Truman's Approval of "National Composition of Forces to Occupy Japan" (prepared by SWNCC), August 18, 1945

Documents with Commentaries Part 1 Military Defeat and Efforts to Reform the Constitution

1-8 Truman's Approval of "National Composition of Forces to Occupy Japan" (prepared by SWNCC), August 18, 1945

The memorandum, "National Composition of Forces to Occupy Japan Proper to the Post-Defeat Period" (SWNCC 70/5), was approved by the Joint Chiefs of Staff and then by the State-War-Navy Coordinating Committee on August 11, 1945. President Truman then approved it on the 18th of that month. SWNCC 70/5 described the responsibilities of the major Allies and sharing out of such responsibilities for the occupation and for the military government of Japan. The memorandum laid out policies stating that the U.S. would be committed to "the principle of united action," but would keep the position of control. It stipulated that the U.K., the Soviet Union and China would make "substantial contributions to the occupational force," but that the U.S. would exercise the controlling voice in the occupation authority and designate the commanders of all occupation forces. SWNCC 70/5 would be revised in response to the debate over establishing the organization for the occupation of Japan by the Allied Powers, such as the Far Eastern Advisory Commission (FEAC). In the end, the U.S. played a major role in the occupation of Japan, thus avoiding the division of the country into national zones of independent responsibility administered separately.

Actual Title of Source	Memorandum for the President, Subject: National Composition of Forces to Occupy Japan Proper to the Post-Defeat Period.
Date	August 13, 1945
Document Number	State Department Records Decimal File, 1945-1949 "740.00119 CONTROL (JAPAN)/18-1845"<Sheet No. SDDF(A)00444>
Repository (reproduction)	National Diet Library
Repository	U.S. National Archives & Records Administration (RG59)
Note	Microfiche

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