It was apparent that Japan would be defeated in the war by the summer of 1945. The Japanese navy and air force along with several cities of the nation were annihilated. This furthermore made a huge crater in the country’s economy, something that would take the nation a long time to recover from. Furthermore the capture of Okinawa, a Japanese island, by the Americans towards the end of June 1945 made it easier for the allies to launch an invasion into the other islands of the country and this reaffirmed the already blatant defeat the country would be facing.
Douglas Mac Arthur, who was the then U.S general took the responsibility of the attack, that had a code name “Operation Olympic”, launched in November 1945. The attack imposed on Japan proved to be one of the most ghastly seaborne assaults till now. The US detonated the first trial atom bomb in the Mexico desert on 16th July. This news was kept secret from the world. In the next ten days, a direction was published that is known as “unconditional surrender” of the Japanese by the group of allies. This led to a brutal destruction of their motherland. When the then Prime Minister of Japan, Kantaro Suzuki denied this and declared that this command by the allies would not be taken into account, the President of the US, Harry Truman directed his army to proceed for attack.
On 6th August 1945, nearly 80,000 people were killed in Hiroshima. Thousands of men were heavily injured. This first atomic bomb was dropped by the US B-29 bomber named Enola Gay. Although a huge number of Japanese were killed and many more injured, yet the Japanese supreme council for war did not want to surrender unconditionally. Hence, the second atomic bomb was dropped at Nagasaki on the 8th of August. At the same time Manchuria, a Japanese island, was attacked by the Soviet forces and hence the condition of Japan worsened.
A long emotive debate took place. It was done in the council of supreme war on 9th August, by Hirohito, the Emperor of Japan. In this session the council agreed to give consent to the Potsdam declaration. Through it the same message was sent to the US within 10th August. The Emperor of Japan declared that destruction loss of millions of lives is not desirable. So it’s better to surrender.
On Sunday, the 2nd of September, 1945, over 250 warships of the Allied group were anchored at the Tokyo Bay. The flags of the United States, China, Soviet Union, and Britain were being flickered above the car deck of Missouri. Just at 9 am Tokyo time, the Foreign Minister of Japan, Mamoru Shigemitsu signed up on behalf of the Government of Japan; General Yoshijiro Umezu the then General signed for the armed forces of Japan, and his aides wept as he signed (History).
Instantaneous Post-War Affairs
The Allies was the victorious team. Hence Japan was put under the reigns of international control. Douglas MacArthur, the U.S. General was the superlative chief for the renovation of Japan. Objectives for renovation and rebuilding were self-government and democratic, economically stable, and nonviolent co-existence of Japanese with the civic of nations.
The emperor of Japan, Hirohito was allowed to continue his kingship post-war, by the US.
However, Hirohito rejected this and publicly supported the new Constitution of Japan (Jones).
The constitution of post-war Japan officially was effective from 3rd May, 1947. A new legislature was elected by the citizens of Japan. The US along with other Allies signed a treaty of peace in San Francisco and ended the war in 1951.
Works Cited
History. (n.d.). Sep 2, 1945: Japan Surrenders. Retrieved from History: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/japan-surrenders
Jones, S. (n.d.). The United States and Japan After World War II - From Enemies to Allies. Retrieved from About: http://usforeignpolicy.about.com/od/asia/a/The-United-States-And-Japan-After-World-War-Ii.htm
