14 August 1945-Emperor Hirohito, after two atomic bomb attacks, determines the war is lost and Japan must, "Bear the unbearable", and records a surrender record to be played on the radio the next day to the Japanese people.
Major Kenji Hatanaka served in the Military Affairs Section of the Japanese Ministry of War and one of the leaders of a group of Japanese officers determined to prevent the surrender of Japan and attempted a coup d'état on 14–15 August 1945.
Failing to obtain the support of the War Minister, Hatanaka organized a number of other officers and succeeded in occupying the Imperial Palace and Household Ministry.
Still needing high-level support for his cause, he tried to enlist LTG Takeshi Mori, commander of the 1st Imperial Guard Division. Mori was non-committal and a frustrated Hatanaka shot and killed him.
Hatanaka and his men then spent several hours searching for the recording and failing that occupied the NHK Building in an attempt to prevent the speech from being broadcast. However, still without high level support nor the recordings, Hatanaka abandoned his coup.
Hatanaka then traveled to the plaza fronting the Imperial Palace and along with fellow conspirator, Lt Col Jirō Shiizaki, they shot themselves.
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