Abstract
Problems of indiscipline are not commonly part of the post-war image of the Imperial Japanese Army, but even before the Asia-Pacific War its officials had reasons to question the obedience of soldiers and called upon psychiatrists to identify the causes of crimes. This article traces the emergence of explanations critical of the army’s prioritization of crimes and, specifically, policies for bolstering morale that constituted or contributed to war crimes. Focusing on the research of Hayao Torao, it proposes that these explanations reflected an expectation of protection for civilians, if not prisoners of war, that was encouraged by home-front propaganda.
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