Evening star., 1945-09-12
Mountbaften Receives
Surrender Of Japan's
Southeast Asia Forces.
4" the Associated rress.


miral Lord Louis Mountbatten
received the surrender of all
japanese forces in Southeast
Asia and the East Indies today
from Gen. SeiShiro Itagaki
representing the ailing COM
mander of the Japanese south
ern armies, Marshal Count
Juichi Terauchi.
Promptly after the cermony the
Allied Southeast Asia commander
announced he would tolerate no ar
rogance from the Japanese, and told
his troops in an order of the day
that they would have his support "in
taking the sternest measures against
any japanese attempt at obstinacy
tmpudence or nonco-operation,"
The order of the day underscored
Admiral Mountbatten's previous
stern announcement that I'VE are
going to treat our enemies with JUS
-tice and humanity, but we are going
to be their masters"
sS5,000 Japs Involved.
The surrender involved about S5,-
600 japanese troops in the Singapore
area and 100000 soldiers and sailors
in the southern regions''-South-
east Asia and the East Indies.
BY the instrument the japanese
gave up the richest and most ex-
pansive conquests of their campaign
of aggression-an area stretching
$500 miles from the Bay of Bengal
to Hollandia, embracing 100000
square miles and populated by l28,-
100000 people.
1t. Gen. Sir William j. Slim, COM
mander of Allied land forces in
Southeast Asia, and 1t. Gen. R. A.
Wheeler of the United States Army,
deputy Southeast Asia commander,
as we'll as representatives of The
Netherlands, Australia. France and
China looked on while Admiral
Mountbatten signed II copies of the
surrender instrument, using fresh
pen each time.
The ceremony began in the coun-
Gil chamber Of Singapore's munich
pal building at Ills am. 1l:l5
pm. Tuesday. Eastern war time)
and was concluded in a few minutes
Itagaki signed for Terauchi, who
Admiral Mountbatten said had suf-
fered A cerebral hemorrhage at his
headquarters in Saigon.
Terauchi Must Yield Too.
But Terauchi himself will have to
make a personal surrender as soon
as ne is we'll, Admiral Mountbatten
made clear, adding that his sword
is the one thing want out of this
war"
Admiral Mountbatten opened the
surrender ceremony by reading a
telegram from Terauchi, expressing
regret at being unable to attend
and authorizing Itagaki to act for
him. Then he read a statement
saying that large Allied forces were
disembarked in the Singapore area
and that at present about 100000
were ashore.
He read the surrender instrument
hurriedly and the signing began.
When it was over the japanese en-
voys departed with escorting Allied
officers.
Japs Sat Opposite Admiral
Seven japanese had been seated
at the table opposite Admiral
Mountbatten during the ceremony.
They remained silent throughout.
scarcely moving except when one of
them handed to Itagaki the docu-
ment authorizing him to act for
Terauchi This is turn was handed
To Admiral Mountbatten, who read
1t aloud.
The japanese envoys included
both Army and Navy officers, but
all wore uniforms of khaki, white
open-collar shirts and jackboots.
Behind Admiral Mountbatten and
the Japanese, at either end of the
IOO1ll, Wtlt dII IIdyCd tllC 114liSu SCo1
officers in multicolored uniforms,
local dignitaries, and released
prisoners of war and internees. The
guard of honor inside the chamber
was made up of enlisted men from
each of the forces in the Southeast
Asia command, including Sergt.
John M Turner, "a, Franklin
Springs. Va, serving in the Office
of Strategic Services.
Admiral Mounbatten disclosed
that the invasion of Singapore
Operation Upper - had been
scheduled to take place September g.
When Japan surrendered the
landings were carried out anyway
as a bloodless exercise at approx
mately the same points where the
invasion was intended at Ports
Swettenham and Dickson, north
west of the city.
He said the Southeast Asia COM
mand had counted 100000 japanese
killed and had inflicted at least
100000 casualties.