Labels:text | human face | man | screenshot OCR: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ Hirohito Hirohito Born into a world of traditional culture and ceremony, Hirohito presided over Japan's near-destruction by the disasters of World War II as well as the extraordinary transformation of his country into one of the most powerful and influential economies in the world. In recognition of his role in ending the war, he was allowed to retain the throne, but lost his quasi-divine status and much of his political power. Mild, scholarly, and physically short-sighted, Hirohito showed few of the majestic qualities expected of an emperor. While he was admired in scientific circles for his work on marine biology, he was treated as an imperial puppet by the militarists who promoted the Japanese invasion of China and the attack on Pearl Harbor. It was Hirohito who persuaded the Japanese Hirohito, 124th emperor of Japan, government to surrender in 1945, announcing 1901-89 the decision personally on Japanese radio. A few months later he publicly disclaimed his traditional divinity and adopted the more democratic image inherited by his son and successor, Akihito. CHRONOLOGY
