CEREMONY IN TOKIO BAY

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 55, 3 September 1945, Page 5

CEREMONY IN TOKIO BAY

Solemn Formality

END TO BLOODY CONFLICT

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) WASHINGTON, September 2. Aboard the battleship Missouri in Tokio Bay today, Japan surrendered formally and unconditionally to the Allies, restoring peace to a war-ravaged world. The correspondent of the Associated Press of America says that at this solemn ceremony, marking the first defeat in Japan's 2600-year-old semi-legendary history, the affixing of 12 signatures to the articles of surrender, required only a ?f ew minutes. Surrounded by Allied might, and under the eyes of the British and commanders they so ruthlessly defeated in the Philippines and Malaya, representatives quietly made their marks on the paper which ended the bloody Pacific conflict.

The Foreign Minister, Mamoru Shigemitsu, on behalf of the Emperor Hirohito, signed first for Japan. He doffed his top hat, tinkered with the pen, and then affixed his signature to the surrender document, which was a paper about 12 by 18 inches. He carefully signed the Allied copy, and then affixed his name to the duplicate copy for Japan. Following him, General Yoshijiro Umezo, of the Imperial General Staff, sat down resolutely and scrawled his name on the documents as though in a tremendous hurry. A Japanese colonel present, was seen to wipe tears from his eyes as the general signed. All the Japanese looked tense and wary. General Mac Arthur was the next to sign. He immediately called for Generals Wainwright and Percival to step forward. These two previously defeated Allied commanders, now savouring their hour of triumph, stepped up, General Wainwright helping General MacArthur to sit down.

General Mac Arthur signed with five pens. The first he handed to General Wainwright, and the second to General Percival. The third was an ordinary navy issue pen. General Mac Arthur then produced a fourth pen, presumably for sending to President Truman, and then completed his signatures with still a fifth pen, possibly a trophy for himself. , Generals Wainwright and Percival, both obviously happy, saluted snappily. General Mac Arthur acted as master of ceremonies. He made a brief introductory statement before the Japanese signed, and then called on representatives of each nation, to step forward. Admiral Nimitz signed on behalf of the United States, and then came China's General Hsu Yung-chang, Great Britain's Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser, and Russia's Lieut-General Derevyango. General Mac Arthur smiled approvingly as the Russian moved his chair into a more comfortable position even while signing, and then rose and saluted smartly. For Australia, General Blarney, with his chest seemingly covered with ribbons, signed/ the Japanese copy first, •with a look indicating that it made no difference anyhow. Then followed the Canadian signatory, Colonel Cosgrave, France's General Leclerc, Admiral C. E. Helfrich for the Netherlands, and the New Zealand signatory, Air Vice-Marshal Isitt. Tokio Bay was largely obscured by clouds which hung fairly low amid the surroundings hills. The flags of Britain, America, Russia, and China fluttered from the verandah deck of the Missouri. More than 100 high Allied military and naval officers were a colourfully uniformed group watching the ceremony. Finally, after New . Zealand's signature, less than 20 minutes after the start of the ceremony,

the sun broke through the, clouds and General Mac Arthur formally and in a firm voice declared the proceedings closed. The Japanese prepared to depart immediately, their bitter chore accomplished. All the Allied representatives were sober-faced, but obviously glad it was over. Soldiers, sailors, and marines could barely hide the trace of exuberance on their serious faces.

General Mac Arthur's hand shook slightly as he reached the "Dou" in his first signature. His face twitched and he appeared to be under great emotional strain as he made his first speech, but his voice was strong. The Japanese delegation of 11 boarded the Missouri all dressed formally or uniformed, except one in a crumpled white linen suit. They walked slowly across the deck as they followed the limping Shigemitsu, whose right leg is artificial. He was wounded by a bomb tossed by a Korean terrorist in Shanghai in 1932. The ceremony was conducted on the starboard side of the Missouri's gallery deck, only a few feet away from her big No. 2 16-inch turret.

A special long table was erected for the signing. Round it were crowded spectators and about 200 newspaper and radio correspondents. A SuperFortress which was scheduled to fly overhead during the ceremonies was obscured by overcast cloud, but when the clouds parted as General MacArthur concluded the formalities many planes roared, through the sunlight overhead.

The surrender document handed to the Japanese wqs bound in black, the traditional colour for mourning, while the Allies' copy was green, the traditional colour of new life and new hope.

of the Governments of the United States, China, and Great Britain on July 26, 1945, at Potsdam and subsequently adhered to by the U.S.S.R., which four Powers are hereafter referred to as the Allied Powers. "Secondly.—We hereby proclaim unconditional surrender to the Allied Powers of the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters and all Japanese armed forces and all armed forces under Japanese control, wherever situated. "Thirdly.—We hereby command all Japanese armed forces, wherever situated, and the Japanese people, to cease hostilities forthwith, to preserve free from damage all ships, aircraft, and military and civil property, and also to comply with all requirements which may be imposed by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, or by agencies of the Japanese Government at his direction. "Fourthly.—We hereby command the Japanese Imperial Headquarters to issue immediately orders to the commanders of all the Japanese forces and all forces under Japanese control, wherever situated, to surrender unconditionally themselves and all forces under their control. "Fifthly.—We hereby command all civil, military, and naval officials to obey and enforce proclamations, orders, and directives deemed by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers to be proper to effectuate this surrender ■ and issued by him or under his-authority. We direct all such officials ito: remain at their posts and to continue to perform non-combat duties, unless specifically released by him.or under his authority. "Sixthly.—We hereby undertake for the Emperor, the Japanese Government, and their successors to carry out the provisions of the Potsdam Declaration in good faith and also to issue • whatever orders and take whatever action may toe required by the Supreme Commander or other designated representative of the Allied Powers for the purpose of giving effect to that, declaration. "Seventhly.—We hereby command the Japanese Imperial Government and Imperial Headquarters immediately to liberate all Allied prisoners of war and civilian internees now under Japanese control and to provide for their protection, care, maintenance, and immediate transportation to places directed. "Eighthly.—The authority of the Emperor and the Japanese Government to rule the State shall be subject to the Supreme Commander, who will take such steps as he deems proper to effectuate these terms of surrender." The text of the Emperor Hlrohito's proclamation issued by General MacArthur's orders in connection with Japan's formal surrender is: "Accepting the terms set forth in the declaration issued by the heads of the Governments of Britain, America, and China on July 26, 1945, at Potsdam and subsequently adhered to by the U.S.S.R., I have commanded the Japanese Government and Imperial Headquarters to sign on my behalf the instrument of surrender presented by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers and also to issue general orders to the military and naval forces in accordance with the Supreme Commander's direction. "I command all my people forthwith to cease hostilities, lay down their arms, and faithfully carry out all the provisions of the instrument of surrender and also the general orders issued by the Japanese Imperial Head-/ quarters."