Commentary (prologue)

The Manchuria Incident, which began on September 18, 1931, began with the explosion of the Nanmanchurian railway line at Lake Yanagijo, a suburb of Hoten, China, followed by 15 years until August 15, 1945. It was the beginning of a long war era that lasted.

In 1933, Japan withdrew from the League of Nations and deepened its isolation in the international community. Also, in the country, under the name of "emergency," the influence of militarism gradually dropped a dark shadow on civil life.

On July 7, 1937, the Japanese and Chinese forces collided near Lumizo Bridge in the suburbs of Beijing, and entered a full-scale war between Japan and China.

The war was prolonged, the "National Spiritual Movement" began, and the "National Mobilization Act" was enacted, and the control and mobilization of all human and material resources was strengthened.

On December 8, 1941, the Japanese army attacked Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, proclaimed war to Britain and the United States, and the war spread from Asia to the entire Pacific Ocean. All civil life was organized to carry out the war, and women and children were mobilized on behalf of men to increase food production and munitions production.

At the end of the war, the U.S. military started urban bombings to contain Japan's anti-war power. In preparation for the air raid, the relocation of public offices, the evacuation of buildings, and the evacuation of schoolchildren were carried out, and air raid shelters and shelters were actively created.

Following massive air raids in Tokyo, Nagoya, Kobe and Osaka, on May 29, 1945, most of the city area was burned down by B29 bombers.

The war ended on August 15 of that year. In a burnt field, people were finally released from the long and painful wars.