Editing Greatest Generation (section)

===Japan===
{{Main|Japan during World War II}}

The World War II generation of [[Empire of Japan|Japan]] came of age during a time of rapid [[Japanese colonial empire|imperialism]]. One member of this generation, [[Hirohito]], would become [[Emperor of Japan|Emperor]] in 1926, when Japan was already one of the [[great power]]s. Nearly 18 million members of this generation would fight in World War II and approximately 3&nbsp;million, including civilians, would be [[World War II casualties|killed or wounded]]. Japanese cities, towns, and villages were devastated by Allied bombing campaigns. In an effort to prepare for the [[Operation Downfall|assumed Allied invasion]], the Japanese government prepared to submit this generation to "Operation Ketsugo", in which the Japanese population would fight a [[war of attrition]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Frank |first1=Richard |title=There Are No Civilians in Japan |url=https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/there-are-no-civilians-japan |website=www.nationalww2museum.org |access-date=January 6, 2021 |date=August 4, 2020 |archive-date=January 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125203019/https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/there-are-no-civilians-japan |url-status=live }}</ref> Returning veterans found their country [[Post-occupation Japan|occupied]] and received little support or respect. Surviving members of this generation would see Japan emerge as the world's [[List of countries by past and projected GDP (PPP)|second-largest economy]] by 1989.<ref name="maddison">Maddison, Angus, ''Contours of the World Economy, 1–2030 AD''. 2007, p. 379, table A.4.</ref> Surviving veterans visit the [[Yasukuni Shrine]] to pay tribute to their fallen comrades.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Smyth |first1=Tony |title=Yasukuni Shrine |url=https://tokyotales365.com/yasukuni-shrine/ |website=tokyotales365.com |access-date=January 6, 2021 |date=October 22, 2014 |archive-date=January 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120100252/https://tokyotales365.com/yasukuni-shrine/ |url-status=live }}</ref>