Conclusion
Before World War II Hirohito was used as a figurehead by a military-controlled government. He was believed by his people to be God on Earth; he was hidden from the world to protect the image. It was never proven by the Americans, or any nation involved in World War II, that Hirohito was the one behind all of the brutality that occurred at the hands of the Japanese. Events such as the Nanking Massacre, the use of Kamikaze Pilots, and the abuses of the POW's in the Philippines are all outside the scope of Hirohito's influence from 1937-1945. That is why Hirohito was never tried for war crimes, unlike a handful of other Japanese high officials. World War II shifted power to him. Consequently, he lead his country with honor as a man and not like a God from 1945 until his death in 1989. Because of Hirohito's new leadership, Japan grew into an Asian Tiger even after the devastation of war and the bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima by the American forces. Hirohito's legacy in Japanese history will always be that of a strong leader that emerged when Japan was on the brink of utter collapse devastated by two atomic bombs. While the nation surrendered, this act allowed Hirohito to begin anew and bring his nation back from the brink of annihilation. This is why his successors and the royal family are regarded so highly today in Japanese culture. His leadership saved him, his family, and the Japanese people.