"Chuck Gould" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Nov 3, 7:22?am, "Del Cecchi" wrote:
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You can say that the Japanese were ready to surrender peacefully after
watching the "War" coverage of the pacific campaign? After seeing the
tenacity with which the Japanese fought in the Pacific, what leads you
to
the conclusion that they would surrender?


Observations made during that time by leading US Military officials,
including General Eisenhower and Admiral Leahy. Somehow I think they
probably a more accurate finger on the pulse of the situation than any
of us can have more than 60 years after the fact.

Much of the information released to the public during any war is pure,
unadulterated BS manipulation. The government can influence, if not
entirely control, what it wants the populace to think. Top military
leaders get a more accurate picture, as they need to deal with the
reality of a situation and not the political posturing. Consider the
internment of American citizens of Japanese ancestry that occured in
the western US (and in Canda as well). The government convinced
everybody that these "little yellow people" couldn't be relied upon to
be loyal to the US, even those who were 2nd and 3rd generation
Americans, had never been to Japan, and didn't speak, read or write
Japanese. Funny thing of course is that we didn't round up everybody
named Schwartz or DiMaggio, even though we were also at war with
Germany and Italy. Only a few people remain who will voice
enthusiastic support for the internment, but at the time the sales job
had been thorough enough that a majority of Americans felt it was a
good idea.

Sure, it was a disgraceful thing. Not nearly as bad as the Japanese
actions in China however. Not even close.


Personally I am thankful that we
didn't have to invade because my father was scheduled to go
participate,
since the war in Europe was over.

And how many civilians would have died of starvation and bombing
during
this blockade? How long to convince whoever that the Emperor wasn't
"divine"?


According to General Douglas MacArthur, (another individual in a
position to know what was going on at the time), the Japanese were
willing to surrender as soon as we agreed to allow the Emperor to
remain on his throne.


Ah, so all we had to do was go along with the "divine emperor" remaining
in charge and retain his claim of divinity and they would have
surrendered. Were there any other conditions? Would it have been hard
to reform the government with the "divine emperor" on his throne?


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