OUGD603 - Research led brief - 'The confusion era' & occupied Japan research

A good resource to learn more about the occupation of Japan was the book titled 'The Confusion Era' which has more of focus on the visual arts which are normally dismissed during this period. The book describes the occupation as 'an all American show' with the US free to experiment with Japan as it pleased. One link to my research interest was that MacArthur tried to break up the large Japanese businesses, known as the zaibatsu. This was an effort to transform the economy into a free market capitalist system which would have benefited new business and innovation. However,  American had a change of heart, and needed the zaibatsu for a economically stronger Japan in the face of a perceived Soviet threat. With many claiming that the zaibatsu were required for Japan to compete internationally.