Revolt in Japan: The Young Officers and the February 26, 1936 Incident - Princeton Legacy Library

Publisher Marketing:"Revere the Emperor, Destroy the Traitors"--armed with this slogan, on February 26, 1936. Rebellious Japanese troops led by members of the Young Officers' Movement seized the center of Tokyo and murdered several prominent officials. The Young Officers wanted a "Showa Restoration" whereby political and economic power would be restored to the Emperor and people. The privileged classes were to be abolished, wealth redistributed, and the state, rather than big business, was to control the economy. Although the rebellion was suppressed in four days, it dramatized ideological clashes and factional strife within the Imperial Army and the tensions between civil and military authorities. The incident still stirs emotions in Japan and fascinates Japanese writers; Mishima Yukio, the famous novelist who committed suicide by "seppuku" in 1970, was a great admirer of the Young Officers. This exciting account by Ben-Ami Shillony includes the first full examination of the backgrounds and ideologies of the leaders, and discusses the crucial roles of such figures as the Emperor himself and his brother Prince Chichibu. Originally published in 1973. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These paperback editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

Contributor Bio:  Shillony, Ben-Ami Ben-Ami Shillony is Louis Frieberg Professor of East Asian SBen-Ami Shillony is Louis Frieberg Professor of East Asian Studies at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, specializing itudies at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, specializing in Japanese history and culture. He is a former Chairman of tn Japanese history and culture. He is a former Chairman of the university's Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Adhe university's Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace. His writings on Japan are extensive in Evancement of Peace. His writings on Japan are extensive in English, Hebrew and Japanese, with many of his essays in Englnglish, Hebrew and Japanese, with many of his essays in English appearing in Collected Writings of Ben-Ami Shillony (Japish appearing in Collected Writings of Ben-Ami Shillony (Japan Library, 2000). His other major works in English include an Library, 2000). His other major works in English include Revolt in Japan (1973), Politics and Culture in Wartime JapaRevolt in Japan (1973), Politics and Culture in Wartime Japan (1981 and 1991) and The Jews and the Japanese (1992). n (1981 and 1991) and The Jews and the Japanese (1992).