Evening star., 1945-05-26
(Ficture on Page. A-3.)

Ey the Associated Press.
GUAM, May 26. American
Super FortreSses, carrying theil
fire-bomb scourge to the heart
of the enemy empire for the Sec
ond time in 4S hours, destroyed
two palaces and left Metropol-
itan Tokyo literally scorched to
the ground" a japanese broad
cast said today.
The attack was announced in
Washington yesterday.
The 500-plane raid practically
laid waste what was once the
worlds third largest metropolis, ="
the japanese broadcast reported.
THE outer palace within the I'M
perial Palace compounds. as we'll as
the Omiya detached palace were de-
stroyed by fire." it added.
Stung by the strike into the very
nerve center of the empire, the
Tokyo radio dlverged from a later
recital of damages to declare the
"enemy's inhuman atrocities" had
increased the japanese feeling of
hostility and Cthey) are firmly de-
termined to fight to the last Japa-
nese."
Former Z. S. Embassy Hit.
Damages listed in the Tokyo met
ropolitan area. generally forming a
horseshoe from east to west south
ward around the Imperial Palace
compounds, included destruction by
fire of the Imperial University,
Bunrika University, a number of
elementary and middle schools,
several large hospitals. the Atago
Shrine and the Zojo Temple.
The Swedish and Finnish Lega-
tions were reported razed and the
former United States Embassy part
ly destroyed.
In succeeding broadcasts, the
Japanese themselves developed a
controversy as to what part of the
imperial palace was burned, with
Premier Kantaro Suzuki reporting
to the cabinet, according to Do
mel News Agency dispatch, that he
had watched the fire start and that
the imperial palace itself had been
destroyed.
The statement seemed to be cor
roborated by a Tokyo radio COM
mentator who said the imperial
palace, the focal point of the Japa-
nese peoples foremost affection and
undying loyalty. was destroyed for
the most part"
Emperor Reported Uninjured.
Another commentator, however,
observed that the imperial sanctu-
airy. symbol of the nations sacred
spiritual traditions" had escaped
destruction"
B-29 crewmen who participated in
the raid-carried out from medium
altitude-said the army and navy
departments and the Diet buildings,
as well as the palaces, were prob
ably damaged, although none was a
specific target.
One returning pilot observed he
would be surprised if the raid had
not "scorched the Emperor's hair a
little" but the Tokyo broadcast re-
ported Emperor Hirohito, the EN-
press and the Empress Dowager all
were uninjured. The Omiya Palace
was the home of the Empress
Dowager.
Premier Suzuki called IAN extraor-
dinary" meeting of his cabinet, one
Tokyo broadcast reported, adding
that the cabinet members intended
to work for "the renovation of the
administration
Al DOwned, Japs Claim.
An imperial headquarters COM
munique placed the number of Super
Fortresses taking part at $50, half
the actual number involved, and
claimed Al of the raiders were shot
down All fires, the communique
asserted, were mostly extinguished
by dawn"
The 2lst Bomber Command was
silent on possible losses.
The 4,000-ton attack was the
second raid in 48 hours, in which
a total of 1850 Super Forts deluged
$500 tons of fire bombs on the Japa-
nese capital.
The Gina district-Tokyo's coun-
terpart of Washington's Pennsyl-
vania avenue-borders the imperial
palace grounds.
'The palace very probably got
hit" said Flight Officer William H.
Foust of 612 Aspen street NV,
Washington, D. c., co-pilot of a