Japan signed an act of surrender with the USSR. Soviet Union and the surrender of Japan

On September 2, 1945, Japan's surrender was signed aboard the USS Missouri, ending World War II.

From the USSR, this most important historical document was signed by Lieutenant General Kuzma Nikolaevich Derevyanko, the Soviet representative at the headquarters of the Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces in the Pacific, General MacArthur.

Many are still interested in why this right was granted not to one of the famous marshals, but to a little-known general, of whom there were about six thousand in the Soviet Army in 1945. After all, from the side of the allies on board the Missouri there were "stars" of the first magnitude, led by the five-star General MacArthur (at that time there were only four of them in the US Army).

From the Americans, the triumphant Midway and Leyte Admiral Nimitz accepted the surrender, from the British - the commander of the fleet of the empire in the Pacific Ocean, Admiral Fraser, from the French - the famous General Leclerc, from the Chinese - the head of the operational department of the headquarters of Chiang Kai-shek, General Su Yongchang.

It seemed that in this company the presence of the commander-in-chief of the Soviet troops in the Far East, Marshal Vasilevsky, or one of the commanders of the fronts that had just defeated the Kwantung Army, such as Malinovsky, Meretskov or Purkaev, seemed more appropriate. But instead of them, Derevyanko was on board the Missouri, who had recently held the relatively modest position of chief of staff of the 4th Guards Army.

On this occasion, some liberal historians even came up with a hypothesis according to which, by sending only a lieutenant general to sign the act, Stalin wanted to belittle the significance of the war in the Pacific, in which the Americans played the leading role. Here, the surrender of Germany was accepted by the most famous Soviet commander Zhukov, and for Japan one of the staff officers fit, who somehow attracted the attention of the "bloody tyrant on the Kremlin throne."

In fact, everything was not so, and the decision of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief to choose a Soviet representative to participate in the final episode of the Second World War was based on completely different motives ...

By that time, relations between the Soviet Union and the allies in the anti-Hitler coalition had seriously deteriorated. Having got rid of a common enemy, our yesterday's partners began to prepare for a clash with the USSR. This was clearly confirmed by the Potsdam Conference, during which Stalin had to deal with the inveterate Russophobe Truman.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces in the Pacific, General MacArthur, also did not hide his anti-Soviet views. Moscow was also well aware of the American commander's passion for theatrical gestures: what was the value of one of his recent shows called MacArthur Liberates the Philippines. The Kremlin was sure that something similar would happen aboard the Missouri.

"Pacific Napoleon" did not deceive expectations, turning the surrender of the Japanese into a real performance with himself in the lead role. MacArthur arranged for a table for the ceremony to be set up on the upper deck to provide convenience for the press and the public, which the battleship's sailors made up, gave a short speech for the story ("We are gathered here ... to conclude a solemn agreement whereby peace can be restored ...") and arranged a whole show from the procedure for signing the act.

Inviting generals Percival and Waynright released by him from Japanese captivity as assistants, MacArthur signed in syllables, constantly changing pens. Used writing supplies, he immediately handed out as souvenirs. The audience roared with delight.

Stalin, knowing about this weakness of MacArthur, sensibly reasoned that the participation of any of the Soviet marshals in this circus could lead to a conflict, which under these conditions was completely unnecessary. Therefore, the representative of the Soviet Union at the benefit of the Americans was not a military leader, but a diplomat.

But the employees of the People's Commissariat for Foreign Affairs were not suitable for this role, among the allied generals they would have looked like black sheep. So, it was necessary to find a military man with diplomatic experience, and a sufficiently high rank.

In addition, it was impossible to miss a unique chance to look at the process of the beginning of the occupation of Japan by the Americans, so to speak, from the inside. Again, such an opportunity might not present itself. Therefore, a person was needed who spoke English and Japanese, who could not only speak, but watch, listen, memorize and analyze. Moreover, such qualities should not be obvious to the allies.

Kuzma Nikolaevich Derevyanko was perfect for this role. A brave warrior with an open and honest Russian face, in a fairly high rank, but not belonging to the cream of the military elite of the USSR. Therefore, the allies could not have a more or less detailed dossier on him and he had to be perceived as who he seemed to be.

The calculation turned out to be correct. They treated the general friendly, but they didn’t take him under close guardianship and they didn’t drag him around parties with the participation of top officials - the figure was not of that scale. His strange requests, for example, for permission to visit the ashes of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which under other conditions might have aroused suspicion, were treated quite condescendingly: if he wants, let him go. What interesting things can be seen there by the former chief of staff of the army, who cannot know anything about the atomic bomb ...

Meanwhile, if the Americans could look into the personal file of the forty-year-old general, they would react differently. After all, the biography of the son of a stonemason from the Little Russian village of Kosenivka near Uman was not typical for an army general.

While still a cadet of the Kharkov school of red foremen, young Kuzma Derevyanko independently learned to speak and write in Japanese. Why did he need to learn one of the most difficult languages ​​in the world, history is silent, but such a remarkable fact attracted the attention of the command. Apparently, it seemed to someone not rational to keep a talented nugget in combat positions, and he was sent to study at a special department of the Frunze Military Academy, where he, in addition to Japanese, mastered English.

After graduating from the academy, Derevianko served in military intelligence. He was instructed to organize the uninterrupted transit from the Soviet Union to China of caravans with weapons that were necessary for the war with the Japanese. The mission was top secret - a leak of information threatened Moscow with a serious complication of relations with Tokyo, which were far from cloudless anyway.

For the successful completion of this task, Captain Derevyanko was awarded the Order of Lenin, which was an extraordinary event for that time. Apparently, this seemed unfair to someone, and soon the party commission of the Intelligence Directorate of the Red Army took up the freshly baked order bearer. Derevianko was accused of having links with "enemies of the people" - shortly before that, two of his uncles and brother were arrested and convicted.

The debunkers of "bloody Stalinism" argue that in the late 1930s, even less reason was enough to part not only with the party card, but also with life. The fate of Derevyanko completely refutes this liberal theorem. After several months of proceedings, he was only reprimanded. But the obstinate intelligence officer achieved a review of the case. The reprimand was removed by the decision of a higher authority - the Party Committee of the People's Commissariat of the Ministry of Defense.

During the Finnish war, Major Derevyanko was the chief of staff of the Separate Special Ski Brigade, and repeatedly participated in reconnaissance and sabotage raids behind enemy lines. At the beginning of 1941, he carried out a secret mission in East Prussia, probably related to obtaining data on the preparations of the Germans for a war with the USSR.

Colonel Derevyanko met the attack of the Nazis in the position of head of the intelligence department of the headquarters of the North-Western Front. In mid-August 1941, he led a raid behind German lines, during which about two thousand Red Army soldiers were released from a concentration camp near Staraya Russa.

In May 1942, Derevyanko was appointed chief of staff of the 53rd Army with the simultaneous assignment of the rank of major general to him. Participated in the battle of Kursk, the battle for the Dnieper, the capture of Budapest and Vienna. For the successful development of operations, he was awarded a full set of "military" orders - Bogdan Khmelnitsky, Suvorov and Kutuzov. After the victory, for some time he participated in the work of the Allied Council for Austria.

Stalin instructed such a person to represent our country at a ceremony in Tokyo Bay. It is clear that this choice was by no means accidental.

During a month-long business trip to Japan, Derevyanko performed not only and not so much representative functions. So, he visited Hiroshima and Nagasaki several times, literally climbing the scorched ruins with a camera in his hands. Upon his return to Moscow, the general was received by Stalin. Derevyanko gave a detailed report on the situation in Japan, the state of its army and naval forces, and the mood of the population. His report and photographs on the results of the atomic bombings were especially carefully considered. The general's activities were fully approved, for the successful completion of the assignment he was awarded the second Order of Lenin.

In the Land of the Rising Sun, whose language he had studied since his youth, Derevyanko spent four more years as a Soviet representative in the Union Council for Japan. Despite the opposition of the Americans, the general consistently defended the positions of our power, regularly making statements and memorandums on issues sensitive to Soviet interests.

It was Derevyanko's persistence that made it possible for MacArthur to sign a directive instructing the Japanese government to "cease the exercise or attempt to exercise state or administrative power" on all islands north of Hokkaido. This implied Tokyo's complete abandonment of the Kuril Islands, both northern and southern. Although this was exactly what was envisaged by the decisions of the Potsdam Conference, the Americans, in the conditions of the flaring Cold War, were not averse to playing this issue.

Derevianko returned from Japan seriously ill due to radiation exposure received in the ashes of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He developed cancer. The general died at the end of 1954, shortly after his fiftieth birthday, and was buried at the Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow. The obituary, together with Minister of Defense Bulganin, was signed by marshals Zhukov, Konev, Vasilevsky, Malinovsky ...

In May 2007, the “square” authorities suddenly remembered that General Derevianko was from Uman, and by decree of President Yushchenko, he was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine. Now the Kyiv rulers, known for their paradoxical assessments of historical events, have reason to claim that Ukraine has defeated Japan.

However, if Kuzma Nikolaevich suddenly found out that he was in the same company with Shukhevych and Bandera, he would certainly have refused his heroic title. The orders of Lenin, Suvorov, Kutuzov and Bogdan Khmelnitsky were dearer to him.

The ACT OF UNCONDITIONAL SURPRISE OF JAPAN was signed on September 2, 1945 in Tokyo Bay aboard the American battleship Missouri on behalf of the emperor and the government of Japan by Foreign Minister M. Shigemitsu and General Y. Umezu (on behalf of the General Staff), and on behalf of all allied nations, who were at war with Japan: the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces, General D. MacArthur (USA) and from the USSR - Lieutenant General K. N. Derevyanko. The signing of the Japanese Surrender Act meant the victory of the anti-Hitler coalition and the end of the Second World War of 1939-1945.

Orlov A.S., Georgiev N.G., Georgiev V.A. Historical dictionary. 2nd ed. M., 2012, p. eleven.

Japanese Surrender Act

/Extract/

1. We, acting on the orders and in the name of the Emperor, the Japanese Government and the Japanese Imperial General Staff, hereby accept the terms of the Declaration issued on July 26 at Potsdam by the Heads of Government of the United States, China and Great Britain, subsequently acceded to by the Soviet Union, which four Powers shall later known as the Allied Powers.

2. We hereby declare the unconditional surrender to the Allied Powers of the Japanese Imperial General Staff, all Japanese military forces and all military forces under Japanese control, no matter where they are located.

3. We hereby order all Japanese troops, wherever located, and the Japanese people to cease hostilities immediately, to preserve and prevent damage to all ships, aircraft and other military and civilian property, and to comply with all demands that may be made by the supreme Commander of the Allied Powers or organs of the Japanese government on his instructions.

4. We hereby order the Japanese Imperial General Staff to immediately issue orders to the commanders of all Japanese troops and troops under Japanese control, wherever located, to surrender unconditionally in person, and also to secure the unconditional surrender of all troops under their command.

6. We hereby undertake that the Japanese Government and its successors will honestly carry out the terms of the Potsdam Declaration, issue such orders and take such actions as the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers or any other representative appointed by the Allied Powers, in order to implement this declaration, requires.

8. The authority of the Emperor and the Japanese Government to govern the State shall be subordinated to the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers, who shall take such steps as he deems necessary to carry out these conditions of surrender.

Source: Foreign policy of the Soviet Union during the Patriotic War. M., 1947, vol. 3, pp. 480, 481.

It is printed here according to the book: V.K. Zilanov, A.A. Koshkin, I.A. Latyshev, A.Yu. Plotnikov, I.A. Senchenko. Russian Kuriles: history and modernity. Collection of documents on the history of the formation of the Russian-Japanese and Soviet-Japanese border. Moscow. 1995.

The Japanese Surrender Act is an agreement to end the resistance of the Japanese armed forces that ended World War II. On August 20, 1945, representatives of the Japanese command were presented with a draft Act prepared by the headquarters of the commander-in-chief of the allied occupation forces, General of the Army D. MacArthur. The act was signed on 09/02/1945 at 10:30 Tokyo time on board the American battleship Missouri in Tokyo Bay. From Japan, the act of surrender was signed by Foreign Minister Shigemitsu Mamoru and the Chief of the Japanese General Staff, General Umezu Yoshijiro, who represented the government and the headquarters of the emperor. On behalf of the victorious Allied Powers, the act was signed by General MacArthur, on behalf of the USA - by Admiral C. Nimitz, on behalf of China - by General Su Yongchang, on behalf of Great Britain - by Admiral B. Feizer, on behalf of the USSR - by General K. Derevyanko, as well as representatives of Australia, New Zealand, Canada, France and the Netherlands. The act recognized the terms of the Potsdam Declaration of 07/26/1945 and ordered all Japanese troops, wherever they were, to immediately surrender and release prisoners of war. It was prescribed that "The power of the Emperor and the Japanese Government to govern the state shall be subordinated to the High Command of the Allied Powers, who shall take such steps as he deems necessary to carry out these terms of surrender."

On September 2, 1945, the attention of the whole world was riveted on the events in Tokyo Bay. Japan's surrender was signed aboard the USS Missouri. This was preceded by a speech by General Douglas MacArthur. “Let blood and death remain in the past, and the world be based on faith and mutual understanding,” the military leader said. On the ship were representatives of the delegations of the USA, Great Britain, the USSR, France, China, Australia, Canada, Holland, New Zealand, and numerous journalists. The official part lasted 30 minutes.

Japanese Surrender Act

We, acting on the orders and on behalf of the Emperor, the Japanese Government and the Japanese Imperial General Staff, hereby accept the terms of the Declaration issued on July 26 in Potsdam by the Heads of the Governments of the United States, China and Great Britain, which was later joined by the USSR, which four powers will hereafter be called Allied Powers.

We hereby declare the unconditional surrender to the Allied Powers of the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters, all Japanese military forces, and all military forces under Japanese control, no matter where they are located.

We hereby order all Japanese troops, wherever located, and the Japanese people to cease hostilities immediately, to preserve and prevent damage to all ships, aircraft and military and civilian property, and to comply with all demands that may be made by the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers or organs of the Japanese Government on its instructions.

We hereby order the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters to immediately issue orders to the commanders of all Japanese troops and troops under Japanese control, wherever located, to unconditionally surrender in person, and also to secure the unconditional surrender of all troops under their command.

All civil, military and naval officials shall obey and carry out all instructions, orders and directives which the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers deems necessary to effect this surrender and which may be issued by him or by his authority; we direct all these officials to remain at their posts and continue to perform their non-combat duties, except when they are relieved of them by special decree issued by or under the authority of the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers.

We hereby undertake that the Japanese Government and its successors will faithfully comply with the terms of the Potsdam Declaration and issue such orders and take such actions as the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers or any other representative appointed by the Allied Powers, for the purpose of implementing this Declaration, requires.
We hereby direct the Imperial Japanese Government and the Japanese Imperial General Staff to immediately release all Allied prisoners of war and civilian internees now under Japanese control and ensure their protection, maintenance and care, and their immediate delivery to the designated places.

The power of the Emperor and the Government of Japan to govern the state shall be subordinated to the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers, who shall take such steps as he deems necessary to carry out these terms of surrender.

Shigemitsu Mamoru
(Signature)

By order and on behalf of the Emperor of Japan and the Japanese Government
Umezu Yoshijiro
(Signature)

Bonded at Tokyo Bay, Japan at 09:08 am, September 2nd, 1945, on behalf of the United States, the Republic of China, the United Kingdom and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and on behalf of the other United Nations at war with Japan.

Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers
Douglas MacArthur
(Signature)

United States Representative
Chester Nimitz
(Signature)

Representative of the Republic of China
Xu Yongchang
(Signature)

Representative of the United Kingdom
Bruce Frazier
(Signature)

USSR representative
Kuzma Derevianko
(Signature)

Commonwealth Representative
C. A. Blamey
(Signature)

Representative of the Dominion of Canada
Moore Cosgrove
(Signature)

Representative of the Provisional Government of the French Republic
Jacques Leclerc de Hautecloc
(Signature)

Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
K. E. Helfreikh
(Signature)

Representative of the Dominion of New Zealand
Leonard M. Issitt
(Signature)

The act of unconditional surrender of Japan was signed on September 2, 1945, but the country's leadership took a very long time to reach this decision. In the Potsdam Declaration, terms of surrender were put forward, but the emperor formally refused the proposed ultimatum. True, Japan still had to accept all the conditions of surrender, putting a bullet in the course of hostilities.

preliminary stage

The act of unconditional surrender of Japan was not signed immediately. First, on July 26, 1945, China, England and the United States of America submitted for general consideration the demand for the surrender of Japan in the Potsdam Declaration. The main idea of ​​the declaration was as follows: if the country refuses to accept the proposed conditions, then it will face "quick and complete destruction." Two days later, the Emperor of the Land of the Rising Sun responded to the declaration with a categorical refusal.

Despite the fact that Japan suffered heavy losses, its fleet completely ceased to function (which is a terrible tragedy for an island state that is completely dependent on the supply of raw materials), and the likelihood of an invasion of American and Soviet troops into the country was extremely high, "Military Newspaper" Japanese imperial command made strange conclusions: “We are not able to lead the war without the hope of success. The only way left for all the Japanese is to sacrifice their lives and do everything possible to undermine the morale of the enemy.”

Mass self-sacrifice

In fact, the government called on its subjects to commit an act of mass self-sacrifice. True, the population did not react to such a prospect. In some places it was still possible to meet pockets of fierce resistance, but on the whole, the samurai spirit had long outlived its usefulness. And as historians note, all that the Japanese learned in the forty-fifth year was to surrender en masse.

At that time, Japan was expecting two attacks: the Allied (China, England, United States of America) attack on Kyushu and the Soviet invasion of Manchuria. The act of unconditional surrender of Japan was signed only because the conditions in the country turned out to be critical.

The emperor to the last advocated the continuation of the war. After all, for the Japanese to surrender was an unheard-of shame. Prior to this, the country had not lost a single war and for almost half a millennium had not known foreign invasions of its own territory. But she turned out to be completely ruined, which is why the Act of Unconditional Surrender of Japan was signed.

Attack

On August 6, 1945, fulfilling the threat stated in the Potsdam Declaration, America dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Three days later, the same fate befell the city of Nagasaki, which was the largest naval base in the country.

The country has not yet had time to recover from such a large-scale tragedy, as on August 8, 1945, the authorities of the Soviet Union declare war on Japan and on August 9 it begins to conduct hostilities. Thus, the Manchurian offensive operation of the Soviet army began. In fact, the military-economic base of Japan on the Asian continent was completely eliminated.

Destruction of communications

At the first stage of the battles, Soviet aviation aimed at military installations, communication centers, communications of the border zones of the Pacific Fleet. Communications that connected Korea and Manchuria with Japan were cut, and the enemy's naval base was seriously damaged.

On August 18, the Soviet army was already approaching the industrial and administrative centers of Manchuria, they were trying to prevent the enemy from destroying material values. On August 19, in the Land of the Rising Sun, they realized that they could not see victory as their own ears, they began to surrender en masse. Japan was forced to capitulate. On August 2, 1945, the World War completely and finally ended when the Act of Unconditional Surrender of Japan was signed.

Instrument of Surrender

September, 1945, aboard the USS Missouri, this is where Japan's Unconditional Surrender Act was signed. On behalf of their states, the document was signed by:

• Japanese Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu.
• Chief of Staff Yoshijiro Umezu.
• American army general
• Lieutenant General of the Soviet Union Kuzma Derevianko.
• Admiral of the British Flotilla Bruce Fraser.

In addition to them, during the signing of the act, representatives of China, France, Australia, the Netherlands and New Zealand were present.

It can be said that the Act of Unconditional Surrender of Japan was signed in the city of Kure. This was the last region, after the bombing of which the Japanese government decided to surrender. Some time later, a battleship appeared in Tokyo Bay.

The essence of the document

According to the resolutions approved in the document, Japan fully accepted the terms of the Potsdam Declaration. The sovereignty of the country was limited to the islands of Honshu, Kyushu, Shikoku, Hokkaido and other smaller islands of the Japanese archipelago. The islands of Habomai, Shikotan, Kunashir were ceded to the Soviet Union.

Japan was to cease all hostilities, release prisoners of war and other foreign soldiers imprisoned during the war, and preserve civilian and military property without damage. Also, Japanese officials had to obey the decrees of the Supreme Command of the Allied States.

In order to be able to monitor the implementation of the terms of the Surrender Act, the USSR, the USA and Great Britain decided to create the Far Eastern Commission and the Allied Council.

The meaning of war

So ended one of the history of mankind. Japanese generals were convicted of military offenses. On May 3, 1946, a military tribunal began its work in Tokyo, which tried those responsible for preparing the Second World War. Those who wanted to seize foreign lands at the cost of death and enslavement appeared before the people's court.

The battles of World War II claimed about 65 million human lives. The biggest losses were suffered by the Soviet Union, which took the brunt. Signed in 1945, the Act of Japan's unconditional surrender can be called a document that sums up the results of a protracted, bloody and senseless battle.

The result of these battles was the expansion of the borders of the USSR. Fascist ideology was condemned, war criminals were punished, and the United Nations was created. A pact was signed on the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and a ban on their creation.

The influence of Western Europe declined markedly, the United States managed to maintain and strengthen its position in the international economic market, and the victory of the USSR over fascism gave the country the opportunity to maintain independence and follow the chosen path of life. But this was all achieved at too high a price.

ACT OF UNCONDITIONAL SURPRISE OF JAPAN
Signed on September 2, 1945 in Tokyo Bay aboard the American battleship Missouri, on behalf of the emperor and the government of Japan, Foreign Minister M. Shigemitsu and General Y. Umezu (on behalf of the General Staff), and on behalf of all allied nations that were at war with Japan: Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces, General D. MacArthur (USA) and from the USSR - Lieutenant General K. N. Derevyanko. The signing of the Japanese Surrender Act meant the victory of the anti-Hitler coalition and the end of the Second World War of 1939-1945.

Japanese Surrender Act

/Extract/

1. We, acting on the orders and in the name of the Emperor, the Japanese Government and the Japanese Imperial General Staff, hereby accept the terms of the Declaration issued on July 26 at Potsdam by the Heads of Government of the United States, China and Great Britain, subsequently acceded to by the Soviet Union, which four Powers shall later known as the Allied Powers.

2. We hereby declare the unconditional surrender to the Allied Powers of the Japanese Imperial General Staff, all Japanese military forces and all military forces under Japanese control, no matter where they are located.

3. We hereby order all Japanese troops, wherever located, and the Japanese people to cease hostilities immediately, to preserve and prevent damage to all ships, aircraft and other military and civilian property, and to comply with all demands that may be made by the supreme Commander of the Allied Powers or organs of the Japanese government on his instructions.

4. We hereby order the Japanese Imperial General Staff to immediately issue orders to the commanders of all Japanese troops and troops under Japanese control, wherever located, to surrender unconditionally in person, and also to secure the unconditional surrender of all troops under their command.

6. We hereby undertake that the Japanese Government and its successors will honestly carry out the terms of the Potsdam Declaration, issue such orders and take such actions as the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers or any other representative appointed by the Allied Powers, in order to implement this declaration, requires.

8. The authority of the Emperor and the Japanese Government to govern the State shall be subordinated to the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers, who shall take such steps as he deems necessary to carry out these conditions of surrender.

Potsdam Declaration 1945, July 26

POTSDAM DECLARATION 1945- a declaration containing a demand for the unconditional surrender of Japan - one of the participants in the fascist bloc in the 2nd World War of 1939-1945; published in Potsdam on July 26 during the Potsdam Conference of 1945 on behalf of the heads of government of Great Britain, the United States and China, who were at war with Japan. The Potsdam Declaration, which was an ultimatum, provided for: the elimination of the power and influence of the militarists in Japan; occupation of Japanese territory; fulfillment of the Declaration of the Governments of the USA, Great Britain and China, adopted at the Cairo Conference of 1943, and the limitation of Japan's sovereignty to the islands of Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, Shikoku; punishment of war criminals; removal of all obstacles to the revival and strengthening of democratic traditions in the country, the transfer of the Japanese economy to a peaceful track, etc. The declaration demanded that the Japanese government immediately proclaim the surrender of all Japanese armed forces. The leaders of the United States, Great Britain and China declared that they would not deviate from the terms of surrender. Establishing the need for the occupation of Japanese territory, the authors of the Potsdam Declaration simultaneously declared that the Allied occupation troops would be withdrawn from Japan as soon as a series of demilitarization measures were implemented in that country and a peaceful and responsible government was established in accordance with the freely expressed will of the Japanese people.

Statement by the Heads of Government of the United States, the United Kingdom and China

(Potsdam Declaration)

1. We, the President of the United States, the President of the National Government of the Republic of China, and the Prime Minister of Great Britain, representing hundreds of millions of our compatriots, have conferred and agreed that Japan should be given the opportunity to end this war.

2. The vast land, sea, and air forces of the United States, the British Empire, and China, reinforced many times over by their troops and air fleets from the West, were prepared to deliver the final blows to Japan. This military power is supported and inspired by the determination of all allied nations to wage war against Japan until she ceases her resistance.

3. The result of Germany's fruitless and senseless resistance to the might of the risen free peoples of the world is presented with terrible clarity as an example to the people of Japan. The mighty forces that are now approaching Japan are immeasurably greater than those which, when applied to the resisting Nazis, naturally devastated the lands, destroyed industry and disrupted the way of life of the entire German people. The full use of our military force, backed by our determination, will mean the inevitable and final destruction of the Japanese armed forces, the equally inevitable complete devastation of the Japanese metropolis.

4. The time has come for Japan to decide whether she will continue to be under the rule of those stubborn militaristic advisers whose unreasonable calculations have brought the Japanese empire to the brink of annihilation, or whether she will follow the path of reason.

5. Below are our terms and conditions. We will not back down from them. There is no choice. We will not tolerate any delay.

6. The power and influence of those who deceived and misled the people of Japan, forcing them to follow the path of world conquest, must be forever eliminated, for we firmly believe that a new order of peace, security and justice will be impossible as long as irresponsible militarism will not be expelled from the world.

7. Until such a new order is established, and until there is conclusive proof that Japan's ability to wage war has been destroyed, the points on Japanese territory which the Allies will designate will be occupied in order to ensure the implementation of the main goals that we set out here.

8. The terms of the Cairo Declaration will be fulfilled and Japanese sovereignty will be limited to the islands of Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, Shikoku and such smaller islands as we indicate.

9. The Japanese armed forces, after they are disarmed, will be allowed to return to their homes with the opportunity to lead a peaceful and working life.

10. We do not want the Japanese to be enslaved as a race or destroyed as a nation, but all war criminals, including those who have committed atrocities against our prisoners, must be severely punished. The Japanese government must remove all obstacles to the revival and strengthening of democratic tendencies among the Japanese people. Freedom of speech, religion and thought will be established, as well as respect for basic human rights.

11. Japan will be allowed to have an industry that will support her economy and collect just reparations in kind, but not those industries that will allow her to arm herself again for war. For these purposes, access to raw materials will be allowed, as opposed to control over them. Eventually, Japan will be allowed to participate in world trade relations.

12. Allied occupying forces will be withdrawn from Japan as soon as these objectives are achieved and as soon as a peaceful and responsible government is established in accordance with the freely expressed will of the Japanese people.

13. We call on the Government of Japan to declare now the unconditional surrender of all Japanese military forces and to give proper and sufficient assurances of their good intentions in this matter. Otherwise, Japan will face a quick and complete defeat.