Evening star., 1945-06-24
Japanese May Prolong War
Rather Than Lose Face
Leaders False Pride May Cause Them to Garry
on to Final Destruction When Surrender
Could Save Much
BY Constantine Br0wu


The same arguments which were
heard in Washington last year before
D day-Whether the unconditional sur
render formula was wise or not-are
now being heard in regard to Japan.
There is the same unanimity of opin-
ion among the indorsers and the critics
of the "Casablanca slogan" that the war
must end with the complete destruction
of the enemy's forces. But the methods
of reaching this objective are being
widely debated.
Germany surrendered not because she
was threatened with destruction but be-
cause she was overwhelmed. When
there were no more weapons and am
munition in the reserve Dumps Hitlers
forces began to disintegrate and eventu-
ally surrendered. Her economic, po-
litical and social structure was destroyed
together with her military might.
The opponents of the unconditional
surrender formula maintain that the
same job could have been done with less
loss OF life and energy on the part of
the Allies II we had not held to it. The
German high command realized shortly
after we landed in Normandy that the
war was lost. Many of its officers staged
coup against Hitler on June 20, 1914.
1t failed for several reasons, including
the fact that there was no unity among
the commanding generals because some
of them believed that even if Hitler and
his associates were removed from the
political scene, the terms would not be
modified and they would have to sur
render Internationally.
Lasted 10 Months Longer.
The war lasted for another 10 months
and we paid an additional heavy price
for the final victory The opponents of
unconditional surrender maintain that
the same results we obtained last Nav
could have been obtained last summer
II we had not made it known to the
world that nothing but unconditional
surrender would be acceptable to the
Allies.
We are now faced with a war to the
bitter end against the japanese The
government of Emperor Hirohito real
ICES as well as the Allied chiefs of staff
In Washington that the Japs have an
even smaller chance than the Germans
OF avoiding utter defeat An over
Whelming mass of men and material is
being shifted to the Pacific and to the
Asiatic mainland to crush the japanese
resistance. Within a relatively short
time several million Allied soldiers will
be pouring into Asia and the japanese
islands.
Tens of thousands of land and carrier
based planes will create an even worse
havoc on the japanese islands and in
the Japanese-occupied territories of
China than they have created in Ger
many. The pattern of destruction of
the Reich is going to be followed with
increased intensity against the Japs' in
dustrial areas wherever they may be.
Chinese Already Gaining.
The Chinese armies under Generals
simo Chang Kai-shek are already being
strengthened with the arrival of large
quantities Of American war material. It
is safe to speculate that the present
negligible American forces in China will
soon become regular army to support
the campaign of the Chinese. Even if
we were to leave out the Russian poten-
tial in this war, there will soon be such
a tremendous American force, backed
by the British in the South Pacific, that
regardless of the size of the japanese
armies, there is no chance that they can
avoid complete defeat.
Japan is much more vulnerable than
Germany. The droves of Allied bombers
are likely to destroy the industrial estab-
lishments and homes of the $4,000 900
Japanese, while the American Fleet, the
strongest the world has ever seen, is
prepared to batter the japanese coast
to facilitate the invasion of Mikados
stronghold. Unless Japan decides to
come to the Allies with formal request
for surrender she will be reduced to
ashes.
The japanese know all this. They also
know that the United States, Great
Britain and China, the three most con-
cerned powers at this time, are willing
to permit Japan to survive although she
will have to be completely disarmed
militarily and economically.
Could Survive in Peace.
There have been number of "con-
facts" between Japanese agents and un-
official Allied observers in various parts
of the world such as Sweden, Russia,
Portugal, Italy and China. The Jap
anese have been given to understand
that unconditional surrender need not
be as harsh as it sounds and that their
factories and homes would be spared if
they decided to accept our terms.
Neither the United States, Britain nor
China has any real interest in prevent
ing the japanese people from working
In the future and remaining an indus
trial nation, provided their industries
remain under Allied control and are
forbidden from manufacturing war ma
terials.
There seems to be no such plan as
the Morgenthau plan for Germany,
which would provide that Japan be-
come an agricultural state. The big
industrial families in Japan, the power
full Mitsui and Mitsubishi, know that
nrovo conditions of al ,,ooploc to actoh