Detroit evening times., 1945-02-12
ROAD
TO TOKYO
BY James R.
Younq

gets in Japan which would
more effectively carry the mes
sage of the Allies than the de-
struction Of dozens of factories
or military installations.
And the one day in the year
on which this bombing would
exercise its greatest psychology
cal significance is Feb. II. the
holiest of Nippon's national
holidays.
The 220 targets are the
Shinto shrines.
l find many well-meaning
Americans with influence IN
high places, who are convinced
that bombing these shrines
would drive underground "Japa-
nese who could be useful TO us
when we occupy Japan" B"
l know the japanese and
Japan, and my many years OF
first hand knowledge OF them
has convinced me that there
will be no useful Jap under
ground TO assist us
There is no japanese under
ground.
The recent history Of our war
in the Pacific clearly demon
StrateS that tho only under
ground the Jap understands is
three feet of soil covering him.
Shintoism in Japan today
isn't religion in the accepted
sense.
II is weapon in the hands
of Japan's ruling class and il
shackles the masses 10 a blind
obedience and a fanatical mega
tion OF everything that religion
stands for.
Hence bombing these shrines
would be the most effective
counter-propaganda conceivable.
LIGENSETSU. Empire Found
IA ing Day. Feb II, features
mass prayers starting al day
break
To worship the spirit Of TIE
first emperor. Jimmu. 10 honor
the spirits o. Emperor MeiU,
grandfather Of the present en-
peror, and 10 steel themselves
10 last stand IN the name of
Hirohito, The Imperial Rule
Benevolent Association. III
Black Dragon Society. the
japan Womcn's Association Of
$1,000 900 members and poe NHA
specially selected members of
the Association 10 Pcrpctuate
the Spirits" will pray al Shinto
Shrines for "the complete an
Inhalation OF our enemies
This weekend perhaps our
bOSmbers may be over Nagoya.
the Chicago OF Japan. or Tokyo.
and possibly the western area
OF Moji-ShimonoSeki Fukuoka,
corresponding IN industrial i'm
poTtance 10 Buffalo. Baltimore
and Youngstown. dropping eX-
ploSlves on important arma-
ments targets.
But what OF the great and
famous shinto shrine targets
which are pcremptorily ordered
out Of bounds for our fliers be-
cause Of policy makers who
would hesitate 20 disturb the
emperor
Why avoid blasting the very
spiritual centers Of Japan-the
old shrlnes?
You read that our avIatorS AZ
Salpan are briefed 10 refrain
from bombing the japanese pco-
pie. the palace and. / am told.
the Shinto ShrineS of the en-
peror's imperial household.
What Of the tremendous pSy-
Geological shock 10 the japanese
If they learn first hand from
sky raiders that the emperor
cult-Shlnto religion Is AS vul-
nerable, as are bridges, tunnels.
factories and people?
is IL not possible that the
conse sequent Decentralization.
which could begin Feb. IL,
would actually help crack Japa-
neSe morale on the home front
and hasten the wars end?
THE Americans who support
l. the emperer-shinto shrine
preservation theory, are playing
into the enemy's hands by back
ing a national code OF imperial
savagery based on the BIAS
phemouS assumption that Hiro-
hito and his emperor cult wor-
ship is divine.
/ submit 10 the L. {. high
command that Shlnto shrines
must be eliminated as rapidly
as tunnels, bridges and nuni-
lions plants.
Feb. II is the day 10 inaugu-
rate a systematic destruction