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Japan "Surrenders" : Candidate Asks "Where is the plan for Peace?

Japan Surrenders To Allies, Signs Rigid Terms On Warship; Truman Sets Today As V-J Day

After yesterday's recognition of the beginning of World War II, it is now only fair to match it with the announcement of end the war, September 2, 1945 but viewed through the lens of the politics of today.

Our Time Travelling candidate visits the past to provide a op-ed piece for the NY Times.

The original New York Times Page is found below

...SNIP.. "Of course it must be said at the beginning that we question the "timing" of the release of this information as it only serves to bolster the unproven and unilateral case that war can ever be for a 'good cause'. Each citizen of this great democracy should wonder aloud "where is the plan to win the peace"? The Japanese, a country who's culture is much older and wiser than our own, were under the control of a dictatorship and while we applaud the removal of that brutal regime, we cannot deny that the actions of President Theodore Roosevelt in 1908 helped keep that regime in place. Yet, the current "selected but not elected" Presidents actions have only punished the people of the great and diverse land.

I wonder if President Truman understands how "haughty" he sounds when he insists as many of his neo-con pro-business cabinet in insisting that Japan submit to our definition of "Democracy". President Truman has gone so far as to propose the establishment of rights for women and for the formation of unions within a constitution which we will write for the Japanese. These concepts are foreign to the Japanese and had the president ever travelled beyond the borders of his midwestern state, he would be aware of the worlds beautiful mosaic. It is with great shame that our country should be a part of such a blantant case of cultural imperialism.

It is foolish for the United States to believe it can force Democracy on to a culture at the end of a gun. It will only feed the hatred that the Asiatics have felt towards America. It was precisely this anger that lead to Pearl Harbor. How many more "Pearl Harbors" is Mr. Turman creating by his 'go it alone' approach in Japan?

While we certainly "support the troops", we cannot help but recognize the fraudulent coalition inolved with the illegal occupation of Japan does not include our stongest and most important allies, The Soviet Union, who's sacrifices in this war far outweigh those of our own. While President Truman says that this is the "United Nations", it is in fact a coalition lead by largely colonial powers who's only desire it is to secure the resources of the fallen empires for the use of the multinational corporatations , such as Michelin and Bayer and of course, "General" Motors and the anti-union Ford Corporation.

While the President may disagree with the protestors cry of "No Blood for Soy" , he cannot deny the anger that all thinking Americans feel towards him and his middle American upbringing. While the President has guided the Armed forces of the United States, over 45,000 men have died in places like Okinawa. Okinawa did not attack Pearl Harbor, and has no direct linkage to the so called "war against fascism" yet the poor people of Okinawa have been made to pay the price for our ignorant polices. While 'League of Nations' inspectors were kicked out of Pacific waters during the 1920's, the inspectors were able to verify that there were no "naval bases" in the Ryukyu islands. President Truman must answer why if the reason for invading Okinawa was to remove it as a base for the already defeated forces of Japan, why if not a single Japanese carrier was found in the waters around Okinawa.

The world awaits his answer.

The real question this country must ask is "where is the plan to win the peace"? How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for the occupation of Japan?

We strongly urge the President to remove all American troops from Asia with all due haste as our occupation of the holy cities of Kyoto, and Tokyo will only inflame the growning insurgency against our troops."

....SNIP

Update: Just so everyones clear, the first part of this piece is a parody, the second part that follows is the actual history. The first part is a reflection of the knee-jerk prefabricated intention of the "candidate" to take history and spin it towards disaster. This is a new phenomenon, at least at the scale that it is being played today. What is interesting is how much of what I wrote is actually being said today by supposedly responsible people in regards to the current world situation.

The biggest mistake we make today is assuming that the challenges of the past were easy and guaranteed of success. They were not. Japan has a dozen alternate histories, all much worse for the world. Japan ( and Germany) are models for the world on how the embrace of liberty can have a transforming effect on nations of the world, and thus the betterment of all mankind.

On a sunny day in 1945, the "second half" of the world war which began in 1914, came to an end.

New York Times : Front Page Sept 2. 1945.
Sunday, Sept. 2--Japan surrendered formally and unconditionally to the Allies today in a twenty-minute ceremony which ended just as the sun burst through low-hanging clouds as a shining symbol to a ravaged world now done with war. Twelve signatures, requiring only a few minutes to inscribe on the articles of surrender, ended the bloody Pacific conflict.

On behalf of Emperor Hirohito, Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu signed for the Government and Gen. Yoshijiro Umezu for the Imperial General Staff.

MacArthur Voices Peace Hope

Gen. Douglas MacArthur then accepted in behalf of the United Nations, declaring:

"It is my earnest hope and indeed the hope of all mankind that from this solemn occasion a better world shall emerge out of the blood and carnage of the past." One by one the Allied representatives stepped forward and signed the document that blighted Japan's dream of empire built on bloodshed and tyranny.

First was Admiral Chester W. Nimitz for the United States, then the representatives of China, the United Kingdom, the Soviet, Australia, Canada, France, the Netherlands and New Zealand. The flags of the United States, Britain, the Soviet and China fluttered from the veranda deck of the famed superdreadnaught, polished and scrubbed as never before. More than 100 high-ranking military and naval officers watched.

Pledges Justice and Tolerance

"As Supreme Commander for the Allied powers," General MacArthur told the Japanese, "I announce it my firm purpose, in the tradition of the countries I represent, to proceed in the discharge of my responsibilities with justice and tolerance, while taking all necessary dispositions to insure that the terms of surrender are fully, promptly and faithfully complied with."

All through this dramatic half hour, only those aboard the battleship knew of what was taking place, because the Missouri has no broadcasting facilities. But recordings were rushed to the near-by communications ship Ancon, and the solemn words of General MacArthur beginning the ceremony--"We are gathered here, representatives of the major warring powers"--were flashed around the world.

The Japanese representatives were present at the command of Emperor Hirohito contained in a proclamation issued by order of the Supreme Allied Commander. The Emperor further commanded his officials "to issue general order to the military and naval forces in accordance with the direction of the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers." The Imperial General Headquarters issued the order later.

Thus Emperor Hirohito formally acknowledged that General MacArthur's word in Japan would come foremost of all Japanese officialdom during the Allies' occupation of the country, which never before had been occupied by an alien force."I command all my people forthwith to cease hostilities," the Emperor said, "to lay down their arms and faithfully to carry out all the provisions of the instrument of surrender and the general orders issued by the Imperial General Headquarters hereunder."

All issues have been "determined on the battlefields of the world and hence are not for our discussion or debate," General MacArthur said before he invited all representatives to sign the surrender instrument.
"Nor is it for us here to meet, representing as we do the majority of the peoples of the earth, in a spirit of distrust, malice or hatred," he added. "But rather it is for us, both victors and vanquished, to rise to that higher dignity which alone benefits the sacred purposes we are about to serve. * * *"

General MacArthur and Admiral Nimitz paid deep tribute to Allied dead and to the people of all Allied nations whose blood, work and sacrifices helped bring victory. Admiral Nimitz said he took "great pride in the American forces which have helped to win this victory," and declared that "America can be proud of them."

"The officers and men of the United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine who fought in the Pacific have written heroic new chapters in this nation's military history," Admiral Nimitz said. "I have infinite respect for their courage, resourcefulness and devotion to duty. We also acknowledge the great contribution to this victory made by our valiant allies. United we fought and united we prevail."

Admiral Nimitz observed that "the long and bitter struggle, which Japan started so treacherously on the seventh of December, 1941," was at an end.

Recalls Our Dark Days

General MacArthur touched obliquely on the bitter days of the early Philippine fighting when he said:

"As I look back on the long, tortuous trail from those grim days of Bataan and Corregidor, when an entire world lived in fear, when democracy was on the defensive everywhere, when modern civilization trembled in the balance, I thank a merciful God that He has given us the faith, the courage and the power from which to mould victory." General MacArthur told of the Allies' plans to help Japan take her place among peaceful nations.

The Japanese used the knowledge gained from Western science to forge "an instrument of oppression and human enslavement," he said. Freedom of expression, action and thought were denied the Japanese through "application of force," he declared.

"We are committed by the Potsdam Declaration of principles to see that the Japanese people are liberated from this condition of slavery," the Allied leader declared. "It is my purpose to implement this commitment just as rapidly as the armed forces are demobilized and other essential steps taken to neutralize the war potential." He declared that "if the talents of the race are turned into constructive channels the country can lift itself from its present deplorable state into a position of dignity." General MacArthur said that "in Asia as well as in Europe unshackled peoples are tasting the full sweetness of liberty," and asserted that "in the Philippines America has evolved a model for this new free world of Asia." The United States granted the Philippines commonwealth status more than a decade ago, and the islands will in time become completely independent under an act of Congress."In the Philippines, America has demonstrated that peoples of the East and peoples of the West may walk side by side in mutual respect and with mutual benefit," the general said. "The history of our sovereignty there has now the full confidence of the East."

Posted @ September 02, 2004 02:55 PM | Kerry File

Comments

Amazing. I knew about Walter Duranty in the Thirties but thought that was an isolated incident. This post reveals just how wrongheaded the NYT was almost sixty years ago.

The NYT is an embarassment.

Posted by: Bernie Manning at September 3, 2004 06:47 AM