Posted on 08/16/2015 5:23:56 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson
John Toland, The Rising Sun: The Decline and Fall of the Japanese Empire, 1936-1945
http://www.etherit.co.uk/month/7/16.htm
August 16th, 1945 (THURSDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: London: An “iron curtain” has come down across Europe, according to Winston Churchill. Now leader of the opposition, he told the House of Commons today of his fears that “tragedy on a prodigious scale is imposing itself behind the iron curtain which at present divides Europe in twain.”
He was referring especially to the expulsion of millions of Germans from territory allotted to Poland in the west to compensate for that taken by Russia in the east. Many are unaccounted for. “Where have they gone? What is their fate?”
Going on to speak of what was happening in the newly communist-dominated countries, he said: “A family might be gathered round the fireside and enjoying the fruits of their toil when suddenly there is a knock at the door and heavily-armed policemen appear.
“It may be that a father or a son or a friend sitting in the cottage is called out and taken away into the dark and no one knows what is his fate. All they know is that they had better not inquire ...
“President Roosevelt laid down the Four Freedoms, and these are extant in the Atlantic Charter. Freedom from fear, but this has been interpreted as if it were only freedom from fear of invasion by a foreign country. That is the least of the fears of the common man. His patriotism arms him to withstand invasion. That is not the fear of the ordinary families in Europe tonight. Their fear is of the policeman knocking at the door.”
U.S.S.R.: Pacific Fleet ship loss - HS “GOK-2” - mined at Rasin port (Korea) (Sergey Anisimov)(69)
Moscow: Poland and the USSR sign a treaty which fixes the new Russo-Polish frontier.
MANCHURIA: Soviet forces free Lieutenant General Jonathan Wainwright, USA, from a POW camp. Wainwright had been captured on Corregidor Island in Manila Bay on 6 May 1942 and spent the next three and a half years as a POW in Luzon, Formosa, and Manchuria. The years of captivity took its toll on the general. The man who had been nicknamed “Skinny” was now emaciated, his hair had turned white, and his skin was cracked and fragile. He was also depressed, believing he would be blamed for the loss of the Philippines to the Japanese. When Wainwright arrived in Yokohama, Japan, to attend the formal surrender ceremony, General of the Army MacArthur, his former commander, was stunned at his appearance-literally unable to eat and sleep for a day. Wainwright was given a hero’s welcome upon returning to the U.S.
http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20050905/41306298.html
Mukden: A six-man team from the American Office of Strategic Services parachutes into the Mukden PoW camp. The Japanese commandant had not heard of the surrender so had not implemented the long-standing instructions to Japanese camp commandants to dispose of all PoWs prior to surrendering their position. (151)(152)(Linda Goetz Holmes)
JAPAN: The Japanese Cabinet under PM Suzuki resigned after the Emperor’s radio broadcast yesterday. They resign because they were unable to make a decision without consulting the Emperor. They also realize their job is done and a new cabinet will assist their country in making the transition to peace. In their last final act the open up military warehouses of food and other supplies for the civilian population.
Prince Higashikuni, with Prince Konoye as advisor, is appointed as Prime Minister and asked to form a new cabinet.
PACIFIC OCEAN: While 100 miles (161 km) east of Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands, the US destroyer USS Healy (DD-672) establishes sonar contact with an underwater object and carriers out a depth charge attack.
TERRITORY OF ALASKA: In the Aleutians, US aircraft are ordered not to approach closer than 50 miles (80.5 km) near Japanese or Soviet-held territory.
U.S.A.: Minesweeper USS Waxwing commissioned.
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Atomic Bomb Work ............
For over 50 the Hearst papers warned the US about Japan.
It seems awfully vague. Maybe it was a multi-part ad and I missed the rest on the same page.
Japan Missouri Refused To Change Name
http://www.romeofthewest.com/2005/12/photos-of-church-of-holy-martyrs-of.html
Japanese Occupation Problem for Allies
There is a lot going on between now and the official surrender. This is still new ground and a lot can go wrong.
Note the emissary is traveling on a plane painted with green crosses to Manila as the first step.
Occupation of Japan
This is a good read of what is coming, a long process.
http://www.32nd-division.org/history/ww2/32ww2-13.html
As one Division officer said, “The job was unquestionably preferable to the assault landing which we had expected to make as part of the planned Coronet operation in March of 1946, but in some respects it had more headaches.”
Early in January 1946, a surprise raid was made on all shrines and temples in the 126TH RCT’s area. These religious areas had generally been off limits to American troops, and it was believed desirable to check them. “The inspection,” says the 126TH’s report, “disclosed the presence of sabers, bomb casings, artillery shells, airplane propellers and similar objects in many Shinto shrines. Quantities were too limited to be of military value, but the objects were considered significant because of their obvious symbolic meaning as related to State Shintoism.”
Housing for the troops was a continuing problem aggravated by several fires. Smallpox also broke out among the troops with some deaths, and a further handicapping of activities because of necessary quarantines.
Interesting. The 126th RCT was part of my father’s 32nd ID. (He was in 128th Inf reg.) They probably thought they would be back home 5 months after the war ended. Nope.
Vanity... the old bloated-head disease.
Marine Corp Occupation of Japan.
I am partial to the 5th Marines, my uncle was injured on Iwo Jima.
This was a long process. Doesn’t look like we had many troops on the ground at the official surrender thus the surrender on the deck of the Might MO. Can you imagine all the firepower aimed at Tokyo if something had gone wrong.
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USMC/V/USMC-V-IV-1.html
When, in the wake of atomic bombings and Russian entry into the war, the Japanese government made its momentous decision to surrender, the “only military unit at hand with sufficient power to take Japan into custody at short notice and enforce the Allies’ will until occupation troops arrived”4 was Admiral William F. Halsey’s Third Fleet, at sea off the enemy coast.
Logically, the focal point of Japanese physical and moral strength was the seat of Imperial rule. If Tokyo could be occupied without incident, the chances for a successful and bloodless occupation of Japan and the peaceful surrender of outlying garrisons would be greatly enhanced.
OCCUPATION DUTY
http://www.ww2gyrene.org/spotlight5_5thmardiv.htm
Marines hoped they would soon return home, but this was almost immediately squelched when the Fifth learned it was to participate in the Occupation of Japan. In only twelve days, the division completed all preparations for combat embarkation. On 27 August, the Fifth loaded on transports and sailed for Japan.
Arriving on 22 September 1945, the Fifth executed a combat assault near the Japanese naval base at Sasebo. The landings went off without a hitch and the City of Sasebo was soon in Marine hands. Soon, the Fifth spread out across the island of Kyushu and beyond.
As part of the occupation force, the division enforced surrender terms. Tens of thousands of Japanese military personnel had to be demobilized and their weapons destroyed. In the zone of occupation, the Marines became the government for one of the most densely populated areas in Asia. The became the police, the grocery store and provided services of every kind to the population of their former enemies.
The Japanese emissaries reported on board the Missouri early on 27 August.
From : http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USMC/HRP-Occupation/index.html
Here is some info on the Manila conference. Good info on gradual occupation.
http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/MacArthur%20Reports/MacArthur%20V1/ch14.htm
Another communication from the Japanese on the 16th asked for clarification of the phrase, “certain requirements for carrying into effect the terms of surrender.”44 General MacArthur replied that the signing of the surrender terms would not be among the tasks of the Japanese representatives despatched to Manila.45
Less than three hours after their arrival, the sixteen-man Japanese delegation was led by General Willoughby to the first of two conferences held that night with members of General MacArthur’s staff. General MacArthur him self was not present. As the solemn procession moved from Dewey Boulevard through the battered and war-torn streets of Manila and up the broad steps of the City Hall, the stony-faced Japanese officers in their beribboned gray-green uniforms, with their peculiarly peaked caps, and with their two-handed Samurai swords dangling from their waists almost to the ground, made a grim and curious picture. Shortly after 2100, the Japanese and American representatives entered General Chamberlin’s office and sat down facing each other across the long, black table of the map-covered conference room.50
Based upon the full co-operation of the Japanese Government and Imperial General Headquarters, the new modifications provided for gradual occupation of designated areas after the Japanese had disarmed the local troops. No direct demilitarization was to be carried out by Allied personnel; the Japanese were to control the disarmament and demobilization of their own armed forces under Allied supervision
General Kawabe expressed his belief that the Japanese would faithfully carry out all Allied demands, but because of the unpredictable reactions of the Japanese civilian and army elements he requested that Japan be given an additional period of preparation before the actual steps of occupation were taken
“An ‘iron curtain’ has come down across Europe, according to Winston Churchill.”
Another prescient warning from Churchill.
And where did those missing millions of Germans go, Stalin?
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