Introduction Background of the study A biography or memoir is a written or recorded description of an individual’s life or events as narrated by the first person. There are different forms of memoirs, which include essays, books, videos, and films, among others. The biographic details can range from mere personal details such as the level of education, marital status, and work experiences to major experiences during certain historic events. The biography can also present the personality details of the narrator and they are mostly non-fictional. However, depending on the writer or narrator, biographies are not necessarily the truth. This is because most biographies entail elucidations and making arguments about the narrator or an individual’s successes and experiences 1 . Most biographies influence the history of contemporary societies in different aspects. However, some studies indicate that the same biographies may be containing some pitfalls particularly when using them as evidence for past events. This essay seeks to explore the merits in using biographies or memoirs as evidence for past events such as wars and economic prosperity. Reference will be made to different accounts in which specific chosen chapters will be analyzed relative to their significance in addressing the merits of biographies. In addition, the essay presents the relevance of the topic in the history of ancient and modern Japan and annotations of the sources accessed. The Significance of the Topic to History Many Historians argue that for any society to have a future, it must have a past. The past represents history in the contemporary society and in order for the society to look at its past, there is the need to logically analyze the past events. Moreover, assessment of the past events provides important facts about the society, which can guide individuals represented in that society in tackling various complex situations. Additionally, most ancient personalities who were famous during their time will always act as role models for the current generations. Therefore the contents of biographies can have far-reaching consequences in the modern society. The aim of this article is thus to provide a wide range of factual materials and guidelines that can be accessed by different individuals in the society. In so doing, these individuals are provided with the opportunity of weighing the importance against the pitfalls in using biographies as evidence for past events. The merits of using Biographies as Evidence in History As stated in earlier discussions, there is the need for human beings to make reference to or acknowledge the significance of certain individuals in the society. These individuals include presidents, war veterans, engineers, soldiers and scientists among a host others. Referring to the article, ‘When I made Balloon Bombs,’ as narrated by the first person, the reader is given the opportunity to learn how the minds behind the Balloon bombs of World War II managed to craft such unimaginable devices. A person going through such a story will come to appreciate the importance of being inventive and innovative in the contemporary society. The merit of such a description in history is that it influences the event