August 12, 1945; Allies Reply to Japan

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, AUGUST 12, 1945:
(See below for a short Synopsis pf the rise and fall of Japan)

 

RENO, NEVADA, SUNDAY MORNING. AUGUST 12. 1945

 

Full Text Of U. S. Reply

WASHINGTON, Aug. 11. (UP)—Text of U. S. reply to the Swiss government!

August I I , 1945

Sir:

I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your note of Aug. .10, and in reply to inform you that the president of the United States has directed me to send to you for transmission by your government to the Japanese government the following message on behalf of the governments of the United States, the United Kingdom, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and China:

"With regard to the Japanese government's message accepting the terms of the Potsdam proclamation but containing the statement, 'With the understanding that the said declaration does not compromise any demand which prejudices the prerogatives of His Majesty as a sovereign ruler,'

our position is as follows:
"From the moment of surrender the authority of the emperor and the Japanese government to rule the state shall be subject to the supreme commander of the Allied powers who will take such steps as he deems proper to effectuate the surrender terms.

"The emperor will be required to authorize and ensure the signature by the government of Japan and the Japanese Imperial general headquarters of the surrender terms necessary to carry out the provisions of the Potsdam declaration, and shall issue his commands to all the Japanese military, naval and air authorities and to all the forces under their control wherever located to cease active operations and to surrender their arms, and to issue such other orders as the supreme commander may require to give effect to the surrender terms.

"Immediately upon the surrender the Japanese government shall transport prisoners of war and civilian internees to places of safety, as directed, where they can quickly be placed aboard Allied transports.

"The ultimate form of government of Japan shall, in accordance with the Potsdam declaration, be established by the freely expressed will of the Japanese people.

"The armed forces of the Allied powers will remain in Japan until the purposes set forth in the Potsdam declaration are achieved."

Accent. Sjr^tb.«^ejiey*dLj|»>uei|ic«».«f mjfjjsidbtMt consideration,

 

JAMES F. BYRNES,

                Secretary of State.

To Mr. Max Grassli, charge d'affaires ad interim of Switzerland.

 

Guns Roar As Fighting Resumes

THIRD FLEET,

AIR FORCE GO
INTO ACTION

New Kind of Atomic
Bombs Ready
For Use

GUAM, Sunday, Aug. 12. (UP)—

The military offensive against Japan was resumed in full strength today in support of a Big Four demand for unconditional surrender and Fleet Adm. Chester W Nimitz disclosed that the Third fleet's two-day assault against northern Honshu had destroyed or damaged at least 711 enemy planes and 94 ships

American forces pressed the war as the Japanese government was told it and the emperor of Japan must submit to the domination of | an Allied supreme commander as a price of peace Fourteen Japanese w a r s h i p s were sunk or damaged in the Thursday-Friday action w h i c h may have been the last, sea-borne assault against the empire by the world's mightiest naval force.

New Bombs

While Japan pondered the Big Four reply to the Japanese bid for peace, the U. S. high command announced that a new type of atomic bomb—even more devastating than the first one used to destroy -Hiroshima—was being held in readiness for possible further disintegration attacks against Japanese cities.

 

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 SUNDAY TIMES, JOHANNESBURG, TRANSVAAL, AUGUST 12, 1945.

 

RAPID RISE AND FALL OF

THE JAPANESE EMPIRE

Nation That Turned On Its

European Mentors

JAPAN'S admission of complete and humiliating defeat is now only a formality.

It is her first defeat since the American naval officer Perry awakened the isolated island nation in 1853 and set it off on the ambition, course of Empire-

Japan built slowly and patiently at first. Her victory in the Sino-Japanese war of 1894-5 gained her Korea. She became a world power by her success in the Russo-Japanese war of 1904-5. Japan was befriended by all the European nations. Germany taught her how to organise her armies. Her navy was modelled on the British navy. The Netherlands gave her battleships. From America she learnt industrial efficiency and mass production.