General Douglas Macarthur's Occupation Of Japan

Words: 1293
Pages: 6
Open Document
In the final weeks of the Second World War, the Japanese, now certain of defeat, focused on the preservation of the Imperial throne and the Kokutai, political unity, above all else. On August 15, 1945, reluctant to watch his country further turn to ash, the Emperor Hirohito finally surrendered to the Allied powers and watched as his family’s traditional seat of power hang by a thread as American forces, led by General Douglas MacArthur, poured into Japan’s ports. For the next two years, the Emperor and the Japanese public were forced to do what little they could do to protect his throne as their former enemies stood on Japanese soil. However through the appointment of General Douglas MacArthur, and through situational factors, the Japanese …show more content…
On August 19, 1945, General MacArthur was appointed Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers (SCAP) which gave him the power to exercise authority during the occupation of Japan. Through this position, MacArthur was given almost total authority to follow Washington’s blueprint towards rebuilding Japan during a time of forced change in the cultural, legal, and economic aspects of Japanese society. This total authority allowed him to possess unparalleled power over the reconstruction of many parts of Japanese society and gave him the power to choose who to try for war crimes. Once he was assigned to the position his main goals were to determine how to rebuild Japan in a way that would result in the removal of militarism, build a lasting partnership between the two countries, and carry out the timely implementation of all changes in government and society. However these goals presented many challenges, the most problematic was the question of how to change the Japanese government, or more importantly, what to do with Hirohito. The General was well aware of Hirohito’s centrality to the occupation, by his demobilization of the army and willingness to work with the Americans. Allied powers including Australia, China, and the Soviet Union fiercely called for the trial of Hirohito along with fierce opposition to his retention by the American public and many pockets in the US government. “An unpublished Gallop opinion poll conducted in early June 1945 disclosed that 77 percent of the American public wanted the Emperor severely punished, (Bix 1995).” MacArthur, even before arriving on the islands, knew how important the Emperor would be when it came to the success of the occupation and was a major believer in the possibility of retention. “To the General, Emperor Hirohito represented his most powerful
Show More

Related Documents: General Douglas Macarthur's Occupation Of Japan

Macarthur: World War Ii Essay examples

during his command in the Philippines in World War II, one might have suspected MacArthur to be a rebellious general that did not think of his soldiers of his commanders; however, this is far from the truth. On the opposite, MacArthur would spend much time preparing and seizing the opportunity to strike at his enemy in order to save potential lives and expedite the end of the war. General MacArthur is the man who spent a majority of his life in the Philippines and gained the natives’ trust and love…

Words 3371 - Pages 14

General Douglas Macarthur: Military Leader

General Douglas MacArthur: Leader General Douglas MacArthur was known as an excellent military leader. His can-do attitude and refusal to give up were the reasons that he came to mind when I chose him as the subject of this paper. As I learned more about his life and experiences, I became even more impressed by his leadership skills, work ethic, and grace under pressure. Personal Background Douglas MacArthur was born on January 26, 1880 at the Little Rock Army Barracks in Arkansas. His father…

Words 1803 - Pages 8

The Cold War Essay

helped to bring an end to the Cold War. Truman worked tirelessly to clean up the postwar mess and establish a new international order. He helped create the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and funded the rebuilding of Japan under General Douglas MacArthur. After prosecuting Nazi war criminals at the Nuremberg trials, Truman in 1947 also outlined the Marshall Plan, which set aside more than $10 billion for the rebuilding and re-industrialization of Germany. Although Stalin joined…

Words 1580 - Pages 7