wwii1117

US Army General Douglas MacArthur Lands at Atsugi Airfield and Talks to Reporters

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Title: wwii1117
Description: US Army General Douglas MacArthur Lands at Atsugi Airfield and Talks to Reporters
File name: wwii1117.jpg

IPTC Object Name US Army General Douglas MacArthur Lands at Atsugi Airfield and Talks to Reporters
IPTC Created Date 19450830
IPTC Author Unknown
IPTC City Atsugi
IPTC Province State Kanagawa Prefecture
IPTC Country Name Japan
IPTC Caption US Army General MacArthur Arrives at Atsugi Airfield, August 30, 1945, and speaks to American and Japanese reporters. Standing behind General MacArthur, at right, is General Robert L. Eichelberger. When President Truman announced Japan's capitulation, he placed General of the Army Douglas MacArthur in charge of the surrender and occupation of Japan, under the title Supreme Commander Allied Powers (SCAP). Though the first two weeks of this mission were directed from Manila, on August 30 MacArthur flew to Japan. Without escort and only armed with sidearms, his small party wondered if they would be killed or captured upon landing, but MacArthur was confident the Japanese were genuine in their surrender and the mission would be welcomed. Arriving at Atsugi airfield, he established temporary headquarters some twenty miles away, at the Tokyo Bay city of Yokohama. Arrangements for the formal surrender ceremonies were made there. SCAP headquarters moved to Tokyo on September 8, beginning six years of occupation government from the Japanese capital city.