JAPAN'S WAR #17

JAPAN'S  WAR  #17

1945  -  TOKYO  BAY

THREE  DAYS  LATER  -  SEPTEMBER  2ND  1935  PREPARATIONS  ARE  UNDER  WAY  FOR  THE  OFFICIAL  SURRENDER.  THE  RESPONSIBILITY  FOR  SIGNING  FALLS  TO  JAPANESE  FOREIGN  MINISTER  SHIGAMITSO.
"JAPAN'S  LEADERS  HAVE  TRIED  TO  AVOID  TAKING  RESPONSIBILITY  FOR  THE  SURRENDER,  SO  IT  IS  MY  DUTY  TO  CARRY  THROUGH  THIS  LAST DECISIVE  ACT.  I  WAS  SURROUNDED  BY  ENEMY  ONLOOKERS.  THEN  GENERAL  MACARTHUR  ENTERED."

MACARTHUR: "IT  IS  MY  ERNEST  HOPE  AND  INDEED  THE  HOPE  OF  ALL  MANKIND,  THAT  FROM  THIS  SOLOM  OCCASION  A  BETTER  WORLD  SHALL  EMERG  FROM  THE  BLOOD  AND  CARNAGE  OF  THE  PAST."

SHIGAMITSO: "MACARTHUR  DECLARED  THE  WAR  WAS  OVER  AND  REQUESTED  US  TO  SIGN  THE  SURRENDER.  IT  COMES  HARD  TO  US  JAPANESE  TO  USE  THE  WORD 'SURRENDER.'  THE  MILITARY  THINKS  IT SHOULD  BE  REFERRED  TO  AS  A  CEASE-FIRE.  BUT  WHATEVER  YOU  CALL  IT,  JAPAN'S  REBIRTH  WILL  DEPEND  ON HER  REALIZATION  THAT SHE  HAS  SURRENDERED  AS  A  RESULT  OF  DEFEAT."

JAPAN'S  HOLY  WAR  IS  FINALLY  OVER.  NOW  THE  JAPANESE  WILL  HAVE  TO  ENDURE  OCCUPATION.

1945  -  OCTOBER  -  NAGASAKI

THE  BRITISH  CRUISER  H.M.S. SWIFTSHORE  ARRIVES  IN  NAGASAKI.  IT  IS  NOW  MORE  THAN  SIX  WEEKS  SINCE  THE  JAPANESE  OFFICIALLY  SURRENDERED.  ALLIED  TROOPS  ARE  MOVING  INTO  ALL  MAJOR  CITIES.

SCHOOL  BOY  SASAKI: "WORD  CAME  THEY'RE  ON  THEIR  WAY.  WHAT  WOULD  THEY  BE  LIKE?  THEY  CAME  DOWN  THE  ROAD  TOWARDS  US; COMING  IN  JEEPS  AND  TRUCKS.  WE  HAD  IMAGES  OF  GLARING  DEMONS,  WITH  HORNS  SPROUTING  FROM  THEIR  HEADS.  WE  PEAKED  OUT  TRYING  TO  CATCH  A  GLIMPSE  OF  THEM.  WE  WERE  DISAPPOINTED,  NO  HORNS  AT  ALL.  FRIENDS  WHO  HAD  BUMPED  INTO  THEM  ON  THE  STREET,  BROUGHT  BACK  CHOCOLATES. 'THEY'RE  GOOD PEOPLE'  THEY  SAID.  BUT  I  TOLD  THEM  IT  COULDN'T  BE  TRUE,  THEY MUST  HAVE  BEEN  LYING.

OTAKE  HARBOR

TO  BE  CONTINUED

REGARDING  THE  LAST  PARAGRAPH,  AS  THIS  IS  BEING  SAID  YOU  ARE  SHOWN  AN  ALLIED  SERVICEMAN  LAUGHING  AND  SMILING  WITH  ABOUT  15  YOUNG  JAPANESE  LADIES  AROUND  HIM,  ALSO  LAUGHING  AND  SMILING.  TRUE,  SERVICEMEN  LIKE  LADIES  OF  ANY  RACE,  SO  NOT  SURPRISING  THEY  HAVE  CHOCOLATES  FOR  THEM;  SERVICEMEN  KNOW  IT'S  NOT  THE  LADIES  THAT  START  WARS,  BUT  JUST  ABOUT  EVERY  TIME  IT'S  THE  MEN.  AND  IT'S  ALSO  TRUE  JAPANESE  LADIES  LOVE  HAVING  A  MAN  BEING  NICE  TO  THEM.