Don

I think if had to affect his view of the place for aikido, given his spiritual leanings, but I have seen few writings to that effect. I have seen some stuff written by his son that implied that.

I have often speculated that the change in "style" that appeared after WWII was the combination of the effect of the atomic bombs his spirituality, the aging of Ueshiba, but also from the practical perspective that at least right after the end of the war, if aikido had been taught in the more marital way it had before the war, it might not have been allowed to start up again by the occupation government as soon as it did. So aikido changed to allow it to be taught, and stayed that way in a new world and culture.