OCCUPATION FORCE IN JAPAN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 19 September 1945, Page 5

OCCUPATION FORCE IN JAPAN

GENERAL MACARTHUR'S ESTIMATE STATE DEPARTMENT SURPRISED AND AMAZED New York, Sept. 18. Commenting on a statement by General MacArthur that the occupation force in Japan would be cut to 200,000 within the next six months, the American Secretary of State, Mr Acheson, said in Washington to-day that the State Department knew nothing about this and was asking for further information. General MacArthur’s estimate of an occupation force of 200,000 means one American per square mile of occupied territory says the “Herald Tribune’s” Tokio correspondent. Half of Japan’s 3,000,000 home army are demobilised already but the Japanese still assert that it will take three years to discharge the 4,000,000 overseas. The Japanese also estimate that there will be 13,000.000 unemployed by the time demobilisation is complete. It is obvious that there will be potentialities for disorder. Amazed officials of the State Department told the newspaper’s Washington correspondent that publication of such a low estimate would create an impression in the world that the United States was about to weaken her diplomatic hand in the Far East at the very time when the “Big Five” are preparing to draw up peace terms involving a multitude of momentous political issues in Asia.

The State Department in Washington was surprised by General MacArthur’s statement. One official said it was feared that an impression would spread abroad that the United States was planning to withdraw at an early date, leaving Japan largely in charge of -her own affairs. VIEWS OF WAIN WRIGHT General Wainwright, broadcasting, said: “The Japanese deliberately practised all the forms of cruelty they knew or heard about. One night a Japanese private struck me five times and then knocked- me as flat as a pancake with a-hit on the jaw. All Allied officers of my rank, also the Governors of British and Dutch colonies, were required to perform manual labour, including the job of herding flocks of goats. We wero struck without particular reason as part of the studied plan to belittle Anglo-Saxons ir. the eyes 6f oriental peoples. We should occupy Japan for about 20 years and deprive the Japanese of any business or industry capable of preparing them for war ” AMUSEMENT CENTRE PLANNED The Japanese Government and Tokio business interests are planning to erect a gigantic amusement centre for the occupation troops in Tokio. The centre will cost 6,500,000 dollars and employ 5.000 professional women entertainers. Features wil be cafes, bars, dance halls, movie theatres, golf courses, tennis courts, rifle ranges, and Wishing. Gambling will be prohibited. SENATOR’S DEMAND ARREST OF HIROHITO SHOULD BE STRIPPED OF FALSE DIVINITY (Rec. 11.30 a.m.) Washington, Sept. 18. Smouldering Congressional dissatisfaction w’ith the peace terms imposed on Japan flamed with a demand, by Senator Russell (Democrat, Georgia) for Hirohito’s arrest as a war criminal. Senator Russell told the Senate that if the present soft peace policies were continued they w r ere headed for complete failure and another war in the orient. By treating Hirohito deferentially the Allies were failing to impress on the Japanese the fact that they lost the war. This treatment was laying the foundation for the myth that the Japanese were undefeated. Hirohito was the head and heart of Japanese imperialism. He was one of the greatest aggressors in history. He was the god-emperor, in the direction of whose palace millions of Japanese prostrated themselves in the dust in abject apology for their failure to kill enough Americans to win the war. The trial of Hirohito would strip him of his false divinity. The Japanese would see how they were duped by a power-seeking tyrant posing as a god. Hirohito had never halted any militarists’ orders to plunder and kill. When the Japanese stuck their bayonets into wounded marines thej shouted “Blood for the emperor!” The Associated Press says Senator Russell is the first to publicly air complaints about the Japanese peace terms BIG GAMBLE TAKEN INITIAL LANDINGS IN JAPAN T®kio, Sept. 17. Probably no greater gamble was taken in history than the initial landings in Japan where th e occupation forces were outnumbered by 1000 to 1 by armed Japanese, but the stakes were worth it, said General MacArthur to-day. He explained that the unknown quantity at the outset of the occupation was whether an Allied Military Government would b e required to be established. This would have involved several million troops, but by working with the existing Japanese Government the purposes of the surrender terms would be accomplished with only a small fraction of men, time and money. Occupation forces were being drastically cut and troops would be returned to the United States as rapidly as ships were available within six months unless unforeseen factors arose. Once Japan was disarmed a’ force of 200,000 would be sufficiently strong to ensure Allied will. “SHANGHAI TIMES” SUSPENDED CITY WITHOUT BRITISH NEWSPAPER (Rcc. 10.10 a.m.) Shanghai, Sept. 18. The Chinese Ministry of Publicity has closed down the British-owned “Shanghai Times,” alleging that it had been operated by the Japanese and conducted anti-Allied propaganda before and during the Japanese occupation. The proprietor. Mr A. Nottingham, is seeking British Consulate aid in an effort to resume publication. The suspension leaves Shanghai i four Russian, one French, two Japanese and a score of Chinese language newspapers. MASSIVE PLAN BLUEPRINT FOR RE-EDUCATION OF JAPANESE New York, Sept. 18. | The army’s education plan for the ■ Japanese represents history’s most massive plan to influence the minds j of any nation, says the 4< New York Times” Tokio correspondent. Its avowed aim is to reorient the intellectual processes of 78,000,000 people

whose ways of thinking are essentially unchanged from mediaeval times. It has five distinct objectives: First, to eradicate militarism and ultranationalism. Secondly, to make clear the fact of Japan’s defeat and acquaint the Japanese with their responsibility for the war atrocities committed by their armies and the war guilt of leaders. Thirdly, to foster sound economy and encourage democratic organLation. Fourthly, to encourage a free Government responsible to the people. Fifthly, to promote political and civil liberties, the right of assembly, public discussion and education, free elections and respect for human rights. General MacArthur’s headquarters feels that before the Japanese can take effective steps to “cast out the demon” they must first be given a sense of shame and of national wrongdoing, and then a scapegoat—the military. ANOTHER SUICIDE REPORTED TOkio, Sept. 17. The newspaper “Asahi” reports that Lieut.-General Yoshio Shinotsuka, a member of the Supreme War Council, committed suicide by cutting his throat with a Samurai sword. Shinotsuka was To jo’s classmate at th? Army Officers’ School. FREE AND INDEPENDENT KOREA Washington, Sept. 18. Japanese war lords are being removed from Korea and the building up of a great nation has now begun, said President Truman. Britain, America, China and Russia were helping in uplifting Korea and all agreed it should become free and independent. The assumption by the Koreans themselves of the responsibilities and functions of a free nation and the elimination of all vestiges of Japanese control would necessarily require time and patience. MORE N.Z. PRISONERS FLOWN OUT OF SUMATRA (Official War Correspondent, R.N.Z.N.) Singapore, Sept. 18 i Six more New Zealand prisoners of I war have been tlown out of Sumatra Iby the Air Force Prisoners of War | Flight. They are Sergeant-Pilots R. J. i Reid. C. G Thompson. A. B. Noel. C. ißetley, Able-Seaman L. C. Hurndull, ' Private G. C. L. McLCod. Like most of | the prisoners of war from Sumatra, i they had a difficult time with the usual lack of food and medical stores. All have come through in good shape, however and are eager to move home as soon as possible. All agree that they are row ‘not too bad.” I The Air Force sent an aircraft today to Batavia, where it is known there are six New Zealanders, four of them servicemen and two civilians, and in addition there are six more known to be in Sumatra. It is fairly certain now that other New Zealanders are in camps which have not yet been reached in the Netherland East Indies, but the names are not known yet. More aircraft are due to arrive from New Zealand on Thursday when the repatriation of prisoners of war and internees will be speeded up.