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The conditions the Japanese Supreme War Council (made up of the Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister, the Minister of War, the Minister of the Navy, and the Chi
by mcguire 5y ago
The conditions the Japanese Supreme War Council (made up of the Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister, the Minister of War, the Minister of the Navy, and the Chiefs of the Army and Navy General Staffs; the only higher authority was the Emperor) were willing to accept were:
1. The Emperor continued unmolested as the head of state,
2. Japan was responsible for its own disarmament,
3. There would be no occupation, and
4. Japan would conduct its own war crime trials.
- Wohlf 5y agoThis was not possible, the Allies had all agreed on unconditional surrender so no separate peace could be carved out.
- mezentius 5y agoYes—and beyond the important question of separate peace, those conditions were seen as too onerous given the perceived need to transform Japan's political and social institutions after the war. Beyond this was the political requirement to address widespread and well-known atrocities committed by the Japanese Army, as well as the failure of voluntary arms control treaties in the interwar period. In the end, of course, the Allies did decide to leave the Emperor in place as nominal head of state—but had not decided to do so before the Japanese capitulated, and certainly did not want to commit themselves to that course.
- mcguire 5y agoExactly. And the Allies included the Soviets, who were thus rather cold to aiding a negotiated surrender.