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

As part of my research over the years, I have become particularly interested in Lieutenant General Robert L Eichelberger.  commander of the United States Eighth Army. Eichelberger was in charge of the occupation forces during the first three years of the Allied Occupation of Japan. He was also a key figure in arranging the arrival of these forces prior to the surrender ceremony in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945.

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

Second of three parts

Follow the series, General Eichelberger's Diary

This installment was written from Okinawa. Rather than include the full entry for each day, I simply 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 in Okinawa

August 25, 1945 (Saturday)

…Landed at Kadena strip at 1000...I first went to visit Generao [Joseph W] Stilwell at 10th Army headquarters. After that we went to the Ryukyus Guest House which is run by the Island Command and consists of a series of Quonset huts made up into quarters for visitors…

Later a brief conference was held with General [Joseph M] Swing of the 11th Airborne and [Commanding] General William O] Ryan [Pacific Division,] Air Transport Command present. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss with the 5th Air Force their belief that it was impossible to unload C-54s at the rate claimed by 11th Airborne. 

Since General [Ennis C] Whitehead [of the 5th Air Force] withdrew from his position before the time of the meeting he was not present. General Ryan explained to me the difficulties he has been caused by the 5th Air Force who have been utilizing the ATC C-54s as cargo trucks to move their headquarters from Manila to Okinawa. 

It was decided that a memo would be issued to General Whitehead calling to his attention the fact that Blacklist [the name of the operation to occupy Japan proper and Korea after surrender or collapse] makes no provision whatever for the introduction of fighter cover into the Tokyo area and that [Chief of Staff to General Douglas MacArthur] General [Richard K] Sutherland stated to me that General [George C] Kenney [Commanding General, Far East Air Forces] had been instructed to conform strictly to the Blacklist Plan. 

It is thought that such a memo will cause General Whitehead to forego his apparent idea of taking the 5th Air Force in on Y-Day in toto..... A news announcement heard in the evening indicated that a 48-hour delay would be encountered in Y-Day because of bad weather in the Tokyo area…

August 26, 1945 (Sunday)

Last night's radio announcement was confirmed — the operation will be delayed 48 hours, bad weather being the reason….. 

Received the press in the lounge of the Ryukyus Guest House at 0830, with an attendance of about 40, including such old friends Frank Robertson [International News Service], Carl Mydans [Life], Clark Lee [International News Service], and Frank Filan [Associated Press]. I spent the conference by first requesting that I not be quoted, then briefing the correspondents rather thoroughly on the plan and the subsequent expansions from the initial airhead. 

Many questions were asked and answered concerning treatment of war criminals, establishment of military government, and the relationship between our forces and the Japanese Government. The only complaint registered by the correspondents was the fact that no newsmen are permitted to go in with the scouting party who will land at Atsugi two days before the 11th Airborne. I explained to them that this was a matter over which we have no jurisdiction. 

The meeting broke up at about 1000... At about 1115, visited General Swing's headquarters for lunch, following which I inspected one battalion of the 11th Airborne and visited throughout the 11th Airborne area…Prepared press statement for release on landing in Japan and dispatched to GHQ in evening.

August 27, 1945 (Monday)

…A staff meeting was held at the advance [Command Post] of the Eighth Army during which the plan of handling the airborne group at Atsugi was discussed. 

Roughly, the plan assumes the availability of Japanese truck transportation. If this is available the billeting group will arrive in the first plane and will contact…the advance party. They will then proceed with guides and under guard to the Fujisawa-Kamakura district. A relay point will be established, probably at Fujisawa, and part of the billeting party will remain there. 

The remainder will go into the billeting area to select sites for General MacArthur, General Eichelberger, and General Sutherland. 

A rallying point will be established at Atsugi Field and each plane carrying Eighth Army personnel will be contacted as it arrives and the rallying point identified to them. Guides will then work from the rallying point to the relaying point at Fujisawa and distribution and assignment made in that way. 

If truck transportation is not available the entire group of GHQ [General Headquarters], FEAF [Far East Air Forces], and 8/A [Eighth Army] will set up in the vicinity of the airfield until such transportation is made available by the arrival of the 1st Cavalry Division on l September. 

During the day an urgent radio was received advising that the operation will not be delayed because of the delay of the peace proceedings. This could be interpreted as an answer to the Japanese refusal to provide truck transportation. 

It means substantially that "occupation forces" have been landed prior to the final surrender, in contravention to the agreement made at Manila between the Allies and the Japanese envoys. The Japanese have been informed of this intention...

August 28, 1945 (Tuesday)

…Was interviewed by two representatives of "Yank" magazine between 0800 and 0900.

Left at 0930 for a 3-hour tour of the battle areas on Okinawa, returning to my quarters at noontime for lunch. On arriving back from the Okinawa battlefields I had an early lunch and then rested most of the afternoon. 

At 1600 I visited…the 27th Station Hospital where I spent about an hour. On returning I received my dinner guests consisting of General Stilwell and his Chief of Staff, General [Frank D] Merrill…

August 29, 1945 (Wednesday)

…There was a meeting held in the lounge at 0830 at which Generals, Swing, Whitehead and [George W] Griner [of the 27th Division], and various staff members were present. General Swing had arrived previously with the complaint that information had reached him to the effect that General MacArthur's arrival time [at Atsugi] would be 1000 on the 30th. This would preclude his having more than a battalion on the ground when the B C arrived. This matter was threshed out at the meeting and it was decided to let it go. Later in the day it developed that General MacArthur would not arrive until 1400 which helped the situation somewhat. 

Throughout this meeting it was apparent that General Whitehead clearly realized that he controlled the air movement and intended to do so. The meeting finally broke up at 1000 and after that I had a long talk with Russell Brines and at 1100 with Bill Dunn of NBC.…

I went to Yontan airstrip where we met General MacArthur on his arrival at 1345… During the day word was received that the advance party had been given fine treatment by the Japanese, that the airstrip was in good condition and was well guarded by a battalion of Japanese marines armed only with nightsticks. 

The Japanese have recommended that the Hayama area not be used for billets and that search be made in the Yokohama district for these. However a survey of the Hayama-Kamakura-Fujisawa district was directed and [the advance team] will have a report when we arrive at Atsugi.... 

Various members of the GHQ staff kept arriving all day and the dining room was full for the evening meal.

Next Step

The following day, Eichelberger and the group departed Okinawa for Atsugi.

Continues in Part 3 on the Occupation of Japan from General Eichelberger's Diary

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• Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth Needs a To-Do List For Japan

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.