Question 1

How did most Japanese people learn of their country's surrender?

Accepted Answer

Most Japanese people learned of their country's surrender through a radio broadcast by Emperor Hirohito, known as the Jewel Voice Broadcast, on August 15, 1945.

Question 2

What were 'blue-sky' markets?

Accepted Answer

B

Question 3

From which area were Japanese NOT repatriated back to Japan after World War II?

Accepted Answer

Japanese Americans in the United States were not repatriated back to Japan after World War II; instead, many were released from internment camps and reintegrated into American society.

Question 4

Which of the following was NOT an objective of the Occupation government?

Accepted Answer

Dissolving the monarchy was not an objective of the Occupation government.

Question 5

SCAP _____ the official relationship between the Japanese state and Shinto?

Accepted Answer

SCAP (Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers) eliminated the official state support for Shinto as part of the post-World War II reforms in Japan, separating religion from the state.

Question 6

Which group of people did the Occupation government begin releasing from jail in October 1945?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which group of people did the Occupation...

Question 7

In which of the following areas of reform did Douglas MacArthur take a strong personal interest?

Accepted Answer

The answer of In which of the following areas of...

Question 8

What was Douglas MacArthur's attitude towards the emperor?

Accepted Answer

Douglas MacArthur believed that retaining Emperor Hirohito would help maintain stability in Japan and facilitate the country's post-war recovery and democratization.

Question 9

Why was there a 'forest emergency' in postwar Japan?

Accepted Answer

The 'forest emergency' in postwar Japan was primarily due to the extensive deforestation that occurred during the war, as forests were heavily exploited for resources needed for the war effort.

Question 10

Which pre-war political party was the Progressive Party descended from?

Accepted Answer

The Progressive Party was descended from the Minseitō, which was one of the two major pre-war political parties in Japan.

Question 11

Who was the Prime Minister chosen as a result of the first postwar election?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Who was the Prime Minister chosen as...

Question 12

Katayama Tetsu's premiership was ultimately undone by...

Accepted Answer

Katayama Tetsu's premiership was ultimately undone by dissatisfaction within his own party over his compromise plan to nationalize the coal industry, which led to a loss of support and his eventual resignation.

Question 13

Which of the following global events did NOT contribute to the US 'reverse course' in the late 1940s?

Accepted Answer

The high cost of the initial occupation policies was a domestic economic concern rather than a global event, and thus did not directly contribute to the US 'reverse course' in the late 1940s. The other options were related to global geopolitical shifts that influenced US policy.

Question 14

Why did SCAP encourage the Japanese to create a national police force from 1950?

Accepted Answer

SCAP (Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers) encouraged Japan to create a national police force to free up US soldiers for deployment to Korea during the Korean War, as the US needed to reallocate its military resources.

Question 15

Why did the Japanese focus on re-launching its Antarctic whaling fleet in the postwar period?

Accepted Answer

After World War II, Japan faced food shortages and saw whaling as a way to provide its citizens with a vital source of protein.

Question 16

What impact did the Korean War have on the Japanese economy?

Accepted Answer

The Korean War led to increased demand for Japanese goods and services by the UN forces, boosting Japan's economy.

Question 17

The Occupation of Japan official ended in..?

Accepted Answer

The Occupation of Japan officially ended on April 28, 1952, with the coming into force of the Treaty of San Francisco.

Question 18

What did the Soviet Union gain in the Treaty of San Francisco?

Accepted Answer

The Soviet Union walked out of the negotiations and did not sign the Treaty of San Francisco, thus gaining nothing from it.

Question 19

Yoshida Shigeru supported the US-Japan Security Treaty because he...

Accepted Answer

Yoshida believed that being a junior ally to the US was the only viable option for Japan, as it would provide protection against potential threats from the Soviet Union and China.

Question 20

Which of the following Occupation reforms did NOT survive into the 1970s?

Accepted Answer

The breakup of the zaibatsu, which were large industrial and financial business conglomerates in Japan, did not fully survive into the 1970s as many of these conglomerates reformed and re-emerged in different forms.

Quiz 13: Occupied Japan: New Departures and Durable Structures