EXCHANGE OF MESSAGES BETWEEN GENERAL MACARTHUR AND JAPANESE GENERAL HEADQUARTERS ON MANILA MEETING

August 15-19, 1945

United States Department of State Bulletin.

The following messages were sent to the Japanese Emperor, the Japanese Imperial Government, and the Japanese General Headquarters by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers:

[Aug. 15, 9:30 A.M.]

I have been designated as the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, the United States, the Republic of China, the United Kingdom, and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and empowered to arrange directly with the Japanese authorities for the cessation of hostilities at the earliest practicable date.

It is desired that a radio station in the Tokyo area be officially designated for continuous use in handling radio communications between this headquarters and your headquarters. Your reply to this message should give all signs, frequencies, and station designations.

It is desired that the radio communications with my headquarters in Manila be handled in English text. Pending designation by you of a station in the Tokyo area for use as above indicated, stations JUM, repeat JUM, on frequency 13,705, repeat 13,705, kilocycles, will be used for this purpose; and WTA, repeat WTA, Manila, will reply on 15,965, repeat 15,965, kilocycles.

Upon receipt of this message acknowledge.

MACARTHUR

[Aug. 15, 9:52 A.M.]

Pursuant to the acceptance of the terms of surrender of the Allied Powers by the Emperor of Japan, the Japanese Imperial Government, and the Japanese Imperial Headquarters, the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers hereby directs the immediate cessation of hostilities by the Japanese forces. The Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers is to be notified at once of the effective date and hour of such cessation of hostilities, whereupon the Allied forces will be directed to cease hostilities.

The Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers further directs the Japanese Imperial Government to send to his headquarters at Manila, Philippine Islands, a competent representative empowered to receive in the name of the Emperor of Japan, the Japanese Imperial Government, and the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters certain requirements for carrying into effect the terms of surrender. The above representative will present to the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers upon his arrival a document authenticated by the Emperor of Japan, empowering him to receive the requirements of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers.

The representative will be accompanied by competent advisers representing the Japanese Army, the Japanese Navy, and Japanese Air Forces. The latter adviser will be one thoroughly familiar with airdrome facilities in the Tokyo area.

Procedure for transport of the above party under safe-conduct is prescribed as follows: The party will travel in a Japanese airplane to an airdrome on the island of Ie Shima, from which point they will be transported to Manila, Philippine Islands, in a United States airplane. They will be-returned to Japan in the same manner. The party will employ an unarmed airplane, type Zero, model 22, L2, D3.

Such airplane will be painted all white and will bear upon the side of its fuselage and the top and bottom of each wing green crosses easily recognizable at 500 yards. The airplane will be capable of in-flight voice communications, in English, on a frequency of 6,970 kilocycles.

The airplane will proceed to an airdrome on the island of Ie Shima, identified by two white crosses prominently displayed in the center of the runway. The exact date and hour this airplane will depart from Sata Misaki, on the southern tip of Kyushu, the route and altitude of the flight, and estimated time of arrival in Ie Shima will be broadcast six hours in advance, in English, from Tokyo on a frequency of 16,125 kilocycles. Acknowledgment by radio from this headquarters of the receipt of such broadcast is required prior to take-off of the airplane. Weather permitting, the airplane will depart from Sata Misaki between the hours of 0800 and 1100 Tokyo time on the seventeenth day of August 1945. In communications regarding this flight, the code designation "Bataan" will be employed.

The airplane will approach Ie Shima on able course of 180 degrees and circle landing field at 1,000 feet or below the cloud layer until joined by an escort of United States Army P-38's which will lead it to able landing. Such escort may join the airplane prior to arrival at Ie Shima.

MACARTHUR

The Headquarters of General MacArthur received the following messages from the Japanese Government and Japanese General Headquarters:

[Received Aug. 16]

Are in receipt of the message of the United States Government transmitted to us through the Swiss Government and of a message from General MacArthur received by the Tokyo radiograph office and desire to make the following communication.

1. His Majesty, the Emperor, issued an imperial order at 1600 on August 16 to the entire armed forces to cease hostilities immediately.

2. It is presumed that said imperial order will reach the front line and produce full effect after the following lapse of time:

(a) In Japan proper-forty-eight hours;

(b) In China, Manchuria, Korea, and the southern regions, except Bougainville, New Guinea, and the Philippines-six days;

(c) In Bougainville-eight days;

(d) In New Guinea and the Philippines, in the case of various local headquarters-twelve days. But whether and when the order will be received by the first-line units is difficult to foresee.

3. With a view to making the August wish of His Majesty regarding the termination of the war and the above-mentioned Imperial Order thoroughly known to all concerned, members of the imperial family will be dispatched as personal representatives of His Majesty to the headquarters of the Kwantung Army, Expeditionary Forces in China and the forces of the southern regions respectively. The itinerary, type of aircraft markings, etc., will be communicated later. It is accordingly requested that safe-conduct for the above be granted.

4. As regards the request to dispatch a competent representative accompanied by service advisers to the headquarters of General MacArthur in Manila leaving Sata Misaki in Kyushu on August 17, we feel greatly embarrassed as it is impossible for us to arrange for the flight of our representative on August 17 due to the scarcity of time allowed us. We will, however, proceed at once with necessary preparations and notify General MacArthur as to the date of the flight of such a representative which will take place as soon as possible.

5. It is proposed to make the communications with the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers in the following manner:

(a) Sender and receiver on the Japanese side the General Headquarters or the Government.

(b) The radio station on the Japanese side Tokyo station, the call sign JNP, frequency 13,740 KCs.

(c) Means of communications-radiograph.

(d) Language-English.

6. We failed to understand the type of airplane described in the communication received from General MacArthur. We request, therefore, that the message be repeated bearing upon the type fully and clearly.

7. To make sure that we have received without fail all the communications sent by General MacArthur, we beg him to repeat once again through the route of communication specified under heading 5 of the present communication.

[Received Aug. 16, 11:30 A.M.]

Regarding item 3 of our first radiogram. It is expected to leave Kyushu at 9 o'clock on August 17 "Part (three) from the south due to leave on 18" by way of the following route:

The itinerary is subject to some alterations owing to weather and other conditions.

(1) Bound for Manchuria (Tokyo, Yonago, Seoul);

(2) Bound for China (Tokyo-Fukuoka-Shanghai-Nanking);

(3) Bound for the south (Tokyo-Fukuoka-Shanghai (staying one night) Canton-Tourane-Saigon).

Type and markings of airplanes.

(1) Planes from Manchuria and China are low-winged monoplane, twin engined, middle-size transport of Mitsubishi MC-22 type;

(2) Plane from the south is middle-winged monoplane, twin-engined, middle-sized bomber with cigar-shaped fuselage resembling that of B-26.

(3) Markings are sun-flag with red streamer of four meters length.

The Headquarters of General MacArthur sent the following reply to the first and second messages received from the Japanese Government and the Japanese General Headquarters:

[Aug. 16.]

Your messages of August 16, nos. 1 and 2, have been received and are satisfactory. Every possible precaution will be taken to insure the safety of the planes bearing the Japanese representatives on their missions. My two messages will be repeated as requested.

Notify this headquarters as soon as possible of the proposed date of flight of the Japanese representatives to Manila. Type of plane desired is the Douglas DC-3 type transport, understood to be your navy-type Zero model 22L2, D3 or your army-type 100 transport plane KI57.

If necessary you are authorized to change the type of plane bearing your Manila representatives giving description thereof.

The following messages were received by the Headquarters of General MacArthur from the Japanese Government and Japanese General Headquarters:

[Received Aug. 16, 7:50 P.M.]

At about noon August 16 a group of some twelve Allied transports approached extremely near the coast of Kochi, Shikoku. At that time the Imperial order to cease hostilities had not yet been issued, and our air units ventured to attack the Allied vessels, apparently causing some damage.

At 4 P.M. the order was issued to cease hostilities as stated in our radiogram No. 1....

[Received Aug. 16, 8:24 P.M.]

(1) It is stated in the message of the President of the U.S.A. transmitted on August 16 through the Swiss Government: "Send emissaries at once to the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers . . . and fully empowered to make any arrangements directed by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers to enable him and his accompanying forces to arrive at the place designated by him to receive the formal surrender."

According to this message, the task of the "emissaries" is to be understood to make necessary arrangements for the reception by the Supreme Commander and his accompanying forces for the formal surrender.

(2) However, in the "urgent" message sent by the Supreme Commander to the Japanese Emperor, the Japanese Government, and Japanese General Headquarters, which was received by the Tokyo Radiograph Office and to which reference was made in our first radiogram, it is stated that the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers further directs the Japanese Imperial Government to send to his headquarters in Manila a competent representative empowered to receive in the name of the Emperor of Japan, the Japanese Imperial Government, and the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters certain requirements for carrying into effect the terms of surrender.

According to this message, it appears that the task of the Japanese representative is to receive "certain requirements for carrying into effect the terms of surrender."

We should like to clarify the following point because the forms and contents of the "full powers" to be issued will be different depending upon your answer.

A. Can we proceed according to the understanding stated in the said item one, assuming that the Supreme Commander's message has the same meaning with the President's message in this respect?

B. If not, please explain exactly what is meant by the "certain requirements for carrying into effect the terms of surrender."

In any way, we assume that the signing of surrender terms is not among the tasks of the Japanese representative in question.

[Received Aug. 17, 1:40 A.M.]

While on our side the Imperial order has already been given to cease hostilities, the Soviet forces are still positively carrying on the offensive, and their spearhead is reaching near a point west of (Mukden) early this morning. As a result, the Japanese forces in Manchukuo are meeting great difficulties in carrying out the Imperial order. It is urgently requested that the Supreme Commander would take proper steps to bring about immediate cessation of the Soviet offensive.

[Received Aug. 17, 3:50 A.M.]

Regarding our Radiogram No. 2:

(1) The parties for China and Manchuria left Tokyo today (Aug. 17) at 9:30 A.M.

(2) The party for the south, reported in our previous message to leave on the 18th, left Tokyo also today at 9:30 A.M. in order to avoid possible delay due to bad weather.

(3) The type and marking of the planes and their routes are as communicated before.

[Received Aug. 17, 12:41 P.M.]

Our representative to Manila selected. Due to necessary internal procedures he is scheduled to leave Tokyo on August 19. Further details will follow.

[Received Aug. 18, 4:43 A.M.]

Regarding the advance notice of a flight schedule of our representatives to Manila, it will be broadcast at 8:00 P.M., August 18, using however the frequency of 16,145 kilocycles, instead of that of 16,124 kilocycles which you designated by your first message of August 16.

[Received Aug. 18, 5:33 A.M.]

The schedule of our planes' movement regarding our representatives flight to Manila: The party will employ two unarmed twin-engined single-winged land attack planes of the Type One, iti shiki rikujo kogekiki, with markings as designated by you.

Weather permitting, the planes will leave Kisarazu Airdrome on the 19th at 7 A.M., pass over Sata Misaki on the southern tip of Kyushu at about 11 A.M., and then proceed via Nakanoshima, Takarajima, Torijima, and a point thirty-five nautical miles north of Ie Shima, reaching Ie Shima at about 1:20 P.M. on the same day.

During the flight over these points, they will take an altitude of 6,000 to 9,000 feet. In approaching Ie Shima, the planes will, as you designated, take the course of 180 degrees and circle the landing field at an altitude of 1,000 feet or below the cloud layer until joined by your escort.

Communication contact of our planes' call signs are JBACY and JBACZ and, as you designated, we desire to contact your airdrome by radio with the frequency of 8,915 kilocycles, besides carrying on, in flight, voice communication with the frequency of 6,970 kilocycles.

Please notify us of the station designation, the call sign, and frequency of your station at Ie Shima.

General MacArthur's reply follows:

[Aug. 18]

In reply to your message no. 9 dated 18 August, 1945 the aircraft control tower at Ie Shima is designated Moca and will guard 6,970 kilocycles for voice communications.

The air communications center will guard 8,915 kilocycles with the voice call PINBALL and RD7 for voice or code transmissions.

Desire your two airplanes to use the call signs Bataan one and Bataan two as designated in my radio of 15 August.

Messages from Japanese General Headquarters to the Supreme Commander for Allied Forces follow:

[Received Aug. 18, 9:15 P.M.]

The planes carrying the party of representatives have left Kisarazu Airdrome on 0718, August 19.

[Received Aug. 19, 2:46 A.M.]

Some of your forces landed on Shimushu Island (Chishima Islands-Jap IHQ) on August 18. Our forces are obliged to resort to arms for self-defence.

Now that hostilities between both parties having been prohibited it is earnestly to be desired that the hostile actions will soon be ceased.

Please acknowledge. Thanks.

[Received Aug. 19, 3:54 A.M.]

Re our telegram number 8, we wish to suspend radio communication over 16,145 kilocycles frequency as we need it for other purposes. Broadcast over 13,740 kilocycles is to be maintained of course. Please answer.

Please acknowledge. Thanks.

[Received Aug. 19, 2:34 P.M.]

Representatives of the Japanese Government arrived in Manila at 5:54 P.M. (as given) 1 zone, or Manila time, August 19.


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