Herbert P. Bix

Herbert P. Bix is an American historian and author, best known for his book Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 2001. Bix's work has been widely acclaimed by scholars such as John W. Dower, Gavan McCormack, and Chalmers Johnson, and has been compared to the works of Edwin O. Reischauer and George Kennan. His research has focused on the role of Emperor Hirohito in World War II and the Occupation of Japan, and has been influenced by the works of Gar Alperovitz and Tsuyoshi Hasegawa. Bix's writing has also been shaped by his interactions with Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn, and other prominent historians and intellectuals.

● Early Life and Education

Herbert P. Bix was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and grew up in a family of Harvard University alumni, including his father, who was a Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduate. Bix attended Dartmouth College and later earned his Ph.D. in history from Harvard University, where he studied under the guidance of John King Fairbank and Albert M. Craig. During his time at Harvard, Bix was influenced by the works of E.H. Norman and Mark Selden, and developed a strong interest in Japanese history and East Asian studies. He also spent time at University of Tokyo and Kyoto University, where he interacted with scholars such as Masao Maruyama and Takeuchi Yoshimi.

● Career

Bix began his career as a historian at Harvard University, where he taught courses on Japanese history and Asian studies. He later moved to State University of New York at Binghamton, where he became a professor of history and developed a reputation as a leading expert on Emperor Hirohito and modern Japanese history. Bix's research has been supported by grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Japan Foundation, and he has been a fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and the Institute for Advanced Study. He has also been a visiting scholar at University of California, Berkeley and Columbia University, where he has interacted with scholars such as Gordon Chang and Carol Gluck.

● Hirohito and

the Making of Modern Japan Bix's book Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan is a comprehensive study of the life and reign of Emperor Hirohito, and explores the role of the emperor in World War II and the Occupation of Japan. The book is based on extensive research in Japanese archives and American archives, including the National Archives and Records Administration and the Library of Congress. Bix's work challenges the conventional view of Emperor Hirohito as a passive figurehead, and instead portrays him as an active participant in Japanese politics and military strategy. The book has been praised by scholars such as Ian Buruma and Andrew Gordon, and has been compared to the works of Robert Jay Lifton and Gregory Henderson.

● Awards and Recognition

Bix's book Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan won the Pulitzer Prize in 2001, and has also received the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. Bix has also received the Order of the Rising Sun from the Government of Japan, and has been honored by the Japanese American Citizens League and the Asia Society. He has been a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Academy of Arts and Sciences, and has received grants from the Rockefeller Foundation and the Ford Foundation.

● Criticism and Controversy

Bix's work has been criticized by some scholars, including Stephen Large and Peter Wetzler, who have argued that his portrayal of Emperor Hirohito is too negative and that his research is based on incomplete or inaccurate sources. Bix has also been criticized by Japanese nationalists, who have argued that his work is an attack on Japanese culture and Japanese history. However, Bix's work has also been defended by scholars such as Gavan McCormack and Mark Selden, who have argued that his research is based on careful analysis of primary sources and that his portrayal of Emperor Hirohito is well-supported by the evidence. Bix has also been supported by scholars such as Bruce Cumings and Katherine Moon, who have praised his work as a major contribution to the field of Japanese studies.

● Personal Life

Bix is married to Carol Gluck, a historian of Japan and Asia, and has two children. He lives in New York City and spends part of each year in Japan, where he continues to research and write about Japanese history and culture. Bix is a member of the American Historical Association and the Association for Asian Studies, and has served on the boards of the Japan Society and the Asia Society. He has also been a consultant to the United States Department of State and the National Security Council, and has testified before the United States Congress on issues related to Japan and East Asia.