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「對日本而言，第二次世界大戰後盟總政府的佔領是禍而非福。」評論此說能否成立。
背景 第二次世界大戰，隨著日本的戰敗，以美國為首的盟總政府佔領了日本，為日本各方面帶來了明顯的改變。 // 架構然而，佔盟總政府的佔領對日本而言並非一面倒是禍或福，因在盟總在軍事、外交方面為日本帶來了禍，但卻於政治、經濟、教育方面帶來了福。// 立場因此，題目所言不能完全成立。
主旨句 軍事方面，盟總政府限制了日本的軍力，對日本而言是一禍。 // 贊成核心A的理據二次大戰後，為防止日本再次發動戰爭，盟總政府為大肆整肅右翼分子，同時禁止日本政府擁有軍隊，只允許少許保衛日本國土的自衛隊，並且限制武備，禁止研發核武等科技。雖然盟總政府的措施有助減低日本的軍費開支，同時盟總政府於撤出日本前，美國與日本簽訂了《日美安全保障條約》(1951年)，由美軍保護日本，彌補了日本國防空洞的問題。然而，日本的軍事實力大大受到壓抑，如戰前日本是繼英、美之後的第三大海軍強國，但戰後受盟總政府制訂的《昭和憲法》(1947年)所限，規定日本的軍事實力只能維持在自衛所需的水平，使日本只能擁有不多於30艘的軍艦。此外，在軍隊人數方面，日本的自衛隊人數也被限制至10萬人，軍事實力被大幅規限。 // 小結可見，盟總政府的佔領大大限制了日本的軍事實力，為一禍害。
外交方面，盟總政府的佔領使日本被迫捲入冷戰的漩渦，為一禍害。佔領日本的盟總政府是由以美國為首，其中駐日盟軍的總司令就是美國軍事將領麥克亞瑟。然而，由於冷戰於二次大戰後緊接出現，當時的盟總政府希望透過重振日本的國力，以圍堵共產主義於亞洲的擴張，因此使日本被迫牽涉入冷戰的鬥爭之中。例如在韓戰時期(1950-53年)，美國利用日本作為在韓戰中的補給基地，以對抗北韓及中國的軍隊，此舉雖然有助為日本締造「戰爭特需」，帶動經濟的發展，但卻使日本與中國、北韓等共產主義國家交惡，使日本與鄰近共產主義國家保持了數十年的對立，嚴重威脅亞洲地區的和平、穩定。同時，由於日本被迫捲入冷戰的漩渦，在盟總政府的支配下，日本成為資本主義陣營，外交上大大受到美國的主導，減低了日本在外交方面的自主性，此亦限制了日本在外交上的發展。可見，盟總政府的佔領導致日本捲入了冷戰的鬥爭，為一弊處。
雖然盟總政府的佔領對日本在軍事及外交方面帶來禍害，但在政治、經濟及教育方面則帶來了利。
主旨句 政治方面，盟總政府為日本帶來了民主，對日本而言是福。 // 反對核心B的理據日本政治於1945年前被軍國主義者操控，缺乏民主，如「大政翼贊會」於1940年成立，取締了各個政黨，日本陷入獨裁統治的時代。但戰後，盟總政府為日本實行了非軍事化及民主化的措施，使民主得到在日本確立，為日本政治帶來頗大的好處。在非軍事化方面，召開了遠東戰爭法庭，審判了6,000名軍人及整肅了20萬右翼分子，有助剷除軍國主義思想。此外，在民主化方面，盟總政府為日本頒布了《昭和憲法》(1947年)，廢除天皇權力﹑提高下議院權力，並開展全民選舉的年代。因此，盟總政府的佔領的確有助使軍國主義及獨裁統治不再出現於日本，民主也得以真正開始在日本萌芽。 // 小結可見，盟總政府為日本帶來民主，對日本而言是福。
經濟方面，盟總政府的佔領大大推動了日本經濟的復甦及發展，為一福。日本經濟受二次大戰的拖累而陷入嚴重的困難，百業蕭條，經濟衰退疲弱。然而，盟總政府的佔領不但未有壓抑日本經濟的發展，反而協助日本重建經濟，例如在工商業方面，為防財閥壟斷經濟，限制了中、小企業的發展，盟總政府頒布了《企業再建整備法》(1946年)及《禁止壟斷法》(1947年)以解散財閥，推動經濟的發展。此外，在農業方面亦頒布了《土地改革法》(1946年)以解放農地，提高生產力。在盟總政府的致力推動底下，日本經濟迅速復甦，日本的年均經濟增長率於1946-51年間就達到9.9%；外匯儲備亦由1949年的二億美元劇增至1952年的11億美元，反映日本經濟已經迅速復甦。可見，盟總政府大大推動了日本經濟的復甦，為一正面影響。
教育方面，盟總政府的佔領有助推動日本教育的發展，為一福。日本的教育於1945年前受到嚴格的思想控制，於1890年的《教育敕語》為日本教育方針的基石，強調忠君愛國的奉獻精神，並提供嚴格的思想及品格準則。但1945年日本戰敗，雖然日本被盟總政府所佔領，但卻因而因禍得福，因盟總政府為了徹底剷除軍國主義思想，便從教育著手，刪除教科書內歌頌軍國主義的內容，又於1947年頒布《教育基本法》，不但確立以培養全人發展為教育的目標，更將義務教育由6年提高至9年。因此，日本教育在盟總政府的佔領下不但因走向了自由化，更因而進一步提高了教育的水平，有助日後高等教育的發展。可見，日本的教育因盟總政府的佔領而得到解放，實為一正面影響。
總括而言，盟總政府對日本的佔領在政治、經濟、教育等方面帶來正面影響的同時，在軍事及外交方面也產生了明顯的弊處，故題目所言不能完全成立。
‘The Allied occupation after the Second World War was a loss rather than a gain for Japan.’ Comment on the validity of this statement.
With the defeat of Japan in the WW2, the American SCAP government occupied Japan and brought tremendous changes in many aspects. However, the occupation was neither a total loss nor a total gain as it brought losses in military and diplomatic aspects while gains in political, economic and educational aspects. Therefore, the statement is partly valid only.
In military aspect, the SCAP government limited the military strength of Japan, which was a loss. After the WW2, the US, in order to prevent Japan from waging a war again, purged the right-wingers and disbanded Japanese army. Only self-defense force with a small number of soldiers was retained and weapons were under strict control. Also, nuclear weapons and its related technology were not allowed to conduct research. True, the policies carried out by the SCAP government helped Japan reduce the military expenses and the US even signed the Mutual Security Pact日美安全保障條約(1952) with Japan before its retreat, protecting and ensuring the national security of Japan. However, the military strength of Japan was suppressed. For instance, before the WW2, Japan was the third naval power following the US and Britain. Yet, with the introduction of the Showa Constitution昭和憲法(1947) by the SCAP government, which stated that Japan could only have self-defense force of sufficient number of soldiers and thus Japan possessed no more than 30 warships. Besides, Japan could keep only a hundred thousand soldiers in the self-defense force. The military strength of Japan was greatly hindered. Hence, the SCAP government limited the military strength of Japan, which was a loss.
In diplomatic aspect, Japan was embroiled in the Cold War due to the SCAP occupation and that was a loss. The SCAP government supervising the occupation of Japan was led by the US and the position of Supreme Commander was held by the US General Douglas MacArthur. Yet, as the Cold War immediately followed the Second World War, the SCAP government wanted to check the spread of communism and Japan was thus involved in the conflicts brought by the Cold War. For instance, during the Korean War (1950-53), the US had Japan as its supply base in battles against North Korean and Chinese troops. Although this created special procurements for Japan and promoted its economic development, Japan’s relations with communist countries deteriorated and a confrontation of several decades was resulted. This posed a severe threat to peace and stability in Asia. Meanwhile, due to Japan’s involvement in the Cold War, Japan became part of the capitalist bloc under the Allied Powers’ domination and its diplomacy was controlled by the US. This reduced Japan’s diplomatic autonomy and restricted its development in this aspect. Therefore, the SCAP occupation got Japan entangled in the Cold War and this was certainly a loss.
Although the SCAP occupation brought losses to Japan’s military and diplomatic aspects, it brought gains in Japan’s political, economic and educational aspects.
In political aspect, the SCAP government brought democracy to Japan, which was truly a gain. Before 1945, politics of Japan was controlled by militarists, lacking democracy. For instance, when the Imperial Rule Assistance Association大政翼贊會 was founded in 1940, other political parties were replaced and Japan began the era of autocracy. But after the WW2, the SCAP government introduced demilitarization and democratization in Japan, which brought democracy to Japan. This was beneficial to Japan’s politics. In terms of demilitarization, the Military Tribunal戰爭法庭 for the Far East was convened, in which about 6000 soldiers were sentenced and over 200 thousand people supporting Japan’s expansionist policy were purged. This helped remove militarism. In terms of democratization, the US provided Japan with democratization reforms such as the 1947 Showa constitution昭和憲法, which abolished the power of the Emperor, enhanced the power of lower house and embarked on an era of universal suffrage. Thus, the SCAP occupation helped remove militarism as well as autocratic ruling. Democracy was made prevalent in Japan. This was indeed a gain to Japan.
In economic aspect, the SCAP government facilitated the economic recovery and development of Japan and this was a gain. Owing to the WW2, Japan’s economy was depressed and entered a difficult period. All the industries were bleak and Japan entered economic recession. Nonetheless, the SCAP occupation did not suppress the economic development but helped rebuild it. For example, in terms of commerce and industry, the US, with a view to preventing the zaibatsu from monopolizing the economy and the development of small and medium-sized enterprises, promulgated the Fair Trade Commission of Japan企業再建整備法 in 1946 and Anti-Monopoly Act禁止壟斷法 in 1947 to dissolve the zaibatsu so that Japan’s economy could revive again. Besides, Land Reform Act土地改革法 was launched in 1946 so as to release farmland and enhance productivity. With the efforts made by the SCAP government, Japan’s economy recovered rapidly. The annual growth in economy between 1946 and 1951 was 9.9% while the foreign exchange reserves increased from US$200 million in 1949 to US$1.14 billion in 1952, reflecting the rapid growth in economy. As a result, the SCAP government facilitated the economic development of Japan. This was a positive impact.
In educational aspect, the SCAP occupation prompted and facilitated the educational development of Japan. This was a gain. Before 1945, education in Japan was under strict control. For example, the Imperial Rescript on Education教育敕語 that published in 1890 emphasized the importance of loyalty and patriotism. Nevertheless, when Japan was defeated in 1945, though Japan was occupied by the US, it was a loss that turned out to be a gain. Since the SCAP government wanted to remove the militarist thoughts so it attempted to carry out educational reforms. For instance, the parts that praised militarism in textbooks were removed and Basic Education Law教育基本法 was promulgated in 1947. Not only did the principle of all-round development confirm under the law, but the compulsory education also extended from 6 years to 9 years. As a result, Japan’s education became liberalized because of the occupation. Education standard was enhanced and this was favorable to tertiary education later. This also a positive influence.
To conclude, the SCAP occupation brought positive impacts on political, economic, educational aspects while it also brought negative impacts on military and diplomatic aspects of Japan. Therefore, the statement is partly true only.
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