My dad was in on the initial occupation too. My husband and I went to a reunion of the 760th FA Btn. There were only 8 guys there. My dad had passed a couple years earlier. The men told us that, for the first three days of the occupation, the Japanese civilians would not leave their homes. They were told that the Americans were going to rape, torture and pillage. Our guys were told they were not to enter homes and not to threaten anybody. When the Japanese figured out they were safe, they actually came out of their homes and some escorted our soldiers to the Japanese military bases. This is what the men told us. Also, they said every man woman and child was prepared to fight - even having sharpened sticks as weapons. It was an interesting and informative reunion where it was a privilege to hear the stories from the men who were there.
The Japanese are crazy. When told to fly their planes directly into a battleship it’s obvious one’s conscience is lacking. Anyone can be brought up to act that wy. Look at Hitler’s youth Corps. Same with Ceauchescou(?) inn Romania.
That’s neat. My Dad told us the same things.
One of General MacArthur’s first orders was to treat the civilians with courtesy and respect. They were to refer to them as Japanese, not Japs.
The Japanese people and American forces came to have a good relationship. When MacArthur left Japan for the States after being fired, hundreds of thousands of Japanese turned out to bid him farewell.