The Wilmington morning star., 1945-08-16
Interpreting
The War
By JAMES D. WHITE
Associated Press Staff Writer


- AS usual, the Japanese are
blaming everything but themselves
for what has happened to them.
Practically all Tokyo statements
since the surrender, including the
Emperor rescript, take the line
that Japan has been defeated by
such Western tricks as the atomic
bomb and that the only thing to
do now is to rebuild the country
by all pulling together.
The Asahi Shimbun comes near
est to facing the issue: What the
Japanese nation is confronted with
is not a negotiated peace but
one-sided defeat. The japanese
should fully realize this stark real
ity and unite themselves under the
guidance of His Majesty in order
that they may survive the great
trials"
Premier Kantaro Suzunki;S in re-
signing, says bloody and fearful
life will begin for the people, be-
ginning today, this day has be-
come the day that will never, new
er be forgotten by the Japanese
people," He offers the japanese,
in other words, something to re-
member which to them is much
bigger than a Pearl Harbor.
This is oninous because Suzuki
can see ahead - and look back.
He knows the japanese people
have not been adequately prepared
for the occupation that is coming,
that they have not been led to ex-
pect or visualize the shock and
humiliation which any occupation
brings.
They are likely to regard what
the Emperor has to do to carry
out surrender terms as violations
of their stipulation that his sover-
eighty not be impaired. The fact
that the Allies replied t h h e
would have to take orders from
the Allied Commander in Chief,
and that Japan subsequently as
scented, is unlikely to impress
them very much because the I'm.
perial rescript mentioned only the
Potsdam terms and these did not
saw anything about the Emperor
Whether you like it or not, il
we didn't have him the military
in japan might be completely out
of hand by now and the whole
place in chaos, which it still car
become if the military decide to uss
the guns which they still have.
Hours after the surrender, jap.
anese planes were still being sho,
down as they approached the Am
erican fleet.
General Macarthur, the desig.
mated Allied Supreme Commander
appears to be concerned about this
His orders to the Japarese have
been worded mildly, and he used
such expressions IS ut is desired
that the Japanese do so and sc
rather than telling them outright
to do as he wishes them to.
Such orders mean the same k
us and to the japanese who have
to carry them out, but are less
likely. to provoke the unstable mil
itary who now may be seething
with indecision as to whether to
submit, commit Harakiri, or keep
on fighting.
Meanwhile, it appears fact that
the japanese have, by preserving
their Emperor, preserved the core
of their tradition. and that tradition
may be strengthened with every
high Japanese militarist who fol-
lows the example of Warminister
Anami and kills himself.
This looms formidable now and
will require the most adroit and
effective handling if it is not to be
turned against us.
Occupation and disarmament
may teach the Japanese the false
ness of their beliefs. They will
regard it as unjust, certainly at
first.
After World War l the Germans
didn't learn. They didn't want to.
The japanese don't want to eth