Evening star., 1945-07-08
Length of Jap War Hinges
On Terms for Surrender
Demand for Unconditional Yielding, Threatening
Life of Dynasty, Held Likely to Prolong
Conflict and Bring High Toll
By Constantine Rroaon

what the Emperor actually thinks or
knows. There have been no formal
peace approaches; only soundings
through third parties as to the con-
ditions under which Japan may seek
peace. These peace brokers" have
learned that the policy of unconditional
surrender still stands under President
Truman as it stood under President
Roosevelt. There seems to be no doubt
in the minds of those few who are
conyersant with these exchanges of
views" that the reply given to Japan's
Intermediates has been hastily con-
veyed to Hirohito by the military
clique which wishes to fight to the
bitter end. 1t is likely he has been
advised that even If the American forces
were to succeed in conquering Japan,
even at colossal price, the royal house,
hold could be moved to China, where
100000 japanese soldiers supported by
a number of satellite slaves would
protect their "sainted Emperor"
Unconditional surrender" has be-
come our policy in this war although
Casablanca by President Roosevelt. Ae-
cording to those present at the his
torical meeting between Mr.. Roosevelt
and Prime Minister Churchill, when
they both walked toward the lawn
where the newspaper reporters were
gathered to receive the news about
what had been going on, Mr.. Churchill
asked his friend, What are you going
to tell them?" Mr.. Roosevelt thought
for short time, then smiled and said,
Il am going to repeat to them what
Gen. Grant told Gen. Buckner at Fort
Donelson-'Un 'Unconditiona surrender"
Thus was born the new slogan of this
war which became the basic military
and diplomatic policy of this country.
First Applied to Italy.
Unconditional surrender was first ap-
piled to Italy after series of secret
conversations between Allied emissaries
and representatives of King Victor EN-
manuel and Marshal Pietro Badoglio.
The Italians accepted it on the under
standing that the western Allies would
do their best, at least as long as they
remained in Italy, to safeguard the
House of Savoy and preserve the terri
torial integrity of Italy except for her
colonial empire.
1t was an unconditional surrender in
name more than in fact. The United
States and Britain obtained so little
freedom of action that when Russia
demanded third of the Italian feet
as her spoils of war the two govern
ments preferred to surrender some Of
| their own men-of-war rather than take
the Italians naval power away from
them. Up to this time the conditions
of the armistice with Italy have been
kept deep secret. probably because
their publication would demonstrate
that we put an unconditional surrender
coating to an old-fashioned negotiated
armistice
A similar situation did not exist in
regard to Germany because Hitler was
a parvenu who, unlike Victor Emman-
uel, cared more for his own prestige
and hide than for his adopted country.
Some of our policy trainers who are
familiar with the feelers put out by Ja-
pan have come to the conclusion that
the Japanese would be willing to yield
to almost any of our demands, includ-
ing evacuation of China, Korea, the
Southern Pacific and even Formosa,
provided that we call it a negotiated
peace rather than unconditional sur
render. With some of their leaders it is
not so much the well-known Asiatic
face-saving idea as what will happen
to the dynasty in the event they accept
the unconditional surrender terms.
They have been told that they must look
to what happened in Italy few months
after that country surrendered. It is
true that Victor Emmanuel abdicated.
but his son, nominally at least, is still
the head of the country.
To this the japanese are said to have
answered indirectly that from their
point of view. unconditional surrender
means that the conquering nations will
acquire complete authority over Japa-
nese territory and will decide about its
form of government and how the coun-
try shall be ruled after it lays down
its arms
The Japanese seem convinced that
neither the United States nor Great
Britain in the long run will take any
(see JAPAN, Page C-7.)