Japan Recovery

Japan surrendered in 1945 with its economy destroyed. Cities were rubble, industry was bombed, infrastructure didn't exist. Americans expected reconstruction would take decades, but the Korean War started in 1950. The United States needed supplies, bullets, trucks, uniforms, steel, tires. The military couldn't supply all from North America. Japan defeated and occupied, became the supplier. American dollars flowed in. Destroyed factories rebuilt with military demand. Workers returned to manufacturing. Infrastructure investment was justified by military logistics. War created urgency, reconstruction planning couldn't match. Within three years, Japanese industrial capacity restarted. Within six, it was competitive globally. Japanese focus make it better and cheaper. American factories were expensive and returning from war.