1960 Dbq

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The Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security in 1951 marked the watershed by the end of the Occupation period in Japan; however, Japan never gained independence; on the contrary, it still underwent the subordinate independence from the military control of the United States, and not until 1960, when this treaty was resigned and amended, did Japan gained real independence. However, the 1960 Treaty caused serious problems in Japan, sparking a nationwide protest against this treaty. Our group, the Voiceless Voices, which represented every single citizen, proclaimed that all the individuals should involve and take part in this issue, playing an important role during the protest. The anti-treaty movement was significant because the treaty not only…show more content…
Obviously, they failed to prevent the passage of the revised treaty. The U.S persuaded Japan to remilitarize, thus placing Japan in danger of experiencing another war. The demands for democracy and the greater cries for the inalienable rights of the people were ignored, regardless of nationwide protest. However, the Voices and the citizens still gained from the movement. Kishi resigned in July 1960 when his Cabinet lost practically all support. His successor, Hayato Ikeda, managed to help Japan avoid becoming a military nation once again. Ikeda was socially progressive and focused mainly on the economy. He promised to double the income of the country and its constituents in ten years - he fulfilled this task in only six. Furthermore, the Voices strengthened the idea of direct democracy and shifted the emphasis from ideology to action (Wesley, 5). The movement definitively changed the mindset of the people going forward, especially those priorly apolitical, towards understanding their responsibilities and rights as citizens. The Voiceless Voices, thus, accomplished all that they stood for: the desire to promote and instill individual rights in all people, raise awareness of the existence and power of every citizen’s voice, and inspire belief in democracy throughout the

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