Hirohito (4/29/01-1/7/89) was the 124th Emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from '26 to '89, called the Sho-wa period. Since his death he has been known as Emperor Sho-wa' in Japan, the posthumous name given him by order of the Japanese cabinet. Altho he's widely referred to as Hirohito outside of Japan, past emperors are only referred to in Japan by their posthumous names. His reign was the longest of any historical emperor. Jacket: 'Hirohito was dominated by a military power clique bent on conquest who in the 1930s virtually seized control of Japan. While the Japanese military excused or justified their acts in the name of the Emperor, Hirohito was rarely consulted, & it was not until 1945 that he finally stopped the war. Why did he remain silent? What was this man really like? Leonard Mosley clearly defines the role of Hirohito in WWII.' Introduction The broken cage Shaping of the sword Rice cakes & hand grenades Seeking the slot Caught in the storm Prelude to glory The light of civilization Jumping off the veranda The divine smile The spider & the web Death of a dream The naked at midnight The new Democrats The last lap Repayment of a debt The cost of freedom The extremist threat The fragile flowers Appendices Bibliography Index