Quote:
Originally Posted by Klaus
He did the right thing. But perhaps he knew that they couldn't execute him? On the other hand I think it is their code of honor.
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They could have executed him and there was a great deal of debate about whether to try him as a war criminal. It was MacArthur who ultimately prevailed in that argument. In the final analysis, keeping him alive and on the throne enabled a quicker return to "normalcy" in Japan by allowing the very proud Japanese people to retain some sense of honor. He was forced to renounce the idea that he was somehow a deity, as believed by Japanese tradition up until that point.