in 1992, ktvu's george watson recounted japan's miraculous economic recovery. >> reporter: on an august morning in 1945 japan experienced the evolution of war. bayonets and rivals, aircrafts the size of gnats made the seas vulnerable. the fire bombing of japanese cities was hell on earth. the war is finally over. the victors are delirious with joy. america has won what was felt to be a just war. the vanquished wallow and defeat. they are hungry for food they cannot produce. they have even lost a god for the emperor now is most assuredly mortal. in what must be one of the most ironies of history, america the destroyer will become america the builder. >> the japanese economic miracle is an american creation. if it were not for the united states, if it were not for the united states market there would be no japanese economic miracle. >> reporter: the miracle would begin with the american population of japan. the japanese were at best ambivalent. the americans were kind and general louse -- generous. since america won the war perhaps it would be a good idea to adopt the ways of the winner.

in 1992, ktvu's george watson recounted japan's miraculous economic recovery. >> reporter: on an august morning in 1945 japan experienced the evolution of war. bayonets and rivals, aircrafts the size of gnats made the seas vulnerable. the fire bombing of japanese cities was hell on earth. the war is finally over. the victors are delirious with joy. america has won what was felt to be a just war. the vanquished wallow and defeat. they are hungry for food they cannot produce. they have even lost a god for the emperor now is most assuredly mortal. in what must be one of the most ironies of history, america the destroyer will become america the builder. >> the japanese economic miracle is an american creation. if it were not for the united states, if it were not for the united states market there would be no japanese economic miracle. >> reporter: the miracle would begin with the american population of japan. the japanese were at best ambivalent. the americans were kind and general louse -- generous. since america won the war perhaps it would be a good idea to adopt the ways of the winner.

in 2001, ktvu's george watson recounted the story of the san jose lynching. >> reporter: camelot to the regions silicon valley. it is not conceivable that a public lynching could take place here today. 67 years ago one did. nestled in the downtown area was hart's department store a fixture since the 1860s. by 1933 young brook heart 22 years old and just graduated from the university of santa clara was poised to take over the store from his father alex. minutes before closing time on november 9, 1933, brook hart left the department store and walked the short distance to his car. his kidnappers would be the last people to see him alive. >> this is the great gangster era of the 30s, and the great terrorist crime of fashion in those days was kidnapping for ransom. >> described by those who knew him as slow witted. he became friends with another local man, a motor oil sales man. together they would plan and play out the kidnapping of hart. >> they murdered him immediately and then asked for the money. >> reporter: the men waited for hart to leave the department store. using another car they