Profile photo for Hantani Sadahiko
Hantani Sadahiko
·
Follow
Lives in Japan (1967–present)Mar 21
Did the Japanese like MacArthur?
1945 (1945) On September 27, Emperor Showa visited Douglas MacArthur for
a press conference.[1]

September 27 10:00 AM. A car carrying Emperor Showa in a top hat and
formal morning attire went under the gate of the American ambassador's
residence.

MacArthur is not seen at the entrance of the residence, and two
lieutenants greet him.

There was a photo shoot before the conference started.

MacArthur wrote in his memoirs:

"The Emperor's story was as follows. "I am the only one responsible for
all the decisions and actions of the Japanese people, both political and
military, in the conduct of the war. I am here to entrust myself to the
ruling of the Allied Powers you represent." -- a great sensation shook
me. I was deeply moved by his willingness to accept responsibility for
death, a responsibility which, as far as I knew, clearly should not be
attributed to the Emperor. I thought that the emperor in front of me was
the best gentleman in Japan, even as a human being." (MacArthur Memoirs,
1963)

In addition, the next day, Grand Chamberlain Fujita looked over a memo
of the Emperor's remarks that was compiled by an interpreter who was
accompanying him at that time. Fujita wrote in his memoirs:.

"... His Majesty conveyed to General MacArthur the following meaning:.
"Many responsibilities are being pursued for the war that resulted in
defeat, but I am fully responsible. They are not responsible because
they are my appointees. I don't care what happens to me. I'll leave it
to you. Above all, I would like to ask for the assistance of the Allies
so that the people do not have difficulties in their lives."

When he expressed his determination to sacrifice himself for the people,
Tenjin's revelation seemed to deeply move General MacArthur.

"I think it is unprecedented in the history of the world that the head
of a defeated country once said these words. I would like to thank your
Majesty. His Majesty has been instrumental in helping both the
occupation forces and the demobilization of the Japanese army. In
carrying out the occupation policy from now on, we will have to ask for
the Emperor's help. Thank you in advance." said MacArthur ("Memoirs of
the Grand Chamberlain," Naonori FUJITA, 1961).

The meeting was originally scheduled to last 15 minutes, but it lasted
as long as 35 minutes. After the meeting, MacArthur's attitude toward
the Emperor changed completely. Impressed, he changed his schedule and
went to the entrance to see Emperor Showa off. It was a sign of
MacArthur's greatest favor.

Footnotes

[1] マッカーサーを感動させた、昭和天皇のお覚悟と天真の流露
8.3K viewsView 71 upvotesView 2 shares
4 comments from
Tom Ryugo
and more

Tom Ryugo
· 10h ago
It was said that many Japanese were in awe of MacArthur. They would also
be grateful to MacArthur because when MacArthur saw people going hungry
and men prostituting wives to US soldiers just to have some money for
food, he ordered the Army warehouses stuffed with supplies opened up and
the food distributed among the Japanese citizens. When that food ran
out, MacArthur sent telegrams to Washington demanding more food and said
either send more food or send more bullets because I’ll need them to put
down food riots. Washington sent the food.

Then, when Truman fired MacArthur in 1951, many Japanese were shocked
because they couldn’t conceive of a man as powerful as MacArthur was
being summarily dismissed.

John Kessler
· 15h ago
Wait a minute…I thought the WW2 Emperor of Japan was Hirohito.

Hantani Sadahiko
· 15h ago
The Emperor will be called by a different name after his death. The name
of the Emperor Showa is Hirohito, but he will be called the Emperor
Showa after his death.

Profile photo for Danny De Leon
Danny De Leon
· Wed
for all the HATERS and nay sayers….now boys and girls …wait for it…the
end of ww2 pacific theater would could not ended the way it did without
him…l have never heard whatsoever of any other officer that would of
been able to what he did…American Shogun not american cesear , how you
ever heard of any candidate for that job seriously..l think not there is
a rumor that sec.of state remarked appointing the general having the
effect of one god answering to another …japanese history of government
is colored with a deep respect for authority…no other american general
other then MacArthur had personal integrity intelligence forsight and
aura ……with over 2 milllion men under arms never surrendering fighting
to last man practically trained high schoolers and aged in defense of
homeland…when the general’s plane arrived he ORDERED that no personell
was to carry any weapon or side arm