It struck him that they were on patrol, and that he was a few hundred miles from Japan, on an island jammed full of targets. He wondered if the next planes he saw or heard would be Japs and shuddered.
Chapter 14
It occurred to Joseph Grew, the former ambassador to Japan, that an assassin with a bomb could force the United States to end the war simply by killing the people who were now staring at him in some expectation.
In the Oval Office along with President Truman and Secretary of State Byrnes were Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal and Secretary of War Henry Stimson. Directly representing the military were General Marshall and Admirals Leahy and King.
"I have asked Ambassador Grew to talk to us today to help us put the Japanese situation in perspective," Truman began. "You will recall that Mr. Grew served as ambassador to Japan from 1932 until that fateful month of December 1941. Along with his staff and their families, they were exchanged for the Japanese ambassador and their staff and returned to the United States in early 1942."
Grew nodded. "First, let me say that my own opinions are not particularly in total favor at State." He glanced at Byrnes, who smiled slightly and nodded for him to go on.
"I learned to love the Japanese people and their culture during my almost nine years as ambassador. I found the ordinary people to be gentle and friendly. However, a few, primarily some of those in the military, have proven capable of the most bestial cruelties to their fellow man, and that includes their own fellow Japanese. In my opinion, this war should be ended by negotiations and we should forswear the idea of forcing the Japanese to accept unconditional surrender. To do anything else will only extend the bloodshed needlessly."
It was a paradox in Truman's administration that the State Department, led by Byrnes and Dean Acheson, was pressing for unconditional surrender and the bloodshed that would ensue as a result of that policy, while the military wanted a negotiated peace that abandoned the position of unconditional surrender and, thus, eliminated the need for an invasion. Truman thought it surprising that, in this regard, his generals and admirals were far less warlike than the diplomats.
"We appreciate your candor," Truman said. "Now please proceed."
Grew reminded them that the Japanese archipelago, referred to as the home islands, consisted of four larger islands and hundreds of smaller ones. The island chain ran from the southwest near Korea and northeast toward Siberia and extended for more than twelve hundred miles. Honshu was by far the largest of the islands, and all were hilly and rugged, which forced much of the population into a number of crowded cities. A great deal of the land was not suitable for farming, although the Japanese had incredible ingenuity regarding agriculture. They grew a large quantity of their food, primarily rice, and they also fished extensively in the surrounding waters.
"The islands are warmed by four currents coming from the south. This results in a climate that is astonishingly mild and temperate."
"And that could mean several growing seasons, couldn't it?" Truman inquired. As a Missourian, he knew a bit about farming.
"In some instances, yes. Which is why, despite our bombings and blockades, there has been no starvation. Severe food rationing, yes, but no starvation. At least not yet.
"Over time, the remoteness of the Japanese islands insulated the people from the activities on the mainland so that they developed a concept of uniqueness. That uniqueness resulted in the Japanese thinking of themselves as a master race. That idea on their part predates the Nazis by centuries."
King interrupted, "Then how the hell did the Japs get in bed with Hitler? What would have happened if the Axis had won the war? After all, you can't have two master races on one planet, can you?"
Grew smiled at the thought. "God only knows. For the short run, they probably would have divided up the world between them; but, in the long haul, I'm certain they would have fought for each other's portion.
"One other thing," Grew added. "They hate being called Japs. They vastly prefer the word Japanese. Jap is a term they consider an insult. It's almost like referring to them as niggers."
King laughed hugely. "Well, ain't that too goddamn bad. They should've thought of that before they started this war."
Grew continued, "Gentlemen, in Japan we have a military-ruled society that considers itself superior to other races and nations and is destined to rule the world. Japan considers any other peoples to be inferior to them, and that includes other Asian and yellow-skinned people as well as whites and blacks. They define the Chinese as barbarians, and the Koreans they control are virtually enslaved. The Okinawans are considered second-class citizens, as are several peoples of the islands north of Japan.
"When Japan took Formosa in 1895 and Korea in 1910, they were profoundly shocked when the inhabitants of those lands wouldn't see things their way. This caused the Japanese to react harshly to this inconceivable situation. It is consistent with how they later behaved in Manchuria, the Philippines, China, and elsewhere. They are baffled and infuriated when someone disputes what they religiously feel is their right of primacy in a world destined by God to be Japanese."
"Jesus," muttered Byrnes.
"Indeed. Those in charge will not- can not- surrender even though they have been defeated in every definition of the term, and even though they know it. The code of Bushido is sworn to by every officer in the army and navy. In it he promises to never retreat or surrender. If he does surrender, he is considered dead by his family and government. If a surrendered Japanese soldier should ever be repatriated, he expects to be executed; thus, many of them are quite willing to fight to the death once death is an inevitability.
"They are a little more pragmatic about retreating. It is recognized as a part of maneuvering and it is an accepted virtue for a commander to save his men for another day. We've all noted that the Japanese fight to the last man only when there is nowhere else for them to retreat to. But a defeated general will often commit suicide in his shame at having failed his code and his emperor.
"In our recent announcements, we offered to let the Japanese keep their emperor subject to the wishes of the Japanese people, required that Japan be occupied by us, and further required that alleged war criminals be tried by us and, if found guilty, punished. Those officers, those modern samurai who consider themselves descended from medieval warriors and who follow Bushido, simply cannot do this. In fact, they cannot even comprehend what we are talking about. We tell them they must surrender unconditionally when they are not allowed to surrender at all. As to surrendering unconditionally, I'm not certain the concept even translates into their language.
"They also feel our terms desecrate the emperor. After all, how can the emperor be subject to the will of the Japanese people when he owns them? Although very much a figurehead, Hirohito is titular owner of every person and every piece of property in Japan.
"Additionally, the occupation of Japan by us is unthinkable according to Bushido. As to them being tried by us for war crimes, that too is inconceivable because they do not feel they have committed any crimes. How can living according to the code of Bushido, and aiding in the destiny of the master race, be any sort of a crime? Unthinkable. All of this goes to the essence of their fears: that Japan and her culture will disappear in the wake of an American victory."