ABSTRACT
Having commanded the US forces in counterattacks against Japan during the Pacific War, General MacArthur accepted Japan's surrender aboard the USS Missouri in September 1945. Placed in charge of the Allied Occupation of Japan, MacArthur wielded extraordinary authority in Japan and vis-à-vis Washington. Convinced of the efficacy of using Emperor Hirohito for the purpose of Occupation, MacArthur successfully foiled attempts to remove the Emperor or to put him on trial.
