Creating Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force, 1945-2015

This study provides a comprehensive institutional history of Japan’s post-1945 army. It also analyzes representations of the military in popular culture, the place of soldiers in the formation of the country’s postwar national identity, and the social and political impact of constitutional restrictions on the military.

David Hunter-Chester has a PhD in East Asian history and has taught at the United States Army Command and General Staff College, West Point, and Webster University.

Chapter 1: Introduction: Renouncing War, Struggling to Rearm, Creating the Ground Self-Defense Force, and Reimagining the Soldier Chapter 2: Disarmament and the Voices of Dissent Chapter 3: Hot- and Cold-Running Wars and a Changing Consensus, 1946-1950 Chapter 4: Old Iron and New Steel, 1950-1952 Chapter 5: The GSDF Organized, 1952-1960 Chapter 6: Sheathing the Blade, Polishing the Spirit: 1960-1976 Chapter 7: A Sword in the Storm, a Life-Giving Sword: Policy and Ground Truth, 1978-1995 Chapter 8: New Century, New Threats, New GSDF, 1996-2015 Chapter 9: Drawing Weapons: Reimagining the Soldier, 1945-2015 Chapter 10: Conclusion: A Sword Well Made