Japanese surrender in WW2

[Helm]

  I just meet a veteran who claimed that the Japanese surrender  in Tokyo Bay was a farce?

  He claims that the actual surrender occured on a a small island near Borneo.  I'm not good on remembering names I think he said Victoria bay/harbour?

  He claimed the reason for this was the Allies were not sure if the Tokyo meeting was a trap and that the Japanese would attack with kamikasies?
 
 Is this true? ....or is this guy pulling my leg?


Helm ...out

[Widewing]

  I just meet a veteran who claimed that the Japanese surrender  in Tokyo Bay was a farce?

  He claims that the actual surrender occured on a a small island near Borneo.  I'm not good on remembering names I think he said Victoria bay/harbour?

  He claimed the reason for this was the Allies were not sure if the Tokyo meeting was a trap and that the Japanese would attack with kamikasies?
 
 Is this true? ....or is this guy pulling my leg?

I'm afraid it is nonsense...  For the time line leading to the signing of the surrender, click on the link below.

http://www.ibiblio.org/pha/war.term/093_03.html


My regards,

Widewing

[Helm]

Thank you so much wide!



Helm ...out

[Rich46yo]

  I just meet a veteran who claimed that the Japanese surrender  in Tokyo Bay was a farce?

  He claims that the actual surrender occured on a a small island near Borneo.  I'm not good on remembering names I think he said Victoria bay/harbour?

  He claimed the reason for this was the Allies were not sure if the Tokyo meeting was a trap and that the Japanese would attack with kamikasies?
 
 Is this true? ....or is this guy pulling my leg?


Helm ...out

He's pulling your leg. Truth is elements of the Emperors staff were negotiating surrender for months prior to the actual surrender.

The first actual American troops to land in Japan was at the end of August. Before the ceremonial end on 2 Sept.

It is true that some Allies feared a trap but Douglas MacArthur laughed at any notion the Japanese would actually defy their emperor. In the end he was right.

[spit16nooby]

They were worried about it but I do not think they took it as a serious threat.  That is why they sent the Missouri in instead of a fleet carrier for them to sign their surrender on.

[angelsandair]

They were worried about it but I do not think they took it as a serious threat.  That is why they sent the Missouri in instead of a fleet carrier for them to sign their surrender on.

But they also had a crud-load of planes flying over head when the surrender was signed IIRC.

[Helm]

It is true that some Allies feared a trap but Douglas MacArthur laughed at any notion the Japanese would actually defy their emperor. In the end he was right.

Very interesting.


Helm ...out

[Helm]

They were worried about it but I do not think they took it as a serious threat.  That is why they sent the Missouri in instead of a fleet carrier for them to sign their surrender on.

The old Mighty Mo' would have been tuff for them to sink, and I guess was more expendable then a CV. 


Helm ...out

[WWhiskey]

i can't seem to find the story about the p-38 pilot that excepted the first token of surrender i.e. a sword from the base commander of a small Japanese field!

[Rich46yo]

Very interesting.


Helm ...out

MacArthur spent most of his career in Asia. He realized that Hirohito to the Japanese was like Jesus Christ to Christians and while they might make a lot of threats and bluff a lot in order to save face in the end they would never act against their Emperor.

Thats why MacArthur entered Japan with such a small contingent of forces. He had already made a secret pact with Hirohito that he would protect the royal family from disgrace and knew because of that his safety was assured. He also knew that the Japanese would also respect his utter lack of fear of entering the country as a, what amounted to, a foreign Shogun.

At Potsdam the fate of the Japanese royal family was strangely left out wasnt it? During our vicious bombing campaign of the Japanese mainland we did not target Japanese cultural treasures, or, the Royal family grounds in Tokyo. All of these were concious signals to Hirohito.

Especially since Hirohito and his Uncle, Asaka, were both guilty as hell of war crimes. Most of all the rape of Nanking. Crimes they were never prosecuted for btw. That was the price for enlisting the Royal family in creating a Democratic bastion in Japan for the coming war against communism.

Anyhoo....a little background.