BEFORE THE WAR . . .
...Americans had little sympathy for the Japanese, favoring China over expansion-minded Japan in 1937 by 43% to 2%, and favoring Russia in a 1938 boundary dispute with Japan by 45% to 4%. (Others either favored neither side or expressed no opinion.) But they didn't foresee war until the eve of Pearl Harbor:
May, 1939 October, 1939 Foresee War With Will Japan Be Japan In Next 10 Serious Threat Years? to Peace of U.S. In Next 50 Years? Yes 16% 24% No 64% 55% No Opinion/ 20% 21% Don't Know
Late Nov., 1941 Will U.S. and Japan Go To War in the Near Future? Yes 52% No 27% No Opinion/ 21% Don't Know
Source: Gallup Organization
DURING THE WAR...
...Americans saw the Japanese as the more irredeemable enemy:
1942 1944 1945 Who Is America's Who Can the U.S. Which People Are Chief Enemy? Get Along With More Cruel At Heart? Better After the War? Germany/Germans 34% 74% 18% Japan/Japanese 53% 4% 82% No Opinion 13% 21% 0%
Source: Gallup Organization
AFTER THE WAR...
...American feelings about Japan and the Japanese turned favorable relatively quickly after the war, although some recent surveys show some deterioration:
Year Friendly/ Unfriendly/ Neutral Undecided/ Favorable Unfavorable No Answer 1949 34% 29% 30% 7% 1951 51% 25% 18% 6% 1985 87% 8% 5% 1990 75% 18% 7% 1991 62% 30% 8%
Sources: Gallup Organization; CBS News/New York Times
