Know Your Enemy: Japan

The film opens with a preamble highlighting how the Japanese in America fought valiantly for American values such as 'freedom' and 'liberty.' It emphasizes that not all Japanese are portrayed as aggressors, focusing instead on the Japanese natives as the true aggressors in the context of the war. The focus is on setting a patriotic tone and framing the Japanese in a complex light of loyalty and conflict.

The film depicts the lives of Imperial Japanese Army soldiers, concentrating on their appearance and diet rather than tactics or strategy. It suggests that Japanese soldiers are very similar to each other, likening them to photographic prints from the same negative, emphasizing uniformity and conformity within the army. This portrayal aims to show the disciplined and homogeneous nature of Japanese soldiers.

The narration describes Japanese devotion to Emperor Hirohito, portraying him as a divine and God-like figure. It compares his authority to that of top leaders from the US, UK, and Soviet Union, highlighting the immense spiritual and political significance he holds for the Japanese people. The film emphasizes Hirohito's divine status to contextualize Japan's wartime ideology.

The film discusses Shinto, Japan's native religion, noting its evolution from a quaint faith to a tool for imperial expansion after 1870. It explains the doctrine of Hakkō Ichiu, which promotes the idea of uniting the world under one roof, symbolizing Japan's imperial ambitions. The Yasukuni Shrine is also introduced as a place where Japan enshrines its war dead, reinforcing nationalist sentiments.

The narrative prompts viewers to question the true nature of Japan beyond its patriotic facade, challenging the idealized notions of divine blood and cultural purity. It contrasts geographical, anthropological, and historical perspectives to explore Japan's real identity, suggesting that the official narrative may be idealized or exaggerated.

The film portrays the Emperor as having little real power historically, with political authority held by daimyōs and samurai. It criticizes the samurai class and their Bushido code for encouraging treachery and double-dealing. Western influence and Christianity's expulsion during Japan's isolation are depicted negatively, framing Japan's past as steeped in militarism and reactionary policies.

The film contrasts the scientific and artistic advances of the West during the Enlightenment with Japan's stagnation during its period of isolation. The forced opening of Japan by Commodore Perry in 1853 marked the beginning of Western influence, which was exploited by warlords for their own ambitions. This historical context suggests a manipulative use of modernization to consolidate power.

During the Meiji Restoration, the shogunate's power was dismantled, and the Emperor was elevated as a national symbol, while real authority remained with the warlords. This shift is presented as a strategic move by the warlords to control Japan's political direction, with Hirohito portrayed as a figurehead lacking real autonomy.

The film references the Tanaka Memorial, a document considered a forgery today, which allegedly outlines Japan’s secret plans for world domination. It characterizes this document as Japan’s Mein Kampf, emphasizing the aggressive expansionist ambitions of the warlords and the military leadership behind Japan's imperialist policies.

The film highlights how warlords controlled Japanese information, distort it to serve their purposes, and maintained a society that remained largely unchanged since the 17th century. Even urban professionals lived in ways similar to medieval times, illustrating a disconnect between modernization and social realities due to military and political manipulation.

The narrative attributes Japan’s imperial expansion and wartime aggression to the control exerted by the warlords and military leaders. It suggests that the leadership's failure to adopt Western moral principles but instead to use Western technology contributed to Japan’s aggressive stance and war efforts.

The film concludes by illustrating Japan's dire wartime circumstances in 1945, portraying the devastation and suffering caused by the war. It emphasizes the consequences of military expansionism and the control of the warlords, bringing the historical narrative to its climax with the collapse of Japan’s wartime ambitions.