Chapter 45 Summary

At the end of the war, H learns the horror of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the full power of the atomic bomb, which is completely different from what is being reported in the newspapers. H thinks that now the newspapers will be able to print whatever they want, but he is mistaken. A new censorship replaces that of the military. A report, critical of the Allies, irritates General MacArthur because of its distortions. Soon the occupation forces replace the military as an authority figure not to be disobeyed.

H dislikes the display of "democracy" exhibited by teachers who were once the champions of militarism. Their hypocrisy disgusts H, and he decides to show his disgust in many ways. When a teacher enters a classroom, H bows and then walks out of the room. This action causes him to be marked absent quite often...