4B+Japan+Wiki

Each student is required to answer the question below. Be sure to enter your answer under your name. Answers entered under the wrong name will receive no credit. __QUESTION:__ Evaluate Japan's decision to reject the Potsdam Declaration **
 * __INSTRUCTIONS__:
 * __IMPORTANT HINT__**: T o __EVALUATE__ means that you will make judgements based on the information that you have. After completing the required first steps below, you will evaluate Japan's decision to reject the Potsdam Declaration. An evaluation also includes an element of "value" .... in other words, do you believe that Japan's decision to reject the Potsdam Declaration was a good or bad decision for Japan? Make sure you include your __JUDGEMENT__ about the value of Japan's decision based on your evaluation of the entire situation (steps 1-4 below) and whether you believe it was the correct or wrong decision for Japan to make

1) Provide a __brief summary__ of events that led up to the Potsdam Declaration 2) Make a __bulleted list__ of features in the Potsdam Declaration 3) Provide a __brief summary__ of reasons Japan did not accept the Potsdam Declaration 4) And finally, EVALUATE Japan's decision for rejecting the Potsdam Declaration
 * __REQUIRED FIRST STEPS__**: ** (all of the information below must be included in your wiki entry)

__ANNIE HU__** > During the 1900s, Japan was gradually changing from a small, weak and isolated country into an aggressive, strong and cruel nation. Many of the Western countries were starting to become concerned about their expansion and were thinking of stopping them. As Japan entered World War ll on the Axis side with German and Italy, they started attacking more countries in Asia with brutal strategies. Japan became more arrogant and even attacked USA and bombed Pearl Harbor, declaring war against them. The Americans were very unhappy about this and entered the war on the Allied side against Japan. They fought massive battles such as the Battles of the Midway Island and the Coral Sea, which proved that USA was still stronger since Japan lost all fights. As the Allied powers defeated Germany and Italy etc, only the Japanese refused to surrender. Since America had secretly developed the atomic bomb, USA president Truman, UK Kingdom Prime Minister Churchill and President of the Republic of China Chiang Kai-shek finally issued the Potsdam Declaration document, which stated that if Japan would not surrender, it would face prompt and utter destruction.” The allied side was determined to stop Japan and the Potsdam Declaration was their final warning. > > > > Although the declaration was a fair warning to Japan's government, the words "complete and utter destruction" had little meaning beyond the air raids and fire bombing, and Japan had already endured that. They thought that nothing could be worse; not knowing that America had developed a new and top secret weapon that would cause ultimate destruction: the atomic bomb. Also, they had beat many large and powerful nations already and thought, why couldn't they do the same this time? However their arrogant eventually destroyed themselves. > ** > I believe that it was a wrong decision for Japan to reject the Potsdam Declaration. Although it wasn't Japan's fault that they didn't know about the atomic bomb that was newly made, they should not have disregarded and ignored the Allied nations' threat, since they were very clear in the document that they had Major forces and navy that were ready to strike the final blows on Japan. Throughout Japan's expansion in Asia, they have become very arrogant and thought too highly of themselves. Although they had beaten many powerful nations, they believed that they were indestructible and weren't concerned about what the other countries had developed that could possibly destroy them. I believe that in order to become a successful nation, Japan should have accepted the Potsdam Declaration and smoothen the tension between itself and the other powerful nations. Not only would that have saved them from being crushed by two atomic bombs, but could have also possibly made the relationship between Japan and the other nations better. Japan's thoughtless decision for rejecting the Potsdam Declaration only showed how self absorbed and superior they thought they were, leading to complete destruction of the country. **
 * __**Brief Summary/Events that led up to the Potsdam Declaration**__
 * __**Bulleted List of features in the Potsdam Declaration**__
 *  The Allied powers have given Japan an opportunity to surrender in World War II and would face prompt and utter destruction if they don’t.
 * Major forces and navy are ready to strike the final blows on Japan.
 * Militarism in Japan must end.
 * Japan would be occupied until the basic objectives set out in this proclamation were met.
 * Those who had led Japan to war must be permanently and finally discredited, and abandoned.
 * War criminals would be punished.
 * Emperor had to tell their country that he was only a normal human being.
 * Allied forces would be withdrawn from Japan as soon as these objectives have been accomplished
 * **__Brief Summary of reasons Japan did not accept the Potsdam Declaration__
 * **__EVALUATION of Japan's decision for rejecting the Potsdam Declaration__

__**GREGORY**__
 * __Brief Summary/Events that led up to the Potsdam Declaration__
 * Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. In response to the attack, the US declared war on Japan. At first, Japan grabbed a few victories, but the key American victories at Midway and Coral Sea decimated most the Japanese navy. Shortly afterwards, the US started conquering islands closer and closer to the Japanese homeland. In the meantime, American bombers were demolishing Japanese cities. Between July 17 and August 2, 1945 the leaders of the Allied leaders came together at the city of Potsdam, Germany to discuss what to do now that Hitler had been defeated. It was at Potsdam when the Allies came up with the Potsdam Declaration.
 * __Bulleted List of features in the Potsdam Declaration__
 * The Allies call upon the Japanese government to proclaim the unconditional surrender of all the Japanese Armed Forces
 * Provide assurance to the Allies that they truly have surrendered.
 * If Japan does not surrender, she will be completely and utterly destroyed.
 * __Brief Summary of reasons Japan did not accept the Potsdam Declaration__
 * Japan did not accept the Potsdam Declaration because they believed that things were already at the worst, with air raids and fire bombings incinerating Japanese cities constantly. However, what they believed was wrong as they did not know of the existence of the atomic bomb.
 * __EVALUATION of Japan's decision for rejecting the Potsdam Declaration__
 * I think that Japan was wrong to reject the terms of the Potsdam declaration because even though they knew that they were already thoroughly defeated and no longer had the will to fight anymore, they chose to fight on probably due to some members of the government having to much pride to surrender and the general thought that things couldn't get any worse no matter what. Unfortunately for them, they were wrong, as the existence of the city-destroying atomic bomb was kept a secret. That kind of thinking got a lot of people killed that didn't have to die if they had accepted the Potsdam Declaration, and so it was a really bad decision on the Japanese governement's part at that time.
 * I think that Japan was wrong to reject the terms of the Potsdam declaration because even though they knew that they were already thoroughly defeated and no longer had the will to fight anymore, they chose to fight on probably due to some members of the government having to much pride to surrender and the general thought that things couldn't get any worse no matter what. Unfortunately for them, they were wrong, as the existence of the city-destroying atomic bomb was kept a secret. That kind of thinking got a lot of people killed that didn't have to die if they had accepted the Potsdam Declaration, and so it was a really bad decision on the Japanese governement's part at that time.


 * __BENJAMIN X__**
 * __Brief Summary/Events that led up to the Potsdam Declaration__
 * __Bulleted List of features in the Potsdam Declaration__
 * __Brief Summary of reasons Japan did not accept the Potsdam Declaration__
 * __EVALUATION of Japan's decision for rejecting the Potsdam Declaration__
 * __Brief Summary of reasons Japan did not accept the Potsdam Declaration__
 * __EVALUATION of Japan's decision for rejecting the Potsdam Declaration__

__**MAURICE**__
 * __Brief Summary/Events that led up to the Potsdam Declaration__
 * __Bulleted List of features in the Potsdam Declaration__
 * __Brief Summary of reasons Japan did not accept the Potsdam Declaration__
 * __EVALUATION of Japan's decision for rejecting the Potsdam Declaration__

__**GRANT**__
 * __Brief Summary/Events that led up to the Potsdam Declaration__
 * __Bulleted List of features in the Potsdam Declaration__
 * __Brief Summary of reasons Japan did not accept the Potsdam Declaration__
 * __EVALUATION of Japan's decision for rejecting the Potsdam Declaration__

__**JASON**__
 * __Brief Summary/Events that led up to the Potsdam Declaration__
 * __Bulleted List of features in the Potsdam Declaration__
 * __Brief Summary of reasons Japan did not accept the Potsdam Declaration__
 * __EVALUATION of Japan's decision for rejecting the Potsdam Declaration__


 * __JOY__**
 * __Brief Summary/Events that led up to the Potsdam Declaration__

This declaration was created after it became visible that Japan’s military started to crumble after the US marines landed in Jima and Okinawa and made Tokyo a Target. Japan lost a lot. This happened after the Tokkotai, a suicide mission carried out in hopes of destroying US ships to counter the Allied advance, after Yamamoto went to Pearl Harbour this was when the battles of Coral Sea and Midway Island happened, the threat of Japan to Pearl Harbour officially ended. The Potsdam Declaration was a proclaimation for the Japanese to surrender.

-Was sort of a threat for Japan to either surrender or face destruction. -The Declaration was rejected -The Japanese undermined what the US said about "facing destruction." -The Potsdamn Declaration was what led to the atomic bombing in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. -Between 17 July and 2 August 1945, Clement Attlee, The British Prime Minister, Harry S. Truman, the new President of the US, and Joseph Stalin met at Potsdamn in Germany and created this Declaration. -Discusses what was to happen after the war.
 * __Bulleted List of features in the Potsdam Declaration__
 * __Brief Summary of reasons Japan did not accept the Potsdam Declaration__


 * __EVALUATION of Japan's decision for rejecting the Potsdam Declaration__


 * __MITCHELL__**
 * __Brief Summary/Events that led up to the Potsdam Declaration__
 * __Bulleted List of features in the Potsdam Declaration__
 * __Brief Summary of reasons Japan did not accept the Potsdam Declaration__
 * __EVALUATION of Japan's decision for rejecting the Potsdam Declaration__


 * __YINGYING__**
 * __Brief Summary/Events that led up to the Potsdam Declaration__
 * __Bulleted List of features in the Potsdam Declaration__
 * __Brief Summary of reasons Japan did not accept the Potsdam Declaration__
 * __EVALUATION of Japan's decision for rejecting the Potsdam Declaration__

__
 * __RIC__**
 * __
 * **Brief Summary/Events that led up to the Potsdam Declaration**
 * After 4 years of intense fighting in the Pacific islands, the Allies had slowly jumped from Island to Island closing in onto Japan, bringing the fight back to the enemy. British Prime Minister, Clement Attlee, and the newly elected president of America, Harry S. Truman met with Premier of the Soviet Union Joseph Stalin at Potsdam Germany to disuses the future of Japan after the war. Since the Japanese were clearly losing the war at the end, it was just a matter time until they finally raise the white flag.
 * **Bulleted List of features in the Potsdam Declaration**
 * 1. Unconditional surrender of all the Japanese Armed Forces

2. Provide proper and adequate reassurances of their good faith in such action 3. The Emperor must accept that he is a human like all others, and not in any way, Godlike 4. Disarm and immobilize the Imperial Army 5. Refuse to accept this declaration; Japan’s alternative will be faced by a complete and utter destruction
 * **Brief Summary of reasons Japan did not accept the Potsdam Declaration**
 * “Complete and utter destruction” had little meaning to the Japanese after the constant air raids and heavy fire bombings it had already experienced. So they thought, “What could be worst?” While the Japanese were discussing on weather to surrender and accept on being a “good loser”, the American scientists had secretly developed the atomic bomb. This was a devastating weapon, a creation to end creation, the mother of all bombs during that time. Without any knowledge of this newly developed bomb, the Japanese had half-heartedly rejected the declaration, which led to the devastating destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which in the end, finally led to Japan’s surrender.
 * **EVALUATION of Japan's decision for rejecting the Potsdam Declaration**
 * I think if I had known about the development of the atomic bomb, I would have automatically surrendered and accept every term written in the declaration. But even before this, I felt that Japan should have already given up. There was no more need to spill any more blood, innocent or not, soldiers and civilians by the millions are constantly being slaughtered. Surrender then, and fate of the blood spilled in the bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima could have been avoided. Saving lives, avoiding death, is the true meaning of victory, not blindly fighting a war with no more cause.


 * __SAMUEL__**
 * __Brief Summary/Events that led up to the Potsdam Declaration__
 * __Bulleted List of features in the Potsdam Declaration__
 * __Brief Summary of reasons Japan did not accept the Potsdam Declaration__
 * __EVALUATION of Japan's decision for rejecting the Potsdam Declaration__


 * __TINA__**
 * __Brief Summary/Events that led up to the Potsdam Declaration__
 * __Bulleted List of features in the Potsdam Declaration__
 * __Brief Summary of reasons Japan did not accept the Potsdam Declaration__
 * __EVALUATION of Japan's decision for rejecting the Potsdam Declaration__


 * __PATRICK__**
 * __Brief Summary/Events that led up to the Potsdam Declaration__
 * __Bulleted List of features in the Potsdam Declaration__
 * __Brief Summary of reasons Japan did not accept the Potsdam Declaration__
 * __EVALUATION of Japan's decision for rejecting the Potsdam Declaration__

__** SHAN YUAN ** __ Brief Summary/Events that led up to the Potsdam Declaration __ · The Americans __ Bulleted List of features in the Potsdam Declaration __ · Clement Attlee, Harry S. Truman, and Joseph Stalin, met at Potsdam in Germany to discuss what was going to happen after the war. · They decide to ask Japan to surrender · If they didn’t it would mean complete destruction of Japan. __ Brief Summary of reasons Japan did not accept the Potsdam Declaration __ · Japan was not intimidated by the words “complete and utter destruction” because to them it meant nothing more than air raids and bombings. They didn’t know that America had developed the atomic bomb. __ EVALUATION of Japan's decision for rejecting the Potsdam Declaration __· __