BEFORE THE ATOMIC BOMB

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23279, 15 August 1945, Page 5

BEFORE THE ATOMIC BOMB

Japan Ready For Surrender a Peace Commission Appointed By Telegraph—N.Z. Press Assn.— Copyright • CHUNGKING, Aug. 13. Japan was ready to offer the. war leaders as harakiri victims and to retreat to the 1931 boundaries as peace conditions before even the first atomic bomb fell and Russia entered the war, reports the Chinese Army newspaper,,. -Sao-Tang-Pao.” Quoting Hsieh Nan Kuang, described as the leader of the Formosan Revolutionary League, the newspaper said: “The first step toward peace was taken on June 3 by the Imperial Household Minister, Tsuneo Matsudaira, business manager for the Imperial family and fortune, which is estimated at 4 per cent of all Japan’s wealth. Matsudaira resigned with the aim of organising a surrender Cabinet. The plan failed due to the army’s opposition. ■ Japan’s situation was getting worse daily, and on June 28 Admiral Suzuki called a meeting of all elder statesmen, Including all former Premiers. At this meeting he reported that the indications were that Russia would join in the war. The meeting decided to instruct Ambassador Sato in Moscow to pay special attention to Russia’s attitude.

Proposals Through Moscow In the meantime the Government prepared peace proposals for submission through Moscow to the Big Three at Potsdam. These finally were forwarded to Generalissimo Stalin in Hirohito’S name. Japanese army leaders meantime split on whether to surrender, but both sides wanted the Emperor to take the reins of government, and the desire became a demand after Japan's fleet was wiped out as a fighting force on June 18. The Empress Ngako was sent to seek the advice of the Dowager Empress, and on her return it was decided to form a commission to decide pn continuing the war or surrendering. The commission consisted of 21 persons, including the Imperial Princes Chichibu and Takamatsu, and leading army and navy officers. The commission decided that Japan would surrender provided the Emperor retained his sovereignty, that Japan kept Formosa and Korea and retained her army and naw, subject to Allied restrictions. It was also proposed that those responsible for the war should commit suicide so that the Allies would drop war criminal charges. Before the conditions could be placed before the Allies, the Potsdam mtimaturn was issued, said the paper. The Americans dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, and Japan lost a possible mediator through Russia declaring war. The peace commission held an emergency meeting which lasted all night on August 8, and that meeting produced Japan’s offer to surrender.