the war. Tominaga Shozo, who joined the army, “never questioned [his] duty” (40). Many others followed in this path. They felt it was their obligation to serve the country to their utmost ability. It was “a time when nobody criticized Japan” (77). The people were confident in their country’s decision and did not offer any arguments against it. They “believed Japan had been doing what was right” (98) and stood by its’ side. The Japanese’ strong sense of duty came from a firm belief in their Emperor. They believed that their Emperor was of divine ancestry and was being led by their gods. Therefore, he knew what was best for them and they followed unquestionably. “Little attention was paid to anything but total achievement in the name of the Emperor” (74). Those that fought in battle never feared about losing their lives. Instead, they “fought for the sake of the nation, for the sake of justice, whenever or wherever the Imperial Standard led” (78). As a part of their dedication to the Emperor and their country, the Japanese soldiers were willing to sacrifice their lives for the nation’s cause. One Japanese citizen who did not participate in battle remarked on the soldiers, “They were sacrificing themselves for the country and I felt a sense of gratitude for their hard work” (47). This shows the appreciation the public felt for those who gave their lives in battle. Not only were some Japanese willing to give their lives for their country, some were more than happy to die during battle. One soldier explains that he “was full of ardor to abandon [his] life for the sake of the nation. This is a prime example of the type of extreme patriotism that existed in Japan during the time of the Second World War. Finally, the Japanese patriotism led to the support of the war because they did not want to be dominated by a “weaker” or “inferior” country. One citizen explained that “Our ...