Japan in the Fascist Era [Hardcover]

In contrast to Euro-centric works on comparative fascism that set Japan apart from Germany and Italy, this book emphasizes parallels between Japan and its Axis Allies. Romantic nationalist ideologies attracted a strong following in all three nations as they emerged as modern states in the late 1800s. In both Germany and Japan these were, from the beginning, strongly racial in nature. Spurred by grievances against the 'status quo' powers, all three took up aggressive policies in the 1930s, producing a short-lived 'fascist era'. Japan's prominent role demands a broader perspective and consideration of 'fascism' as more than a purely European phenomenon.Introduction; E.B.Reynolds The Fascist Era: Ideology and the Axis Alliance in Historical Perspective; J.P.Sottile Karagokoro - Opposing the 'Chinese Spirit': The Nativist Roots of Japanese Fascism; K.Antoni Peculiar Characteristics: The Japanese Political System in the Fascist Era; E.B.Reynolds Fascist and Quasi-Fascist Views in Interwear Japan, 1918-1941; C.W.A.Szpilman Japanese Ultra-nationalists and German Nazis: The Intellectual Dialogue; W.Skya The 'Jewish Problem' in Japanese-German Relations, 1933-45; G.Krebs

Not until recently have historians dared to approach Japanese fascism without ideological blinders. As a result, the postwar emphasis on Japan's peaceful, pragmatic, revolution from above is being transcended, as well as the distortions of Euro-centrism and the obsession with Japan's uniqueness. Drawing on a vast range of sources and analyses, six historians advance a new genre of scholarship, Axis Studies, which unambiguously includes Japan. In chapters ranging from Japan's typically fascist ideology of superiority over the Chinese to its indigenous anti-Semitism, Reynolds and his colleagues make a splendid contribution to understanding both fascism and modern Japan.

- Chalmers Johnson, author of MITI and the Japanese Miracle

Originating in a 2002 Associatil3*