Countries enter war for a variety of reasons. The main reason is for economic purposes, although some enter to protect the welfare of other countries, or to expand their land. The citizens of a country really have no say as to whether or not their nation will fight in a war. However, they are able to decide if they will or will not support their country's cause. In the case of Japan fighting in World War II, the country was in full support of the war. In this essay, I will prove that the citizens of Japan supported the war due to a belief in extreme patriotism.
One reason the Japanese were so patriotic was due to their upbringing. From the time they entered school, the Japanese were taught to take pride in their country. The public fell in favor of the war due to "decades of patriotic education and public exhortation" (72). Rallies were held to boast the country's confidence and gain it's support. Others in school "were taught that war was unavoidable" (87). Therefore, they felt they might as well support their country if there was no other option. Due to the role of education in the Japanese" lives, they believed that their country was correct in fighting in the war and gave their full support.
Another reason the Japanese held a strong belief in patriotism was because they felt that they could not lose the war. From their education, the Japanese believed they were a superior country, and therefore could not conceive of losing in battle. Fukushima Yoshie, a Japanese citizen at the time of the war, was so confident in her country's ability that she boasted to her aunt, "Japan will not lose!" (59). Some even believed that Japan was so far superior to other nations, that the opposition would pose no threat. One individual went so far as to say "that a single shot from our army would just blow the Chinks away" (47). Even as Japan began to lose in the war, they still stayed confident.
