The Japanese Imperial Army of the WWII era was infamous for it’s cruelty and bloodthirstiness. I was wondering if there might be a previously overlooked explanation. My understanding is that during that time, amphetamines were widely used by Japanese soldiers. One of the classic effects of amphetamine abuse is manic and psychotic behavior. Not that conquering armies have ever needed an excuse, but could this have been a contributing factor?
The Germans were notorious for distributing amphetamines, but I have never heard anything that indicates that the Japanese forces used them at all.
I thought you meant that they were shown “Speed Racer” cartoons to instill the drive to win. 