Was Emperor hirohito really the mastermind behind all japanese involvement during world war 2? Not long after Hirohito became emperor he was pressured by the japanese military to invade Manchuria and attack china. even though he was reluctant to attack he still asked America and Britain for help.
After America made the decision not to help he thought he had no choice but to attack pearl harbor but despite having no enthusiasm to enter the war he was proud of the naval success. The attack on pearl harbor finally caused America to enter the war in 1941.
During the war with America he frequently wore a military uniform to raise his armies spirits. By spring of 1945 Hirohito knew that Japan had no chance of winning the war because while most citizens wanted to surrender, military personnel wanted to continue fighting. that very same summer America used atomic bombs to attack Japan in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
While both of those cities were getting bombed he stayed within the capital of his country. But both of these attacks were not on army bases so both civilians and soldiers died. approximately 70,000 of them immediately died from the explosion in Hiroshima, and another 70,000 from radiation 5 years later.
On the 15th of August in 1945 Emperor Hirohito made a radio broadcast letting japan know that the war was finally over. This was also the first time the citizens of japan had ever heard their emperor's voice.