Evening star., 1945-07-27
Surrender by Jopon
In Sight, Says Writer
Potsdam Ultimatum Carries
Threat by Russia, He Adds
By David Laurence

By David Laurence
The end of the war against Japan Ii
In sight. The moves that precede q
termination of hostilities are being
made. Japan may delay a few days or
few months but the outcome will be
the same-she viii surrender.
The ultimatum sent by the govern
ments of the United States, Great
Britain and China carries greater sig
ni1cance than appears in it's phrases.
For 1t was issued from Potsdam where
the whole world knows Generalissimo
Stain is attending a conference at
which 1t is admitted the Far Eastern
situation has been discussed.
Japan Is being told, in effect, that any
lingering hope she may have had OF
dividing the Allies must vanish She
Is also being told by inference that If
she doesn't accept this ultimatum,
Russia will feel it her duty to enter the
war.
What 1t all adds up to is a threat Of
military might that can mean the de-
struction of Japan. The Tokyo radio
has been boldly asking for terms. Those
terms are now available They mean,
in nutshell that If Japan surrenders
now she may save something out of the
wreckage.s. If she waits and forces
last-ditch fight, she will be completely
destroyed as nation.
Ultimatum Analysed.
Americas psychological warfare has
borne fruit. The Japanese have come
to take our broadcasts seriously and
have actually asked for an explanation
bate in the American press recently
over the need for amplifying the phrase
has been recognized by President Tru-
man. The ultimatum's phrases read,
however, more like the vocabulary and
style of Winston Churchill than those
of any American official
The ultimatum sounds strong in its
wording, but on analysis it really is
the kind of proposal the Japanese may
accept. 1t is far different from and
much more lenient than anything COM
municated to Germany before the sur
render. 1t makes one wonder whether
the European war might have been
terminated sooner If the same kind of
constructive craftsmanship had been
exercised in the months before We day;
though, to be sure, Hitler's hold on the
German people is by no means par
alleled in Japan. where group rather
than any individual really dominates.
etaA H. III
to Japan because she will be spared an
invasion, and If she surrenders now she
will save her industrial plants from COM
plete destruction. A significant distinc-
ton is made between war plants and
industrial facilities needed for economic
life.
The document Is refreshing. too, in
that it perceives inside Japan the posi-
bility Of an uprising of liberals who have
fought the militarists for generation,
only to have their cabinet ministers and
leaders assassinated. There has been a
misunderstanding inside America for
some time about the japanese people,
the usual propaganda line being that
there are no decent Japanese Americans
who have ventured to make that distinc-
ton have been called "appeasers." Yet
the owl and the psychological broadcast
units here have in recent weeks wisely
sought to recognize and encourage the
liberals so that new government could
be established, by revolution If necessary.
Japs Have No Choice.
The decision to occupy strategic points
In Japan is wise one because in no
other way could the terms of the sur
render be enforced. 1t will be humili-
ating for the Japanese, but they have
no choice. 1t is for them the lesser
of two evils-more bombs and shells
from the air and the sea, terrific
pounding and invasion in the next few
months, or a chance to rebuild Japan
as a peaceful entity in the Far East.
Last-ditch resistance will doubtless be
urged by the militarists and war GRIM
inals in Japan who know they will be
executed when surrender comes, but
the chance is given for the Japanese
populace to side with the liberal groups
and their industrialist supporters in
overthrowing these militarists who
caused the war.
There may be revolution before the
surrender terms are accepted. Also
some of the ministers of the present
Tokyo government who accept it may
commit hara-kiri as a symbol of their
humiliation. But by whatever device or
means the surrender is worked out, it
is coming. The only important point
from the Allied standpoint is to make
sure that the Japanese people know
they have been completely defeated.
Japan must, therefore, be deprived of all
: the territories she has taken by force in
Manchuria. Korea, Formosa and the
mandated islands of the Pacific.
That's what the Cairo declaration
now reiterated-told the world. BY
whatever phrase this Is characterized
when the Japanese are disarmed, the
result is the same-it means complete
defeat. If Japan balks, there must in
evitably be renewed determination on
all sides in the Allied world to carry on
until Tapop is fpaIIv rY,,Shed