Japan and the American Occupation: Casablanca as a Demonstrative Tool of the Potential for American Democracy
Open Access
Author:
Weller, Kathryn Elizabeth
Area of Honors:
History
Degree:
Bachelor of Arts
Document Type:
Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:
Jonathan Eran Abel, Thesis Supervisor Jonathan Eran Abel, Thesis Supervisor Catherine Wanner, Thesis Honors Advisor Jessamyn Reich Abel, Faculty Reader
Keywords:
Casablanca SCAP Japan cinema
Abstract:
This thesis will explore the impact of cinema in Japan after the end of World War II.
With the end of the wartime regime and the arrival of Allied forces to begin a six-year
Occupation, Japan was faced with a series of changes to its political, economic and cultural
structure. Cinema in Japan before the end of the war had been tightly controlled by the
government to present propagandistic national films meant to inspire devotion to the Emperor and encourage support of the war effort. After the war, the Occupation censors took control of the media industries to encourage support for Americans and their new policies. Hollywood’s
presence in Japan was used as a tool by the Occupation, to increase positive public opinion of Americans and to spread the idea that democracy had the potential to be great for Japan. Warner Bros.’ Casablanca holds a unique place in the films screened by the Occupation. Casablanca was one of the earlier films released, but before its release, it underwent serious consideration by the censorship bureau as to whether or not it would paint a positive picture of America, and was edited accordingly. This thesis explores established themes throughout the film and their correlation to the goals of the Occupation, as well as the reaction of the Japanese people to the movie. Casablanca’s overwhelming success in Japan was an important point in the struggle of the Occupation to establish a more democratic nation working for a better future.
