Preparing the Postwar Occupation: Insights from General Eichelberger's Diary

For most of the past 35 years that I have spent in Japan, I have been researching various aspects of the Allied Occupation (1945-1952) following the end of World War II. There are arguments from both the Right and Left about the achievements, excesses, and failings of the United States-centric postwar occupation. However, most people would agree that the unprecedented administration was overall, generally successful in restoring peace and prosperity to Japan and allowing it to "lift itself," in the words of Douglas MacArthur, "... into a position of dignity."

One of the main reasons attributed to the success was the leadership of General MacArthur, the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers. As many people familiar with the military, as well as other organizations, realize, however, the success of a leader is often determined by the quality of his or her subordinates.

In this, MacArthur was very lucky to have many good men by his side during the early years of the occupation. One was Lieutenant General Robert L Eichelberger. A native of Urbana, Ohio, Eichelberger was the commanding general of the US 8th Army, which had occupation duties for eastern Japan and eventually all of Japan (after January 1946). MacArthur set the policies. Eichelberger, then 59 years old, and his troops helped implement them alongside their Japanese counterparts.

First of three parts

Follow the series, General Eichelberger's Diary

As part of my research over the years, I have become particularly interested in the less-well-known Eichelberger. He would probably have been named to replace the more flamboyant and media-savvy MacArthur, had the latter formally entered the 1948 American presidential race or stepped down as SCAP for other reasons.

Eichelberger was no sycophant and was very much aware of his boss's flaws. We know this from his wartime memoir. But we also have his regular letters home to his wife (Em), personal papers, and his unpublished diary, in addition to what other scholars and soldiers there in the combat zones have written.

As a political and diplomatic historian, I have been working with his very detailed diary concerning the occupation years. Officially, that began with the surrender ceremony in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945.

Here, however, as we observe the 80^th anniversary of the end of the war, I will introduce some early episodes from Eichelberger's diary. In three installments, let Eichelberger take us from the day Japan accepted the Potsdam Declaration to the surrender ceremony, two and a half weeks later. 

Rather than narrating the story, I will let Eichelberger speak for himself, which is easy because he kept a detailed, daily diary. It suggests how fluid the situation was, but it did not read as if it was chaotic, a situation I would have expected.

The descriptions in these installments were written from the Philippines, Okinawa, and Yokohama, respectively. They are not the full entry for the day. Simply, I selected the most relevant parts. Similarly, not every day is included. Instead, I focused on the daily entries I felt were the most interesting or insightful.

Excerpts follow.

General Eichelberger: From the Philippines

August 14, 1945 (Tuesday) 

…Spent morning in camp in general preparation for departure tomorrow. Report received early in day that Japanese acceptance of surrender terms had been forwarded to Switzerland. No Allied confirmation was received during day.

Went at 1030 to station WVTK and made recording of V-J Day speech as well as personal recording to Mrs Eichelberger. Afternoon was spent in camp. Plans for moving Eighth Army Headquarters into Japan being changed almost hourly. During the day the plan was for a waterborne movement…

August 15, 1945 (Wednesday)

…The official the end of the war was made at 0800 (Philippine time). 

General [Frank S] Bowen revealed that the latest plan calls for a Japanese envoy to come to Manila for final plans at which time stipulations will be delivered calling for the measures to be taken in the Tokyo area. A date will be set with this envoy at which time the formal surrender will take place in Tokyo Bay with General MacArthur aboard the [USS] Missouri. 

The advance echelon of the Eighth Army Headquarters along with other prescribed units will be moved by air from Okinawa at a date to be set later. The 11th Airborne and 27th Divisions will move by air and not by water as previously planned… General MacArthur's appointment as Supreme Allied Commander of Japan announced today… 

Talked with [Lieutenant General] George [C] Kenney [Commanding General, Far East Air Forces] on the phone. He is anxious to see me to discuss the details of where we want to go in Tokyo. He says he cannot get anyone to talk territory. He says, for example, if the bridges are out you don't want to get yourself isolated. I told him I would have to know what parts he had not destroyed before I could say where I wanted to go. Promised to see him in the morning. 

Talked to [General] Willoughby about interpreters. He will send me two tomorrow.

August 15, 1945, at 5 PM (Wednesday)

Saw [General] MacArthur at 5 PM. He was quite happy… I told him this was his big day. He said he wants to send in a few paratroops and perhaps a battalion of infantry, then he and I go in. 

"I want to live in the Palace in Tokyo or if not there, the Imperial Hotel. You are going to command the troops, and I want to get someplace where I can yell 'Bob' and get you in a moment." He said, "I have tried to radio them in Tokyo but can get no answer. I have informed them I am leaving a certain circuit open for their use. [And] I have told Washington I can get no answer from them." 

I asked him if he would still go in the Missouri and he said he would fly up and have the Missouri near the dock. He said we might be there three or four days before the final signing takes place. I told him I would be in Manila from now on until we leave. He said, "Well, Bob, we have licked them. It doesn't seem possible, it has finally happened." I expressed my appreciation that he expects to use me for the important move...

August 18, 1945 (Saturday)

…A memorandum was prepared and dispatched to [General] MacArthur and other principal staff members of [General Headquarters] recommending that the advance echelon of the higher headquarters going in…should not try to settle immediately in Tokyo but should locate their initial [Command Post] in the Kamakura area where there is a much better chance that facilities will be in working order and so on. 

It is understood this recommendation has received favorable comment from many quarters…

August 20, 1945 (Monday)

…Many of my predictions were borne out in the testimony [of Imperial Japanese military representatives who had arrived in Manila the day before]. To wit: Tokyo, in the words of one Jap who spoke some English, was "shot to hell." 

Part of the Sagami Wan coast has been battered badly. The area into which it has been decided to take the SCAP and other higher headquarters, ie, Kamakura, is 80% intact. The Jap soldier is not fully sold on the surrender. [And] the Japanese claimed they were not prepared to discuss the surrender in detail but were under the impression their presence was merely to arrange an armistice. They have asked that the task of disarming the Japanese armies be left in their hands. 

Their attitude is definitely not one of a defeated nation but they regard defeat as a setback and nothing more. As a result of the conversations the landing date has been postponed from the 25th to the 28th. It has been agreed that the forces landing on that day, both air and seaborne, shall be in the guise merely of security troops for the presence of the SCAP. 

The surrender will be signed on the 31st in Tokyo Bay aboard a battleship. When that is accomplished the occupation troops will come ashore....

August 23, 1945

…President [of the Philippines Sergio] Osmeña was very gracious and told me that he had asked [General] MacArthur to leave me in command of the American forces in the Philippines on the departure of GHQ but General MacArthur had said I was to go forward to Japan with him. I expressed the earnest wish that President Osmeña would be blessed with all success and that the Philippines would reach a state of economic prosperity shortly…

Next Step

Soon after meeting the Philippine president, Eichelberger departed Nichols Field at 5 AM on August 25 for Okinawa to coordinate the arrival of forces prior to the surrender ceremony.

Continues in Part 2: Preparing the Postwar Occupation from Okinawa: Eichelberger's Diary

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Reviewed by: Robert D Eldridge, PhD

Dr Eldridge is a former political advisor to the US Marine Corps in Japan and author of numerous books on Japanese political and diplomatic history.