ABSTRACT

In 1942, Japan was forced to adopt a defensive strategy, after which it steadily lost its Pacific island bases. By August 1945, the Japanese were ready to end the war. On August 28, 1945, the first contingent of occupation troops arrived at the Atsugi air force base outside of Tokyo. Eventually two hundred thousand US troops were stationed throughout Japan. One of the key objectives of the Allied powers was the prosecution and punishment of those who had committed war crimes. Supreme commander of the Allied powers' (SCAP) directive to the Japanese government to proceed with the investigation of those who fell in the stipulated categories was issued in January 1946. The land reform program was another economic measure designed to bring about a more equitable distribution of wealth, and it turned out to be much more effective than zaibatsu-busting. Left-wing Socialists opposed signing the peace treaty without Soviet participation and objected to the security treaty.