OCCUPATION PLANS

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 August 1945, Page 5

OCCUPATION PLANS

TYPHOON MAY CAUSE DELAY SOUTHERN AREA - SURRENDERS Chinese Communists Negotiating

(Rec. 9.30 a.m.) ' NEW YORK, August 24. An Imperial Japanese communique broadcast by Tokio radio revealed that Allied airborne troops will land at Kanoye airfield on September 1, also airborne troops and seaborne troops at Takasu on September 2. The Japanese Army and Navy yesterday began the withdrawal from the regions: of Honshu Island, where Allied" troops are expected to make the initial landings, says the Tokio radio. The movement of Japanese vessels in territorial waters is forbidden from 6 p.m. (Tokio time) to-day. Measures for supplying and loading food, and transportation of occupation forces are being undertaken. TYPHOON REPORTED. NEW YORK, August 24. Tokio radio broadcast a message to General MacArthur saying: The Japanese preparations for the entry of the Allied warships into Japanese waters are meeting with difficulties owing to a heavy typhoon now striking the Japanese coast. The message said: “We feel it is necessary to inform you that, in spite of our best efforts, the preparations required by you for the entry _ of your advanced forces are meeting with some difficulties, due to a heavy 740 millimetre typhoon, which lasted from the evening of Wednesday until the morning of Thursday. It has considerably damaged the communications and transportation in the Kanto district.” An Associated Press correspondent stated: The reference to 740 millimetres is apparently to the barometric reading, which would be approximately 29.13 inches of mercury, which is ordinarily indicative of a moderate storm. The Tokio radio said that the typhoon on August 22 destroyed 291 houses, partly destroyed 780 and Hooded 3,336 in the Tokio area. JAPANESE STATEMENTS (Recd. 11.30 a.m.) MANILA'; Aug. 24. General MacArthur announced the advance occupation party would land in Japan next Sunday. He would land on schedule on Tuesday, despite the typhoon which disrupted communications. General MacArthur directed the Japanese to be ready to provide him with communications facilities on arrival, and have direct telephone and telegraph circuits between the Allied and Japanese headquarters. Tokio informed General MacArthur the muddy condition of the Atsugi airfield caused by rain which had fallen since the typhoon last Wednesday; made it difficult for planes to move except on the paved runways on which only medium bombers and transports are able to land at present. Japan asked General MacArthur to permit Japanese reporters, photographers and newsreel men to watch the landings and surrender ceremony. In another message to General MacArthur, the Japanese stated that surrender orders had been received and understood by field commanders, except in the Sittang area of Burma and Borneo, where communications had failed. The Emperor issued orders to cease hostilities in Manchuria, Sakhalin and other areas, where the Japanese are in direct contact with Allied forces. The commanders were j empowered to halt fighting as soon as the local negotiations were concluded without waiting for the date prescribed by the Emperor. Hostilities ceased in Japan proper last Wednesday morning. Garrison troops at Chishima disarmed themselves and fighting ceased in southern Sakhalin last Saturday and since the cessation of hostilities disarming was practically completed in Manchuria and North Korea. Cease fire orders were steadily reaching small units in China, but clashes were occurring near Hengchow and Chiyang, and it is expected around Tsinan. Soviet forces are still attacking north of Kalgan, where a Japanese emissary was turned back. ISLAND SURRENDERS. NEW YORK, August 24. Fourteen officers and 225 men who had manned Japanese suicide torpedo boats until the Allies had destroyed all but three of these boats, were the first group of Japanese in the Ryukyus Islands to surrender, reports an Associated Press correspondent on Okinawa Island. The surrender was made on Aka Island, in the Kerama group. There is a 'garrison of 25 officers and 250 men due to surrender on the nearby island of Tokashi. General MacArthur has approved the clearance of a Japanese relic! ship to Marcus Island. He has demanded further details before granting a Japanese request for permission to send hospital ships to the various isolated islands. KAMIKAZE DIEHARDS. NEW YORK, August 23. A correspondent of the New York “Herald-Tribune” on Okinawa says: “Grave doubt continues as to the ability of Hirohito to control the more fanatic Japanese, particularly the Kamikaze Corps, which could I muster a large number of planes and I pilots in one last suicidal onslaught i against the American occupation i forces. Coming operations could, therefore be as dangerous as a regu- ; jar invasion. So far no peace has been I signed; all we have is the Emperor’s j expressed wish to surrender. : “The Kamikaze Corps, according to I the Japanese radio, dropped leaflets; on August 19 on Tokio, declaring that they were continuing the light regardless of what others did. We know so little of the enemy psychology that it would be foolish to predict the elfect on the Japanese of a possible valiant but insane Kamikaze attack. Tokio admits chaos, with the population giving way to frenzied fear and despair. Thus there is a danger that a Kamikaze attack might reawaken their determination to continue a hopeless fight, even though the result might be national suicide.” N.Z. FORCE UNITS ; WELLINGTON. Aug. 25. Though the precise strength of the units has yet to be determined it is stated that New Zealand will be represented by the R.N.Z.A.F. and oy an ; Army force in whatever forces are i decided upon for occupation of Japan j and Japanese territory, following the ; formal signing of the instrument of i surrender by Japan. In view of its i contributing to the war in the Pacific i against Japan, it is generally felt that New Zealand should be represented. “CEASE FIRE” ORDER. NEW YORK, August 23. The Tokio radio says that the cease-fire order has now reached all islands. The Domei News Agency said a, special Diet had been convened for: September 2 and 3 to drive home to | the nation the stark reality of Japan’s defeat and to clarify the circumstances leading to the end of the 1 W 3l '- ‘ J *1 J Japanese newspapers demand that: the war-time totalitarian party should be broken down and replaced by the pre-war multiple party sys-

tern, and that an election should be held soon after. An aerial armada, of possibly 3bu S) transport planes, carrying at 7500 American troops, will be used for the initial occupation landI ings on Tuesday. Fighter-escorted transports will also carry petrol supplies. CURRENCY REQUEST i MANILA, August 24. “General MacArthur has granted several Japanese requests to modify details of the surrender terms, but he will probably reject the Japanese suggestion that the American forces use i Bank of Japan money instead of occupation yen,” reports a broadcaster of the National Broadcasting Company. . , “Main line Japanese railway terries will continue in operation handling essential civilian traffic and a large share of the Japanese troops evacuating the Tokio oaccupation area. General MacArthur will excuse voyages by small ships in violation of the surrender terms if the ships are not equipped with wireless.” CHINESE AND RUSSIANS manchurian’agreement LONDON, August 24. Although the terms of the Chin-ese-Russian treaty, signed in Moscow on August 14, are supposed to be secret until ratified by the two Governments, the diplomatic correspondent of “The Times” says that some of the terms are becoming known—notably, that Chinese sovereignty over Manchuria and Inner Mongolia is established; that the Chinese Eastern and South Manchuria railways are to operate as a single system under joint Chinese-Russian control lor a specified number of years; that Port Arthur is also to be jointly used, while a special regime is prescribed for Dairen. . “In the Chungking-Yenan (Chinese Communist) dispute, the treaty comes down unequivocally on the side of Chungking, which is recognised as the Central Government, whose authority and administration must be respected," says the correspondent. “The treaty generally appears to establish a far firmer basis for stability in East Asia than seemed possible” even a few months ago." Official Chinese Communist sources say that Mao Tse-tung, the Communist leader, is sending General Chou En-lai to Chungking in response to Chiang Kai-shek’s invitation to send a representative to discuss a peaceful settlement of internal political problems. RUSSIAN ADVANCE. (Rec. 10.30 a.m.) LONDON. August 24. The Red Army in the Mukden area liberated an Allied war prisoners camo containing 1670 officers and mem including 28 Generals, reports a Russian communique. Russian airborne troops occupied Seoul, the capital of Korea. Troops of the Second Far Eastern Front captured the town and fort of Honto on Karafuto Island. Fourteen thousand Japanese surrendered yesterday. Reuter’s correspondent says the liberated camp is one probably 100 miles north-west of Mukden. American medical and signal corps men who parachuted into the camp earlier reported that a Russian mission had replaced the Japanese commander by the American. MajorGeneral Parker. MASSACRE BY RUSSIANS (Rec. 10.50 a.m.) NEW YORK, August 24. Tokio radio claims that the Russians last Wednesday massacred a Japanese military peace mission, distinctly bearing a white flag, and also civilians and refugees at Maoka and Sakhalin. Ten of the thirteen members were killed. The Russians also turned machine-guns on civilians. The Russians on Wednesday sank a Japanese ship carrying refugees to Otaru and Hokkaido. The Japanese sent a message to General MacArthur, saying that, according to a Moscow broadcast, Russia is reported to be about to send air-borne troops to Hokkaido. “If this is true, it would be greatly regretted by the Japanese Government, -which is doing its best to fulfil all your requirements by placing Army, Navy and civilians under strict control. It is earnestly hoped that the Allied Armed Forces will enter Japan according to plan, notified by the Allied Supreme Headquarters.’ The Japanese also informed General MacArthur that peace and order were steadily deteriorating at Nanking, Shanghai and Hankow area Japanese troops in some places were forced to take action for selldefence. and also the maintenance of peace, due to the destruction of the railway, and alsq attacks by irregulars.

ATTACKS ON JAPS. NEW YORK, August 23. The Osaka radio said that Chinese Communists. Chinese Government troops, and Russians are all making unlawful attacks on Japanese troops in the Asiatic mainland. ‘‘The Communists have so far committed 70 of the 79 unlawful acts reported and are at present moving south rapidly, attempting to expand their lootholds on the southern bank of the Yangtse before Chinese Government troops can arrive,” said the radio. “The Russians in Outer Mongolia ignore our attempts to surrender and continue the offensive as previously in efforts to reach Pekin and Tientsin.”

The Japanese Imperial Headquarters has sent a wireless message to General MacArthur complaining of the difficulties attendant on the surrender in China, “because of the activities of the irregular forces and bandits and the disturbances of mobs.” The message added: “In spite of our utmost efforts to avoid calamities, the situation in China has not been improved. Will you accord consideration as to time and processes concerning the disarming of the Japanese' Army in China?”

The Manila correspondent of the Associated Press recalls that the Japanese also complained on August 20 that the Chungking and Yenan authorities were “rushing unwarrantably and without discipline into the Japanese area, separately demanding that the Japanese should lay down their arms.” General MacArthur referred that complaint to China. U.S.A. AND~HONG KONG. NFAV YORK, August 23. The Washington correspondent of the New York “Herald-Tribune” says: “Informed diplomats have asserted that the United States does not Question British sovereignty in Hong Kong, and feels that the future of the island is a matter for the British and Chinese to settle. They said that the present policy was at direct odds with the "personal beliefs of President Roosevelt, who favoured the termination of British sovereignty in Hong Kong, and envisaged eventual self-government for many Far Eastern territories at present administered by foreign Powers.”

GEN. STILWELL’S DISCLOSURE (Recd. 11 a.m.) LOS ANGELES, August 24. Representative .Patterson (Democrat) in a speech said that General Stilwell told the Congressional delegation, which recently visited Okinawa, that he was asked to .leave the China command because he told Chiang Kai Shek he wanted the ammunition the United States was furnishing to be used against the Japanese and not Chinese. PEACE IN BURMA. (Recd. 11 a.m.) LONDON, August 24. Fighting has finished throughout Burma, says Reuter’s correspondent with the British forces. A senior British officer this afternoon met a Japanese officer representative in the Sittang River area. The conference lasted two hours, after which a statement was issued reported the officers had agreed to the means of stopping useless bloodshed between the opposing forces, during the period from the cease fire to the actual signing of the instrument of surrender in South-east Asia. RANGOON CEREMONY. RANGOON. August 24. _ Field-Marshal Count Terauchi, commander of the Japanese Southern Army, in a message to Delhi, broadcast by the Saigon radio, announced that a Japanese surrender envoy, Lieutenant-General Numata, Chief ol Staff of the Japanese forces in the southern region, landed at Mingalacl’on airfield, Rangoon, between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. G.M.T. on Sunday. This was 72 hours later than the time named by Admiral Mountbatten. Admiral Mountbatten’s Chief of Stair is likely to receive Lieutenant-Gen-eral Numata’s surrender. JAPS. DETAIN OFFICER. (Rec. 9.30 a.m.) RANGOON, August 24. Four Spitfires flew low over the Japanese headquarters near Shwegyin at dawn on Monday and dropped leaflets ordering the Japanese to release a British officer they captured on Sunday, says the Associated Press .special correspondent in a delayed despatch. The officer, who was a member of the guerrillas, visited the Japanese headquarters on his own initiative to try to arrange a surrender and was promptly taken prisoner. The rest of the party, waiting at a distance, saw the officer disappear in the direction of the Japanese. Alter a lapse of time he failed to return. and they signalled to their headquarters on a portable radio. Leaflets were immediately printed ordering the instant release ol the officer unharmed. DAKOTA~~SQUADRON. LONDON. August 24. Ox er a million miles were covered in 7500 hours without accident by a Dakota Squadron, 229. R.A.F. Transport Command Group in India, commanded by Wing Commander Allred Harding, D.F.C., of Wellington. The squadron thus became the lourth holder of the Group Championship Cup. which Air Marsha] Sir Ralph Cochrane presented to them at a speI cial parade at the Delhi airfield. The squadron, which operates daily services from Delhi around the east and west coasts of India to Ceylon, flew ■’ 000.000 miles in 14,500 hours during the first two months of 1945. The croup flew 8.500.000 miles in 61,000 'living hours in the year which ended with’ Japan’s surrender, all free from fata! accidents. FIG HTlNG’in’ BORNEO NEW YORK, Aug. 24. ' The A.N.E.T.A. reports: Fighting is still going on in the Balikpapan area in Borneo, in spite of Japanese announcements that Nipponese troops m Dutch Borneo had accepted the Imperial rescript ending hostilities. Japanese fired on Allied planes while they dropped leaflets calling upon the Japanese to surrender in the Sambodka area. There is a small number ol Dutch troops assisting the Australian patrols in that area.’ JAP. RAD IQ-ENTERPRISE. (Re c. 1.0 a. m.) MAN ILA, Aug ust 24. A Japanese, whose radio at Tokio consistently scooped the war correspondents at American Pacific Headquarters offered to-day to extend the fullest facilities to the Allied Press alter the occupation. Thus develops one of the strangest situations of the dizzy finale of the war, by which correspondents found the enemy radio always their most potent competitor in reporting major events, says' the Associated Press correspondent. Outlines of General MacArthur's landing plans, dates of occupation, etc., were announced here only because the Tokio radio had been broadcasting the plans while American correspondents in Manila sat helplessly unable to cable the stories. U.S.A. PLANES DESTROYED. (Rec. 10 a.m.) a , WASHINGTON, August 24. The Navy revealed that 85 planes were destroyed and 55 damaged and 10 men killed when a Liberator veered off the runway at Eniwetok, m the Marshalls, in August, 1944. Seven 5001 b bombs exploded, destroying .‘)8 bombers and 27 fighters. U.S.A. BATTLESHIP DAMAGED GUAM, August 23. The United States Navy has announced that a Japanese plane torpedoed and heavily damaged the, battleship Pennsylvania on the nignt ol August 21 during the surrender negotiations. Twenty members of the crew were killed. The Japanese plane, which escaped, swept in with a low, sneak i un. and opened a gaping hole on the starboard side of the ship. The magazines were damaged, but did not explode. Most of the casualties occurred below in the navigation compartment. U.S.A. SUBMARINE LOST WASHINGTON, August 24. The Navy has announced that the submarine. Bullhead, is overdue and is presumed Lost. The United States have lost a2 submarines, of which 4’3 are reported overdue and presumed lost. Four are known to have been sunk, and two destroyed to prevent capture, and three written off due to loss or damage.

BOUGAINVILLE EXCHANGES (11.N.Z.A.1'. OFFICIAL NEWS SERVICE.) . BONGAINVILLE, August 23. The atomic bomb decided the course of the war, a Japanese baron told an Australian Envoy, who, yesterday, j penetrated into the heart of enemy territory to convey a message from General Savige to Kanda. Baron Nischimo, a lieutenant _in Kanda’s army, who met the Australian party at the Mivo River Ford and conducted them lo Kanda’s headquarters at Maika, in Southern Bougainville, said the Japanese would have continued to resist but for the atomic bomb. The envoy, party was entertained at lunch by Japanese staff officers, and after a short discussion returned to Torokina to-day. Hundreds of Japanese troops along the Buin Road watched them pass through to Maika. their faces registering a variety of emotions., from curiosity and relief to open hostility. The Australians were not taken to I Kanda’s actual headquarters, but under an awning in a clearing, met ’ Kanda and his Chief of Staff, Major General Maga. Both wore polished

jackboots and field, ceremonial uni°Kanda, slight, cleanshaven and about sft bin, looked frail and ill. He said little, preferring to leave the formalities to his deputy. Kanda indicated that, though he had ended hostilities on the island he was.unable to surrender formally until similar action had been taken in roki.o. The Australian party was received with courtesy and the Japanese officers appeared to be quite willing to talk freely on other subjects. Later, ''■'ischimo, who worked in an American bank in the Philippines lor 12 years, showed the party his Sannirai sword, with a solid gold hilt, which he «aid had been in his family Lor 300 years. The Bougainville climate had rusted this prize somewhat. , Another officer .sur prised the paii> by asking if Australia would get hei independence after the war. rhe interpreter claimed that Kanda still had 20.000 troops on Bougainville. The original force on the island was 60,000 but casualties. moulding death from sickness and disease, had depleted the forces at a rate ol 1000 monthly. He said that there were about 100.000 enemy troops on Peninsula, New Britain, and 200 Japanese women. This is more than double the Allies’ estimate and RNZAF and Australian intelligence'officers treat these figures with reserve. They are inclined to think that Japanese officers in the south mav be unaware of the heavy losses suffered by the enemy in other parts of the island as a result of recent heavy Corsair raids and Australian ground offensives. ■\n unexpected sense ol humoui was' shown and an unconscious tribute paid to the work ol the Rew Zealand fighter pilots, when Nischimo apologised lor the state ol the ro'-'d along which the party was travelling. Pointing to the bomb craters and the pitted highway, which made many detours necessary, he remarked “It is all your own fault you know.” SUPPLIES FOR CAPTIVES MANILA, August 23. On. Saturday Allied planes on mercy missions will shower supplies on Japan’s detention camps, containing 30,000 Allied prisoners of wai. Seme of the camps are believed to be located at the Atsugi aerodrome, where the occupation forces will lanct. The Japanese placed many camps near primary military targets, .in spite of Allied protests, and. Allied bombs killed some of the prisoners. NEW ZEALANDERS HELD WELLINGTON. August 24. ’•’he Minister of Defence (Mr. Jones) to-day gave details of tne numbers of New Zealand service pei - sonnel and civilians who, according to the latest information, are believed to be in Jauanese hands or who have been classified as missing following operations by or against the Japanese. Mr. Jones said that although the details were the latest available, they were in many cases far from up to date and should therefore be treated with considerable reserve. It should be borne especially in mind that very little recent information had been received about the actual location oi many of those understood to be held bv the Japanese. Further, there were included in the present figures a lew civilians who were last reported as being interned in the Philippines, and who. although no official information had been received about them, had probablv already been liberated. Mr. Jones said that the total number of service personnel from New Zealand believed to be held by the Japanese at present was 92. while the missing numbered 163. In addition, there were 30 men of the New Zealand merchant marine and 339 other civilians held by the Japanese, while 31 civilians were classified as missing. Of the numbers of prisoners of war and civilians reported to be held by the Japanese, 64 were located in Japan, 132 in Malaya, 67 in Shanghai, 44 in’Thailand. 37 in Hong Kong, and 117 in various other places. The civilians included those having connection with New Zealand through their next-of-kin.