America at war! (1941-1945) -- Part 6

663

Memorandum by the Joint Chiefs of Staff

SM-2866
Washington, 14 August, 1945

Subject: INSTRUMENTS FOR THE SURRENDER OF JAPAN

The Joint Chiefs of Staff have reviewed the proposed General Order No. 1 (contained in Enclosure “B” of SWNCC 21/5) and their suggested changes are indicated in Enclosure “A.” The reasons for such changes as are not immediately apparent are as follows:

a. The provision for surrender of certain Japanese forces to the Commander in Chief of the Australian Imperial Forces has been deleted and the forces in that area included under Admiral Mount-batten’s responsibility in view of the fact that the British Chiefs of Staff have just stated their willingness to assume responsibility for parts of the Southwest Pacific area south of the Philippines immediately upon Japanese surrender.

b. The paragraph pertaining to surrender in Korea has been deleted and U.S. responsibilities for Korea have been assigned to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Army Forces, Pacific, since the occupation responsibilities for Korea have already been assigned to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Army Forces, Pacific, by the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Recognizing that provisions needed to be made for acceptance of local surrenders by U.S. commanders who might not be under the commander in chief assigned the responsibility for the area for which the local surrender is offered, the Joint Chiefs of Staff have already issued instructions to provide for this contingency.

Preliminary arrangements have been directed for the entry of U.S. forces into Keijo and Dairen in case they arrive before the Russians occupy these points. This and the matter of U.S. forces seizing key points along the north China Coast present operational problems concerning the surrender which will in all probability have to be handled on an operational basis with detailed directions on the spot from the Supreme Commander to the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters. There is also the problem of avoiding any misunderstanding with the Russians both on areas around the Yellow Sea and on the Kuriles. It is believed that a way to handle this problem would be for the President to inform the Allied Powers concerned of our intentions.

For your information there is enclosed (Enclosure “B”) a message which the Joint Chiefs of Staff will present to the President at an appropriate time.

On the matter of the Kuriles, the United States and Russian Chiefs of Staff have agreed to a boundary line between areas of operations which passes through Onnekotan Strait. On the basis of the situation as it appears at present, the Joint Chiefs of Staff propose to instruct Admiral Nimitz to plan on receiving the surrender of the Kurile Islands south of this line. They propose at an appropriate time to inform the Russians of this procedure and that unless the Russians request assistance, the Joint Chiefs of Staff expect the Soviets to receive the surrender and disarm the Japanese in the islands of Paramushiro and Shumushu.

The parallel 38° north has been selected in Korea since this gives to U.S. forces the port and communications area of Keijo and a sufficient portion of Korea so that parts of it might be apportioned to the Chinese and the British in case some sort of quadripartite administration eventuates. The Joint Chiefs of Staff do not know of uny detailed arrangements for the administration and government of Korea after the Japanese surrender and urge that the appropriate governmental authorities take steps at once in order that guidance may be made available to the U.S. commander charged with the occupation responsibilities in Korea.

There are many unknown factors concerning the Japanese capitulation which cannot be accurately estimated at this time. The situation is liable to be changing daily during the period when General MacArthur is completing the arrangements with the Emperor and the Imperial General Headquarters. It is therefore believed that General Order No. 1 should be sent to the Supreme Commander with a provision that it is subject to change as a result of further instructions through the Joint Chiefs of Staff and also that the Supreme Commander is empowered to make changes in matters of detail which are indicated by the operational situation as known to him.

For the Joint Chiefs of Staff:
A. J. MCFARLAND
Brigadier General, USA Secretary

[Annex 1]

Enclosure “A”

GENERAL ORDER NO. 1

Military and Naval

  1. The Imperial General Headquarters by direction of the Emperor, und pursuant to the surrender to the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers of all Japanese armed forces by the Emperor, hereby orders all of its commanders in Japan and abroad to cause the Japanese armed forces and Japanese-controlled forces under their command to cease hostilities at once, to lay down their arms, to remain in their present locations and to surrender unconditionally to commanders acting on behalf of the United States, the Republic of China, the United Kingdom and the British Empire, and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, as indicated hereafter or as may be further directed by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers. Immediate contact will be made with the indicated commanders, or their designated representatives, subject to any changes in detail prescribed by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, and their instructions will be completely and immediately carried out.

    a. The senior Japanese commanders and all ground, sea, air and auxiliary forces within China (excluding Manchuria), Formosa and French Indo-China north of 16° north latitude shall surrender to Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek.

    b. The senior Japanese commanders and all ground, sea, air and auxiliary forces within Manchuria, Korea north of 38° north latitude and Karafuto shall surrender to the Commander in Chief of Soviet Forces in the Far East.

    c. The senior Japanese commanders and all ground, sea, air and auxiliary forces within the Andamans, Nicobars, Burma, Thailand, French Indo-China south of 16° north latitude, Malaya, Borneo, Netherlands Indies, New Guinea, Bismarcks, and the Solomons, shall surrender to the Supreme Allied Commander, Southeast Asia Command.

    d. The senior Japanese commanders and all ground, sea, air and auxiliary forces in the Japanese Mandated Islands, Ryukyus, Bonins, and other Pacific Islands shall surrender to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet.

    e. The Imperial General Headquarters, its senior commanders, and all ground, sea, air and auxiliary forces in the main islands of Japan, minor islands adjacent thereto, Korea south of 38° north latitude, and the Philippines shall surrender to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Army Forces in the Pacific.

The Japanese Imperial General Headquarters further orders its commanders in Japan and abroad to disarm completely all forces of Japan or under Japanese control, wherever they may be situated, and to deliver intact and in safe and good condition all weapons and equipment at such time and at such places as may be prescribed by the Allied Commanders indicated above. (Pending further instructions, the Japanese police force in the main islands of Japan will be exempt from this disarmament provision. The police force will remain at their posts and shall be held responsible for the preservation of law and order. The strength and arms of such a police force will be prescribed.)

(The remainder of the General Order No. 1 requires no change and should stand as written in SWNCC 21/5.)

[Annex 2]

Enclosure “B”

Draft Message from the President to Prime Minister, Generalissimo Stalin and Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek

While giving first priority to securing the Japanese homeland, the United States proposes to use its naval and air power to expedite the surrender of Japanese forces in the coastal areas of the Asiatic mainland in order to discourage continuation of local hostilities and to prevent malicious destruction and sabotage of harbor facilities. I have directed U.S. naval forces immediately to take control of the Yellow Sea and waters adjacent to Japan in the event of Japanese capitulation and have also directed U.S. forces to secure key ports now held by the Japanese on the Asiatic mainland. I am sending this message for the purpose of making clear that these operations are in order to exploit U.S. military capabilities to expedite the surrender, are for military purposes only, and will not prejudice the final peace settlement.

664

Memorandum by the State-War-Navy Coordinating Committee

Washington, 14 August, 1945

Subject: INSTRUMENTS FOR THE SURRENDER OF JAPAN

  1. Reference is made to your memorandum on the above subject dated 14 August 1945. (SM-2866)

  2. The Army member of the SWNCC proposes to amend the General Order attached thereto, as proposed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, by inserting the following sentence after paragraph 1e.:

    The above indicated commanders are the only representatives of the Allied Powers empowered to accept surrender, and all surrenders of Japanese Forces shall be made only to them or to their designated representatives.

  3. It is requested that this matter be brought to the attention of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as a matter of urgency and that their comments, when obtained, be forwarded to the State-War-Navy Coordinating Committee.

For the State-War-Navy Coordinating Committee:
ALVIN F. RICHARDSON
Acting Secretary, SWNCC

665 
740.00119 PW/8-1445

The Australian Minister to the Secretary of State

Washington, 14 August, 1945

Dear Mr. Secretary: Further to our conversation yesterday during which I left with you a memorandum setting out the views of the Australian Government on the subject of the future treatment of Japan, I enclose herewith certain specific comments, which I have just received from my Government, on the terms of a communication from London to Australia, setting out what is described as the “draft act of surrender”. Presumably the “draft act of surrender” is identical with the reply sent by President Truman on 11th August 1945 to the Japanese surrender offer.

I have also been instructed by my Government to request that in the event of an armistice being declared arrangements should be made to synchronize the announcement in Australia and the capitals of other countries concerned. I have been requested to advise Australia urgently whether the United States Government agrees to this proposal.

Yours sincerely,
F. W. EGGLESTON

[Enclosure]

The Australian Minister to the Secretary of State

[Washington,] 14 August, 1945

COMMENTS OF AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT ON DRAFT ACT OF SURRENDER COMMUNICATED TO AUSTRALIA FROM LONDON

Paragraph 3. The Australian Government feels that this responsibility should be exacted under pain of punishment. It is essential that specific provision should be made for the medical care and feeding of prisoners and that first priority in the use of enemy transport should be given to the movement of prisoners. Full lists of all Allied prisoners and civilians taken into custody since December 1941 should be required, and these lists should indicate the place of their detention. All documents relating to the treatment of prisoners or their decease should be surrendered.

Paragraph 4. Having in mind points 1 and 2 of the Allied reply to the Japanese note of 10th of August, the Australian Government feels that the overriding authority of the Allied Supreme Commander should be made explicit and that the Emperor should be named along with the Government and General Headquarters. Similarly with paragraph 5. It should be made clear that subsequently there will be a more comprehensive instrument implementing in detail the Allied policy towards Japan, including the terms of the Potsdam Declaration. The Australian Government would, therefore, propose the addition to paragraph 5 of a sentence along the following lines – “This act of military surrender is without prejudice to and will be superseded by any subsequent general instrument of surrender imposed by or on behalf of the United Nations at war with Japan and applicable to the Japanese Empire and armed forces as a whole.”

In addition, there should be a specific requirement for the handing over of war criminals without dispute. Ships, aircraft, industrial equipment, commodity stocks, etc., should be put specifically at the disposal of the Allied Powers. The complete safety and well-being of prisoners of war and internees in Japanese hands should be ensured. In this connection it is also essential to make specific provision for the full responsibility not only of the Japanese Government and Imperial Headquarters but of individual Japanese Commanders.

666 
740.00119 PW/8-1445

The Swiss Chargé to the Secretary of State

Washington, August 14, 1945

Sir: I have the honor to refer to your note of August 11, in which you requested me to transmit to my Government the reply of the Governments of the United States, the United Kingdom, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and China to the message from the Japanese Government which was communicated in my note of August 10.

At 20.10 today (Swiss Time) the Japanese Minister to Switzerland conveyed the following written statement to the Swiss Government for transmission to the four Allied governments:

Communication of the Japanese Government of August 14, 1945, addressed to the Governments of the United States, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and China:

With reference to the Japanese Government’s note of August 10 regarding their acceptance of the provisions of the Potsdam declaration and the reply of the Governments of the United States, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and China sent by American Secretary of State Byrnes under the date of August 11, the Japanese Government have the honor to communicate to the Governments of the four powers as follows:

  1. His Majesty the Emperor has issued an Imperial rescript regarding Japan’s acceptance of the provisions of the Potsdam declaration.

  2. His Majesty the Emperor is prepared to authorize and ensure the signature by his Government and the Imperial General Headquarters of the necessary terms for carrying out the provisions of the Potsdam declaration. His Majesty is also prepared to issue his commands to all the military, naval, and air authorities of Japan and all the forces under their control wherever located to cease active operations, to surrender arms and to issue such other orders as may be required by the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces for the execution of the above-mentioned terms.

Accept [etc.]

GRÄSSLI

667 
740.00119 PW/8-1445

The Secretary of State to the Swiss Chargé

Washington, August 14, 1945

Sir: With reference to your communication of today’s date, transmitting the reply of the Japanese Government to the communication which I sent through you to the Japanese Government on August 11, on behalf of the Governments of the United States, China, the United Kingdom, and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, which I regard as full acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration and of my statement of August 11, 1945, I have the honor to inform you that the President of the United States has directed that the following message be sent to you for transmission to the Japanese Government:

You are to proceed as follows:

  1. Direct prompt cessation of hostilities by Japanese forces, informing the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers of the effective date and hour of such cessation.

  2. Send emissaries at once to the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers with information of the disposition of the Japanese forces and commanders, 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.

  3. For the purpose of receiving such surrender and carrying it into effect, General of the Army Douglas MacArthur has been designated as the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, and he will notify the Japanese Government of the time, place and other details of the formal surrender.

Accept [etc.]

[JAMES F. BYRNES]

668

The Pittsburgh Press (August 14, 1945)

NO WORD FROM JAPS
Tokyo stalls as world waits official reply on surrender

Peace note unreceived, Swiss say, but Tokyo insists it’s on way

BULLETINS

BERN, Switzerland (UP) – The Japanese minister arrived at the Swiss Federal Building at 8:05 p.m. (2:05 p.m. ET) today.

SAN FRANCISCO, California (UP) – The Japanese will make special efforts to provide electric current on all circuits at noon tomorrow (11 p.m. ET tonight) so everyone can hear the important announcement which is forthcoming, the FCC monitors reported today.

A Tokyo broadcast said that at noon electric current will be fed to localities where it is not ordinarily available during daylight hours.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of State Byrnes returned to the White House at 3:07 p.m. for his third visit of the day.

LONDON, England – The Jap defenses in Western Manchuria collapsed today before a Russian onslaught that carried 93 miles in a single day and swept up thousands of prisoners.

WASHINGTON (UP) – A world waiting with agonized suspense for the Japanese War to end was told today that it would have to keep on waiting for an official announcement.

A long note from Japan to Switzerland turned out not to be the long-anticipated official message announcing the enemy’s unconditional surrender.

The Tokyo radio, however, broadcast that the Japs had decided to accept the Allied terms.

And later it said that the Jap reply to Allied surrender terms “is now on its way to the Japanese minister at Bern,” Switzerland, for transmission to Washington.

This latter broadcast was monitored at 12:01 p.m. ET, about an hour after the Swiss legation here learned that the note already in Bern was not the surrender reply.

The earlier Jap broadcasts that the Tokyo government had decided to accept the Potsdam ultimatum kicked off wild victory celebrations in many parts of the world.

Cascades of bombs continue

They had not, however, stopped cascades of bombs on the enemy homeland from U.S. airplanes and smashing ground drives by Red Army forces in Manchuria.

The long note whose arrival in Bern was reported in the night fooled even the White House. It announced, and everybody believed, that it was the Jap reply to Allied surrender terms.

There was no indication when the surrender note mentioned in the 12:01 p.m. Tokyo broadcast finally would arrive here. The Swiss Foreign office said in Bern that it had not been received there up to 12:15 p.m.

Despite the confusion, there was no falling off of confidence here that the Japs, however reluctantly, were ready to surrender.

The Jap radio alerted Jap listeners for a broadcast of “unprecedented importance” at 11 p.m. ET. That may be the first official enemy announcement that the Emperor has accepted unconditional surrender.

Hours earlier, at 1:49 a.m. ET, the Jap Domei News Agency had interrupted a discussion of chilblain cures to broadcast:

“Flash – Tokyo – 14/8 – Learned Imperial message accepting Potsdam declaration forthcoming soon.”

Only Japs know how ‘soon’

Only the Japs knew what they meant by “soon.”

White House Press Secretary Charles G. Ross announced at 9:52 a.m. that the Jap surrender note was expected here “some time today.” About 2½ hours later he had to make another announcement.

It was that the note transmitted from Tokyo to Bern did not “contain the answer awaited by the whole world.”

The Swiss did not say what the note did contain. There was a possibility that it might be a long-winded Jap protest against U.S. use of the atomic bomb.

Mr. Ross in his first press conference of the day told more than 100 newsmen that the Jap reply to the surrender ultimatum had been received by the Swiss in Bern.

He added that “it looks as if our long vigil is coming to an end soon – that is, some time today.”

He said the Allied Big Four were in consultation on simultaneous release of the Jap note after its receipt here.

But the Swiss Foreign Office in Bern and the Swiss legation here denied that the Jap reply had been presented for transmission by Switzerland.

In his second press conference, Mr. Ross disclosed that the Swiss legation here had received at 10:59 a.m. from its government the following hope-dashing message:

“Very urgent – 760 – Japanese legation reports that coded cables it received this morning do not (repeat not) contain the answer awaited by the whole world.”

The Swiss legation shortly after noon handed this message to the State Department, and Mr. Ross made it public.

This development meant that Jap broadcasts – and the logic of military events – were the only basis for believing that Japan at last is ready to bow to the inevitable and surrender.

One of the enemy broadcasts, in words sounding strange to western ears, reported that “on August 14 the Imperial decision was granted.” In the light of the earlier broadcast, it was assumed this meant the decision to surrender had been made.

The Jap radio went on to say that throngs of Japs gathered before the Emperor’s palace wept with bowed heads in shame because “our efforts were not enough.”

When the surrender message is received at Bern, it will have to be decoded for delivery to the Swiss.

First word of the probable content of the Jap reply was reported in the 1:49 a.m. Domei broadcast.

If the dispatch is accurate the war between the United States and Japan may end before Sunday – in its 193rd week.

Prime Minister Attlee presided over a brief meeting of the British cabinet at 10 Downing Street this morning.

Jap Air Force strikes back

London newspapers jubilantly hailed the Jap broadcast as proof that the war was about over.

The Star said Mr. Attlee’s office was expected to issue a statement within a few hours. If the Jap reply is acceptable, the newspaper said, V-J Day will be proclaimed for tomorrow.

The Jap Air Force struck back at the Allies with a suicide plane attack on Adm. William F. Halsey’s Third Fleet. Adm. Halsey was cruising off Tokyo. Tokyo reported that the suicide attack was continuing as late as 11:30 p.m. ET Monday – a little more than two hours before the surrender flash was broadcast.

A crowd of 200 persons was gathering in the park in front of the White House within an hour of circulation here of the Domei broadcast. President Truman was up and around the White House at 7:15 a.m.

Presidential Secretary Ross, arriving at 7:05 a.m., reported that Mr. Truman had been filled in on all of the night’s events. He has explained that the President will not proclaim V-J Day until Jap representatives have signed the surrender agreement.

Gen. Douglas MacArthur still was first choice in speculative sweepstakes for supreme Allied commander. But it was believed some officer or officers of lesser rank would meet the Japs and sign for the Allies. London rumored that the signing would take place tomorrow.

Secretary of State James F. Byrnes arrived at the White House at 8:21 a.m. He left at 8:40 by a side entrance without talking to reporters. He saw the President again for 10 minutes at 11:15 a.m.

The Soviet Union greeted news of Japan’s reported surrender with orders to Red Troops to smash on into Manchuria. United Press monitors in San Francisco heard this exhortation from Khabarovsk radio to the rampaging Reds: “Soviet men – forge ahead to victory. Triple your efforts. Relentlessly smash ahead. Break the treacherous enemy. Give him not a minute’s respite.”

San Francisco led off the U.S. celebration of what then seemed to be Japan’s immediate and unconditional surrender. It was 10:49 p.m. PWT (1:49 a.m. EWT) when the big news broke. San Francisco was up and about.

The great Pacific embarkation point thronged with soldiers and sailors who let go in the hell-for-leather spirit of the Old West. The citizens and their guests ripped up spare parts of the city – street signs, wreckage of war bond booths and such, for their bonfires. Police reported some looting of liquor stores.

The show was still going strong at 4 a.m. Market Street was blazing with bonfires in spots and the owl cars were stopped by their flames.

Boisterous celebrants were using cable car turntables for merry-go-rounds. One whooping crowd of soldiers, sailors and Marines appeared to be attempting to take one of the little cars away as a souvenir.

But it was the men on the Pacific Islands with tracer bullets to shoot and searchlights and such gadgets to play with who put on the biggest celebration. It seemed that the nearer to Japan the more boisterous the welcome to the prospect of peace.

In the midst of the hullabaloo, there came from the Vatican a dispatch soberly reporting the great satisfaction of Pope Pius XI on receiving news of the Domei broadcast. But Vatican informants said there would be no official manifestation by the Holy See until the surrender signature has been announced officially.

Similarly, President Truman will not proclaim V-J Day until after the signing ceremony. He will broadcast that day to the people of the United States and the world.

Clerks disconsolate

Washington was slow in getting the whoopee spirit. The downtown section begun to fill up with early morning workers at 7:30 a.m.; but the crowd across the park from the White House had diminished by then. Government clerks are reported somewhat disconsolate because Mr. Truman has not decreed for them a two-day holiday as Prime Miniter Attlee in Great Brittain had ordered for his people when the surrender is signed.

Isolated but interested, the workers on the Clinton, Tennessee, atomic project broke in on a receiving machine in the Washington Bureau of the United Press.

“This is Clinton, the atomic bomb project,” the message said, “Can you give me the latest on Japanese surrender situation? What is the latest development?”

United Press, Washington, promptly filed its current lead story to Clinton and added to it the broadcast statement of a Jap commentator that atomic bombs were not so much.

Patience wearing thin

Allied patience was wearing thin when the Domei flash came through today. But there had been no encouragement at the White House for the theory that the Japs had been threatened with a secret time limit ultimatum or that Mr. Truman’s patience was exhausted.

But there was support for the belief that the Japs found certain actions necessary before the surrender ultimatum would be accepted and laid before the Jap people. The astonishing newspaper and radio campaign in Japan to acquaint the people with the overwhelming emergency of the situation seems in some ways to support that belief.

Newspapers in Tokyo have been warning the public against dissension as if they were fearful that civil war would break out.

Before it carried the Domei dispatch, Radio Tokyo broadcast the following:

Cabinet has been in continuous session until late Monday night. Understood Japanese government reply probably will be available anytime as soon as legal procedure completed.

This reference to legal procedure may refer to change in personnel of the cabinet or, even, to the elevation of Hirohito’s brother or eldest son to the throne. The message also appeared to be in part an attempt to explain the fact that the Jap government was caught cold yesterday in a lie either of duplicity or necessity.

Tokyo caught in lie

Evidently in response to reports of Allied impatience for a reply to Saturday’s note, the Jap radio yesterday broadcast that the note had not reached Japan until Monday.

That excuse for delay was demolished by an authoritative report from Switzerland which said that the message was dispatched from here at 10:30 a.m. ET Saturday had been received im Japan and receipt acknowledged at 4:34 a.m. ET Sunday. That would be 5:35 p.m., Sunday, Tokyo Time.

Today’s Tokyo flash came 90 hours and 19 minutes after Japan’s first broadcast offer to surrender. It arrived 63 hours and 49 minutes after dispatch of the Byrnes note.

669

Decoding delays Jap messages

WASHINGTON (UP) – State Department sources said today the Jap reply to the Allied surrender offer probably would have to be coded twice and translated once en route from Tokyo to Washington.

The message would be coded to prevent its contents from being picked up and released in advance.

Under normal diplomatic procedure, it was said, the message would be sent by Tokyo to its Swiss representatives in Japanese, and in Japanese code. The Japanese in Bern then would decode it and probably translate it into English before handing it to the Swiss representatives.

The Swiss then would code the message in a Swiss code and transmit it to the Swiss Legation in Washington, where it would be decoded and handed to U.S. Secretary of State James F. Byrnes. This would be the official text.

The Swiss, however, it was said, probably also would deliver a copy of the message, in English and uncoded, to Leland Harrison, the American Minister in Bern.

Mr. Harrison presumably would put the message into an American code and transmit it. In addition, he probably would telephone a summary of the contents to Mr. Byrnes, it was said.

670

Here’s calendar of day U.S. sweated it out

Three years, eight months, seven days

NEW YORK (UP) – Tokyo’s broadcast announcing that Japan would accept the Potsdam declaration came:

  • Three years, eight months and seven days after Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941.
  • Eight days after the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.
  • Six days after Russia entered the war.

WASHINGTON (UP) – This is the day that:

7:15 a.m.: President Truman arrived in his study to look over news and radio reports that the Japanese had agreed to surrender and had sent their acceptance to Bern.

8 a.m.: The President breakfasted with his naval aide, Cmdre. James K. Vardaman, who had kept an all-night vigil.

8:15 a.m.: The President conferred with Secretary of State James F. Byrnes for 25 minutes.

9:52 a.m.: White House Press Secretary Charles G. Ross told reporters the Jap reply was expected here ‘sometime today.”

11:14 a.m.: Mr. Byrnes returned for a six-minute conference with Mr. Truman. He told reporters, “No comment.”

11:20 a.m.: Swiss legation spokesman said Jap reply had not yet been received by the Swiss Foreign Office in Bern.

671

Here are surrender terms reported accepted by Japs

WASHINGTON (UP) – Under the terms of the Potsdam Declaration:

  • The authority and influence of those “who have deceived and misled the people of Japan into embarking on a world conquest” will be eliminated for all time.

  • The Allies will occupy designated points in Jap territory “to secure the achievement of the basic objectives we are here setting forth.”

  • Japanese sovereignty will be limited to the four main home islands of Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku, and “such minor islands as we determine.”

  • All Japanese military forces will be completely disarmed.

  • All obstacles to the “revival and strengthening of democratic tendencies among the Jap people” must be removed.

  • Allied occupation forces will be withdrawn as soon as their objectives have been accomplished and a responsible Jap government has been established.

In response to Japan’s request last Friday for clarification of the Emperor’s position under the Potsdam Declaration, the United States on Saturday set forth on behalf of the Allies the following additional terms:

  • From the moment of surrender, the authority of the Emperor and the Japanese Government to rule the state shall be subject to the supreme commander of the Allied troops.

  • The Emperor will be required to authorize and insure the signature of the government and the Imperial General Headquarters of the surrender terms.

  • The Emperor shall issue his commands to all Japanese armed forces to cease active operations and to surrender their arms and shall issue such other orders as may be required by the Supreme Commander.

  • Immediately upon surrender, Japan shall transport war prisoners and civilian internees to places where they quickly can be put aboard Allied transports.

  • The ultimate form of government for Japan shall be established by the freely-expressed will of the Japanese people.

672

In last 24 hours –
1,000 warplanes batter Japan

800 B-29s drop 6,000 tons of bombs

GUAM (UP, Aug. 15) – More than 1,000 American warplanes operated against Japan in the last 24 hours, including attacks made early today, Gen. Carl Spaatz announced.

Gen. Spaatz announced that more than 800 B-29 Superfortresses dropped over 6,000 tons of bombs on six targets by daylight Tuesday and in the early hours of today.

Targets struck were the Hikari naval arsenal; Osaka army arsenal; the Marifu railroad yards; the Nippon oil refinery at Akita, and industrial areas of Kumagaya and Isezaki.

The war goes on

Nearly 200 fighter planes from Iwo escorted the bombers over Osaka and struck airfields in the Nagoya area yesterday afternoon.

Gen. Spaatz’s announcement meant that the Superforts were attacking Japan several hours after the enemy had broadcast that Japan was ready to accept the Potsdam surrender declaration.

Hikari, Marifu and Osaka were hit by daylight yesterday. The other targets presumably were struck after midnight.

Suicide planes

Off Tokyo itself, the Japs themselves about the same time were making probably their last suicide air attacks on Adm. William F. Halsey’s Third Fleet.

Tokyo said suicide planes were attacking the Third Fleet as late as 12:30 p.m. Tokyo Time. The Jap surrender broadcast came at 2:49 p.m.

Though the enemy account was not confirmed immediately, Pacific Fleet Headquarters announced that American patrol aircraft yesterday shot down 21 Jap planes near the fleet. Other carrier planes boosted the day’s toll to 138 enemy planes destroyed or damaged with raids on the Tokyo area.

In 80 miles of Tokyo

None of the enemy raiders penetrated to the warships themselves, the communique said. Tokyo claimed, however, to have damaged an Allied aircraft carer and a cruiser.

Tokyo placed the fleet 25 miles off the east coast of Honshu and within 80 miles of Tokyo yesterday.

Radio Tokyo said five other Jap suicide planes crashed into an aircraft carrier off the southeast coast of Okinawa last evening.

Leaflets dropped

Allied officials, meanwhile, announced that in the past week Superforts showered 15,200,000 leaflets on Japan. Last night and this morning approximately 80 Superforts dropped 3,200,000 leaflets, most of them explaining the status of peace negotiations.

In the previous four days, seven million leaflets were dropped outlining the Potsdam surrender ultimatum terms. Prior to that, four million telling of the atomic bomb had been dropped and an additional one million told of Russia’s declaration of war.

Far to the north, light cruisers and destroyers of the North Pacific Fleet bombarded Matsuwa and Paramushiru Islands in the Kuril Islands. Ten enemy trawlers and a submarine chaser were sunk.

Participating warships included the cruisers USS Richmond and USS Concord.

673

All over but the shooting, so city shoots the works

Golden Triangle looks like Halloween in daylight as Jap reports are believed

Without waiting for the official proclamation, Pittsburgh began celebrating the surrender of the Japs today.

It started with impromptu parades during the early morning hours, when the word morning hours, when the word came through that Japan was preparing to transmit a reply to the Allied surrender terms, and by noon it was going full blast.

The Golden Triangle looked like Halloween in daytime. Autos toured the streets with streamers flying and horns blowing. Youngsters in paper hats blew horns and shouted. Others rode decorated bicycles.

Paper drifted downward from every office building, covered the streets and drifted to the curbs. Police were everywhere, prepared to put down disorders, but no serious outbreak occurred.

MPs join police

A detail of 25 military police from the Bedford Avenue barracks augmented the regular detail of approximately 25 MPs shortly after noon and joined City police in keeping an eye on the Downtown section for possible outbreaks.

In general, adults went about their business. Factories reported full complements of workers.

Mines, however, shut down one by one as the miners left the pits to celebrate. By noon, 80 large mines were down and 30,000 miners off the job.

As the celebration got underway, three large Downtown liquor stores were closed by Philip W. Gundelfinger, district superintendent of the Liquor Control Board, but his order was countermanded by Liquor Board Chairman Frederick T. Gelder, who pointed out that this was not V-J Day.

South Side and Mt. Washington bars were closed by police, but later ordered reopened.

Downtown businesses also were taking precautions. Several stores and other business places boarded up their windows, and others posted guards to protect glass fronts against the press of celebrating humanity.

Stores open

Most houses remained open, although here and there they operated with reduced shifts as workers went out to join the merrymakers.

The latter increased every hour. Trolley cars entering the Golden Triangle were unusually crowded.

Many went to churches to offer up prayers of thanksgiving before participating in more boisterous celebration.

Quiet thanksgiving services were held elsewhere. Hundreds of County employees crowded into the County Court assignment room for a prayer service conducted by President Judge Samuel J. McKim.

Uncertain about rally

Few essential services were affected by the celebration, but in McKeesport employees of the Sanitation Department walked off the job.

The City of Pittsburgh was uncertain about the time of its big victory rally in front of City Hall. It had been scheduled for the official V-J Day, but Mayor Scully observed that people didn’t seem to be waiting for the official proclamation to celebrate.

Safety Director George E. A. Fairley said the people would and should celebrate, but that no vandalism would be tolerated. To prevent that, every officer in the city was on duty. Downtown policemen were stationed every few feet along the main business streets, with mounted and motorcycle police in reserve for emergencies.

Many war veterans were on the streets, but like the majority of other adults they were just looking on as the younger element whooped it up.

674

I DARE SAY —
New directions!

By Florence Fisher Parry

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City likely to observe V-J Day early

May not wait if proclamation is late

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676

‘On to Tokyo’ yell troops on Guam

Adm. Nimitz gets up before dawn

GUAM (UP) – Thousands of soldiers, sailors and marines on Guam today greeted reports that Japan has decided to accept Allied surrender terms with the spontaneous cheer: “On to Tokyo!”

Many of them will go on to Tokyo, but as members of the occupation army rather than as invaders under enemy fire.

Amid the cheering was relief that the end finally was at hand.

Adm. Chester W. Nimitz, who had risen before dawn, was awaiting developments at his headquarters.

Enlisted men surrounded the beer hall and jubilantly discussed their prospects of returning home.

A United Press flash received at 3:58 p.m. brought the first word to the Marianas, powerhouse of the Allied air and sea attack on the enemy homeland.

Officers and men ran across the headquarters quadrangle, yelling and screeching. Jeep horns blared in celebration.

677

Pardon plea made for circus men

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678

Serviceman’s wife is found slain

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679

World War II toll reaches 55 million

12 million others are prisoners
By Ralph Heinzen, United Press staff writer

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680

1000 planes batter Jap home islands

43 enemy vessels sunk or damaged

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681

De Gaulle to visit U.S. next week

3 major problems to be discussed

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682

Timetable of events in Jap surrender

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