Page 278 - Islam and Far Eastern Religions

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aggressive nationalism and a
fascist and imperialistic con-
sciousness was imposed on the

masses through the education
system. 121
Schools were the most
prominent means of the State
Shinto’s propaganda. History
was taught with an imperialist
spin. Likewise military and
naval training was based on
the principle that the emperor
is paramount. Members of the
Hiranuma Kiic hiro
armed forces were expected to
be totally loyal to the emperor
and criticism was absolutely forbidden. History was shaped by this
new perverted religion and “rewritten” accordingly, and the status of

the emperor was strengthened by ever new mythological legends. This
aggressive and biased worldview that considered the Japanese superi-
or to all other races blinded the Japanese people and its effect, together
with the pressure applied by the Japanese generals, drew the country
into the Second World War.

THE END OF STATE SHINTOISM:
THE SECOND WORLD WAR
Decisions taken by the emperor and the army could not be ques-
tioned and the whole Japanese nation was forced into submission un-
conditionally. Japan entered a military alliance with Germany and Italy
in 1939 and sank or crippled a majority of the American navy’s Pacific

Islam And Far Eastern Religions