M’ARTHUR CALLS FOE’S ENVOYS; CABINET QUITS; ‘GAS,’ OIL RATIONING ENDS, BUSINESS BANS EASED (8/16/45)

Microfilm-New York Times archives, Monterey Public Library | 8/16/45 | George E. Jones, Arnaldo Cortesi, Brooks Atkinson, W.H. Lawrence, Frank L. Kluckhohn, Jay Walz, more

[GeronL]

Former PM Suzuki could always go into the motor bike business

page 6 & 8 - bottom left.... the Chinese commie problem “settled”

12 ... Secretary Harold L Ickes! Petroleum Administrator for War...

15- Here comes commie UK

17 - Smuts loves America, like America love smut

[GeronL]

Iron Curtain already.

Churchill never trusted the commies but the situation called for being diplomatic and now, a civilian, he is free to say what he likes.

[Rebelbase]

Reading about Manchuria I came across this bit about Kenji Doihara, a Japanese general executed for war crimes. I had never heard about this before and am astounded that ~millions~ of Chinese were systematically and purposefully addicted to opium for Japanese profit. From wiki: "Doihara's activity in China vastly exceeded the normal behaviour of an intelligence officer. As chief of the Japanese secret services in China he worked out, put in motion and oversaw a wide series of activities systematically exploiting the occupied areas and disrupting Chinese social structure in the rest of the country in order to weaken public resistance. To this end, he used every possible kind of action, including deliberately fueling criminality, fostering drug addiction, sponsoring terrorism, assassinations, blackmail, bribery, opium trafficking and racketeering, spreading every kind of corruption in the almost ungovernable country.[9] The extent of his activities and covert operations are still inadequately understood. According to Ronald Sydney Seth, his activity played a key role in shattering China's ability to confront Japan's expansion by generating chaotic conditions which prevented any mass reaction in the invaded country. After the occupation of Manchuria, under his supervision the Japanese secret service soon turned Machukuo into a vast criminal enterprise where rape, child molestation, sexual humiliation, sadism, assault and murder became institutionalized means of terrorizing and controlling Manchuria's Chinese and Russian population. Robbery by soldiers and gendarmes, arbitrary confiscation of property and unabashed extortion became commonplace. Underground brothels, opium dens, gambling houses and narcotics shops run by Japanese gendarmes competed with the state monopoly syndicate of opium. Many conscientious Japanese officers protested these conditions, but Tokyo ignored them and consequently they were silenced. The ritual suicide of Field Marshal Nobuyoshi Mutō, who allegedly had left a note to the Emperor Hirohito pleading for mercy for the people of Manchuria, was in vain.[10] Doihara soon expanded his activity into the still unoccupied parts of China. By using about 80,000 paid Chinese villains known as Chiang Mao Tao, he funded hundreds of criminal groups, using them for every kind of social disturbance, turnover, assassinations and sabotage inside unoccupied China. Through these organizations he soon managed to control a large part of the opium traffic in China, using the money earned to fund his covert operations.[11][12] He hired an army of agents and sent them throughout China as representatives of various humanitarian organizations. They established thousands of health centers, mainly in the villages of the districts, for curing tuberculosis, which was then epidemic in China. By adulterating medicines with opium, he managed to addict millions of unsuspecting patients, expanding societal degeneration into areas which had been hitherto untouched by the increasing breakdown of Chinese society. This scheme also created a pool of addicted victims desperate to offer any kind of service to in order to secure a daily dose of opium.[13][14] He initially gave food and shelter to tens of thousands Russian White émigré women who had taken refuge in the Far East after the defeat of the White Russian anti-Bolshevik movement during the Russian Civil War and the withdrawal of the Entente and Japanese armies from Siberia. Having lost their livelihoods, and with most of them widowed, Doihara forced the women into prostitution, using them to create a network of brothels throughout China where they worked under inhuman conditions. The use of heroin and opium was promoted to them as a way to tolerate their miserable fate. Once addicted, the women were used to further spread the use of opium among the population by earning one free opium pipe for every six they were selling to their customers.[15][16] Winning the necessary support from the authorities in Tokyo he persuaded the Japanese tobacco industry Mitsui of Mitsui zaibatsu to produce special cigarettes bearing the popular to the Far East trademark "Golden Bat". Their circulation was prohibited in Japan, as they were intended only for export. Doihara's services controlled their distribution in China and Manchuria where the full production was exported. In the mouthpiece of each cigarette a small dose of opium or heroin was concealed, and by this subterfuge millions of unsuspecting consumers were added to the ever-growing crowds of drug addicts in the crippled country, simultaneously creating huge profits. According to testimony presented at the Tokyo War Crimes trials in 1948, the revenue from the narcotization policy in China, including Manchukuo, was estimated as twenty to thirty million yen per year, while another authority[who?] stated during the trial that the annual revenue was estimated by the Japanese military at 300 million dollars a year.[17] Given the chaotic situation in China, the corruption Doihara methodically spread didn't take long to reach the very top. In 1938 Chiang was forced to execute 8 generals commanding Chinese divisions when it was found that they were informers for Doihara's services. This heralded a wave of executions of high-ranking Chinese officials found guilty for every kind of dealing with Doihara during the next 6 years of the war. To many westerners in touch with the Chinese leadership, the purges were without lasting results. "

[Rebelbase]

Can’t figure it out, Auto paragraph is not working on copy and past from wiki.

Here’s the link to the info about the war crimes in Manchuria.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenji_Doihara#Criminal_activities

[TheRightGuy]

The inspection,” says the 126TH’s report, “disclosed the presence of sabers, bomb casings, artillery shells, airplane propellers and similar objects

i remember seeing old photos with rows of japanese fighter aircraft ... all with the propellers removed ... supposedly to show they were no longer a threat

[PAR35]

Per DANFS, September 6:

Adm. Sir Bruce Fraser, RN (Commander, British Pacific Fleet) boarded Missouri 16 August, and conferred the order Knight of the British Empire upon Admiral Halsey. Missouri transferred a landing party of 200 officers and men to battleship Iowa for temporary duty with the initial occupation force for Tokyo 21 August. Missouri herself entered Tokyo Bay early 29 August to prepare for the formal surrender ceremony.

High-ranking military officials of all the Allied Powers were received on board 2 September. Fleet Adm. Chester Nimitz boarded shortly after 0800, and General of the Army Douglas MacArthur (Supreme Commander for the Allies) came on board at 0843. The Japa nese representatives, headed by Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu, arrived at 0856. At 0902 General MacArthur stepped before a battery of microphones and the 23-minute surrender ceremony was broadcast to the waiting world. By 0930 the Japanese emissaries had departed.

The afternoon of 6 September Admiral Halsey transferred his flag to battleship South Dakota. Early next day Missouri departed Tokyo Bay to receive homeward bound passengers at Guam, thence sailed unescorted for Hawaii. She arrived Pearl Harb or 20 September and flew Admiral Nimitz’ flag on the afternoon of 28 September for a reception.

[Campion]

Not exactly. It was to prevent individual pilots from taking matters into their own hands and going kamikaze contrary to orders.

[EternalVigilance]

http://www.armysignalocs.com/veteranssalultes/surrender_in_1.htm

Surrender On The Air

August 15-19, 1945 – United States Department of State Bulletin.

The following messages were received from the Japanese Emperor, the Japanese Imperial Government, and the Japanese General Headquarters by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers:

[Received Aug. 16] – Inbound Traffic

Are in receipt of the message of the United States Government transmitted to us through the Swiss Government and of a message from General MacArthur received by the Tokyo radiograph office and desire to make the following communication.

1. His Majesty, the Emperor, issued an imperial order at 1600 on August 16 to the entire armed forces to cease hostilities immediately.

2. It is presumed that said imperial order will reach the front line and produce full effect after the following lapse of time:

(a) In Japan proper-forty-eight hours;

(b) In China, Manchuria, Korea, and the southern regions, except Bougainville, New Guinea, and the Philippines-six days;

(c) In Bougainville-eight days;

(d) In New Guinea and the Philippines, in the case of various local headquarters-twelve days. But whether and when the order will be received by the first-line units is difficult to foresee.

3. With a view to making the August wish of His Majesty regarding the termination of the war and the above-mentioned Imperial Order thoroughly known to all concerned, members of the imperial family will be dispatched as personal representatives of His Majesty to the headquarters of the Kwantung Army, Expeditionary Forces in China and the forces of the southern regions respectively. The itinerary, type of aircraft markings, etc., will be communicated later. It is accordingly requested that safe-conduct for the above be granted.

4. As regards the request to dispatch a competent representative accompanied by service advisers to the headquarters of General MacArthur in Manila leaving Sata Misaki in Kyushu on August 17, we feel greatly embarrassed as it is impossible for us to arrange for the flight of our representative on August 17 due to the scarcity of time allowed us. We will, however, proceed at once with necessary preparations and notify General MacArthur as to the date of the flight of such a representative which will take place as soon as possible.

5. It is proposed to make the communications with the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers in the following manner:

(a) Sender and receiver on the Japanese side the General Headquarters or the Government.

(b) The radio station on the Japanese side Tokyo station, the call sign JNP, frequency 13,740 KCs.

(c) Means of communications-radiograph.

(d) Language-English.

6. We failed to understand the type of airplane described in the communication received from General MacArthur. We request, therefore, that the message be repeated bearing upon the type fully and clearly.

7. To make sure that we have received without fail all the communications sent by General MacArthur, we beg him to repeat once again through the route of communication specified under heading 5 of the present communication.

[Received Aug. 16, 11:30 A.M.] – Inbound Traffic

Regarding item 3 of our first radiogram. It is expected to leave Kyushu at 9 o’clock on August 17 “Part (three) from the south due to leave on 18” by way of the following route:

The itinerary is subject to some alterations owing to weather and other conditions.

(1) Bound for Manchuria (Tokyo, Yonago, Seoul);

(2) Bound for China (Tokyo-Fukuoka-Shanghai-Nanking);

(3) Bound for the south (Tokyo-Fukuoka-Shanghai (staying one night) Canton-Tourane-Saigon).

Type and markings of airplanes.

(1) Planes from Manchuria and China are low-winged monoplane, twin engined, middle-size transport of Mitsubishi MC-22 type;

(2) Plane from the south is middle-winged monoplane, twin-engined, middle-sized bomber with cigar-shaped fuselage resembling that of B-26.

(3) Markings are sun-flag with red streamer of four meters length.

The Headquarters of General MacArthur sent the following reply to the first and second messages received from the Japanese Government and the Japanese General Headquarters:

[Aug. 16.] – Outbound Traffic

Your messages of August 16, nos. 1 and 2, have been received and are satisfactory. Every possible precaution will be taken to insure the safety of the planes bearing the Japanese representatives on their missions. My two messages will be repeated as requested.

Notify this headquarters as soon as possible of the proposed date of flight of the Japanese representatives to Manila. Type of plane desired is the Douglas DC-3 type transport, understood to be your navy-type Zero model 22L2, D3 or your army-type 100 transport plane KI57.

If necessary you are authorized to change the type of plane bearing your Manila representatives giving description thereof.

The following messages were received by the Headquarters of General MacArthur from the Japanese Government and Japanese General Headquarters:

[Received Aug. 16, 7:50 P.M.] – Inbound Traffic

At about noon August 16 a group of some twelve Allied transports approached extremely near the coast of Kochi, Shikoku. At that time the Imperial order to cease hostilities had not yet been issued, and our air units ventured to attack the Allied vessels, apparently causing some damage.

At 4 P.M. the order was issued to cease hostilities as stated in our radiogram No. 1....

[Received Aug. 16, 8:24 P.M.] – Inbound Traffic

(1) It is stated in the message of the President of the U.S.A. transmitted on August 16 through the Swiss Government: “Send emissaries at once to the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers . . . and fully empowered to make any arrangements directed by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers to enable him and his accompanying forces to arrive at the place designated by him to receive the formal surrender.”

According to this message, the task of the “emissaries” is to be understood to make necessary arrangements for the reception by the Supreme Commander and his accompanying forces for the formal surrender.

(2) However, in the “urgent” message sent by the Supreme Commander to the Japanese Emperor, the Japanese Government, and Japanese General Headquarters, which was received by the Tokyo Radiograph Office and to which reference was made in our first radiogram, it is stated that the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers further directs the Japanese Imperial Government to send to his headquarters in Manila a competent representative empowered to receive in the name of the Emperor of Japan, the Japanese Imperial Government, and the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters certain requirements for carrying into effect the terms of surrender.

According to this message, it appears that the task of the Japanese representative is to receive “certain requirements for carrying into effect the terms of surrender.”

We should like to clarify the following point because the forms and contents of the “full powers” to be issued will be different depending upon your answer.

A. Can we proceed according to the understanding stated in the said item one, assuming that the Supreme Commander’s message has the same meaning with the President’s message in this respect?

B. If not, please explain exactly what is meant by the “certain requirements for carrying into effect the terms of surrender.”

In any way, we assume that the signing of surrender terms is not among the tasks of the Japanese representative in question.

[PeterPrinciple]

Missouri transferred a landing party of 200 officers and men to battleship Iowa for temporary duty with the initial occupation force for Tokyo 21 August

---

Thanks for info. An interesting clue here? Not sure I understand the reason for the transfer.

http://www.ussiowa.org/general/html/detail.htm

August 27 In company with USS MISSOURI, USS IOWA put into Sagami Bay to effect the surrender of Yokosuka naval district. Œ

August 29 USS IOWA and USS MISSOURI entered Tokyo Bay in support of landing of occupation forces to take place next day. Œ

[PeterPrinciple]

Just a side note about the MISSOURI. Wow, lifted 7 feet above the waterline, 3 ship lengths from the main channel.

http://www.navysite.de/bb/bb63.htm
Now the only U.S. battleship in commission, MISSOURI was proceeding seaward on a training mission from Hampton Roads early 17 January when she ran aground at a point 1.6 miles from Thimble Shoals Light, near Old Point Comfort. She traversed shoal water a distance of three ship lengths from the main channel. Lifted some seven feet above waterline, she stuck hard and fast. With the aid of tugs, pontoons, and an incoming tide, she was refloated 1 February 1950.

[PeterPrinciple]

The Effects of the Atomic Bombing

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/AAF/USSBS/AtomicEffects/AtomicEffects-2.html

Interesting analysis. implications for civil defense. high casualty rate due to lack of first aid? There were defenses to the atomic bomb and the Japanese military would have been aware?

---

Other buildings, however, were constructed far more strongly than is required by normal building codes in America, to resist earthquakes. Furthermore, construction regulations in Japan have specified since the 1923 earthquake that the roof must safely carry a minimum load of 70 pounds per square foot whereas American requirements do not normally exceed 40 pounds per square foot for similar types. Though the regulation was not always followed, this extra strong construction was encountered in some of the buildings near ground zero at Hiroshima, and undoubtedly accounts for their ability to withstand atomic bomb

.......
By 1 November, the population of Hiroshima was back to 137,000. (what?)
............
On the morning of 10 August, police rescue units and workers from the Kawaminami shipbuilding works began the imperative task of clearing the Omura-Nagasaki pike, which was impassable for 8,000 feet. A path 6 1/2 feet wide was cleared despite the intense heat from smoldering fires, and by 15 August had been widened to permit two-way traffic
.........
A plausible estimate of the importance of the various causes of death would range as follows:
Flash burns, 20 to 30 percent.
Other injuries, 50 to 60 percent.
Radiation sickness, 15 to 20 percent.
...............
PROTECTION AGAINST RADIANT HEAT. This patient (photographed by Japanese 2 October 1945) was about 6,500 feet from ground zero when the rays struck him from the left. His cap was sufficient to protect the top of his head against flash burns.
.....................
Typical comments of survivors were:

If the enemy has this type of bomb, everyone is going to die, and we wish the war would hurry and finish.

I did not expect that it was that powerful. I thought we have no defense against such a bomb.

One of my children was killed by it, and I didn’t care what happened after that.

Other reactions were found. In view of their experiences, it is not remarkable that some of the survivors (nearly one-fifty) hated the Americans for using the bomb or expressed their anger in such terms as “cruel,”inhuman,” and “barbarous.”

* * * they really despise the Americans for it, the people all say that if there are such things as ghosts, why don’t they haunt the Americans?

When I saw the injured and killed, I felt bitter against the enemy.

After the atomic bomb exploded, I felt that now I must go to work in a munitions plant * * *. My sons told me that they wouldn’t forget the atomic bomb even when they grow up.
......................
It is apparent that the effect of the atomic bombings on the confidence of the Japanese civilian population was remarkably localized.
.................
The atomic bomb had more effect on the thinking of Government leaders than on the morale of the rank and file of civilians outside of the target areas.
.................
A quip was current in high Government circles at this time that the atomic bomb was the real Kamikaze, since it saved Japan from further useless slaughter and destruction.

[GeronL]

I tried, but science fiction is my genre.

...................

VJ Day

Turning the dial Brad found the big band music, there was some static on the AM frequency but the sound was clear enough. Soon enough the music faded.

“Your listening to the Clear-View Band, playing live from the Palisades Club in the ground floor Ball Room of the Three Palms Hotel. Sponsored by Clear View household cleaning products, two wipes and the view is clear. Now we return you to the live music with Sentimental Journey...”

He listened with the car window down, he was standing next to it looking out at the waves crashing into the beach. It was an overcast day, a bit windy. It didn’t dampen the spirits of the people as they celebrated the likely end of the war. Brad though, felt like being alone instead of throwing a party.

“We interrupt this program with breaking news, please stand by.” a voice said as the music disappeared, Brand steeled himself. The official end of the war might be confirmed any moment. “This news from Washington. Minutes ago the assemble press was informed that the enemy has capitulated to all demands, the war is over. Repeat, the war is over.....”

Brad walked away from the car, down the incline and onto the beach. The wind blew his hat off, he didn’t care. His tie whipped around and his suit-coat jiggled as the wind picked up. There were probably loud and wild celebrations all over the country, the whole world. This moment meant victory was complete, but Brad could only think of his brother James.

James had signed up the day the enemy had attacked. It was nearly three years ago to the day that he watched James climb aboard the USS Broadsword with hundreds of other sailors and personnel. It was sixteen months ago that the ship had been lost with all hands, by enemy action. The war was over now, but Brad wondered if he would ever be able to forgive.

Retrieving his hat brad walked up to his car.

“From London, full confirmation from 10 Downing Street. Reports of celebrations across London as the fireworks light up Trafalgar Square. Also, out of Washington, news that all war-time rationing is to be ended as soon as practicable...”

He climbed in and started up the car. Brad listened to the humming of the engine and then put it into gear, it rose a few feet off the ground. “Victory over Jupiter will ensure the safety of all humans in the solar system, not just here on Earth. May the Jovian Empire never again make war on fellow humans...”

[PeterPrinciple]

Very interesting pictures of the next few weeks:

http://www.thehistoryreader.com/modern-history/august-1945macarthur-occupation-pending-official-surrender/

[PAR35]

The only thing I can think of was that the Iowa was placed in a more exposed position to land troops while the Missouri stayed back (or underway) to provide covering fire if there was a trap. They seemed to be operating in tandem.

[EternalVigilance]

PHOTOGRAPH SIGNED 08/16/1945 BY ENOLA GAY CREW: THEODORE VAN KIRK, JACOB BESER, GEORGE R. CARON, PAUL W. TIBBETS, COLONEL THOMAS W. FEREBEE

[PAR35]

Re the Page 11 story from the Japanese ambassador to Sweden that it will be business as usual for him -

Looks like he’ll get his paycheck for another 10 weeks or so:

“31 Oct. 45 Japanese Government surrendered its diplomatic property and records abroad and recalled its diplomatic and consular representatives.”
http://www.history.army.mil/documents/8-5/8-5.htm

This may be of general interest:

http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/MacArthur%20Reports/MacArthur%20V1%20Sup/index.htm#cont

[Hebrews 11:6]

Neat pics.

In the remaining couple of weeks before Homer ceases and desists, I'm going to be watching for several things, especially ad hoc resistance by rogue Japanese soldiers, and the organization of efforts to prevent the starvation of the Japanese populace.

[henkster]

The Americans didn’t realize how bad the civilian food situation was until after the occupation. And the occupation officers knew the American public’s reaction to the suggestion of feeding Japan would not be positive. But we did it anyway.

[Hebrews 11:6]

Thanks—that’s helpful, about what I was expecting in the absence of personal knowledge. I expect the logistical difficulties were significant in bringing food where it was needed, once that need was discovered, considering the transportation infrastructure had been so degraded. But I also expect that the need for Americans and Japanese to learn to cooperate in solving this practical problem helped both get over some preconception baggage and fostered future mutual toleration if not actual harmony.

[TheRightGuy]

ah so