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Very few Japanese people before the Pacific War had ever seen an American, except in the movies. And the number which had a personal relastionship with an American was miniscule. The Japanese people had no idea what to expect after the Emperor announced that they were forced to surrender to the Americans. They had been told that the Americans were vicious monsters. That they would rape women and kill children. Civilians including children were being trained to resist the Americans to death. Now they were told that they had to surrender. They were never told what their soldiers had been doing in the countries that Japan occupied, nor do most Japanese fully understand this even today. The Japanese people based on what they were told about the Americans during the War were justfiably apprehensive. What occurred was nothing like they had been led to expect. At first the streets were largely deserted, people stayed in their homes, peering out the windows. he Americans behaved, however, not only correctly, but humanely. The children especially the boys were often the first to tentatively venture out and make contact, first out of curiosity. This is reflected in the photographic record. Then because they soon found out that candy was on offer. And candy was something that had disappeared from Japan during the War. What ensued was a form of culture shock, both for the Japasnese and the Americans. Because of the disaster that the military had brought on Japan, the people were unusually open to new ideas. Suddenly all things America were popular. Given the intensity and barbarity of the Pacific War, this was something that no one had anticipated. The Americans insisisted on economic and political reforms, but not on the adoption of American culture. This the Japanese eagerly adopted on their, but without letting go of their own rich cultutal heritage. The Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers (SCAP) orderedan official non-fraternization policy, primarily aimed at contact with women. American sevicemen were forbidden from soliciting Japanese prostitutes and impediments were instituted to marrying Japanese women. After 4 years, SCAP issued a new pro-fraternization (1949). Subsequently the U.S. Congress passed the McCarran-Walter Act (1952). It permitted Japanese spouses of occupation personnel to immigrate to the United States. Some 50,000 Japanese women immigrated to the United States as war brides (1937-65). [Douglas, 2013.]
Very few Japanese people before the Pacific War had ever seen an American, except in the movies. And the number which had a personal relastionship with an American was miniscule. YThe same was true of Americns, especilly outside of Califirnia and Hawaia which was not yet a state. The other Axis country were different. Germnans and Italians haf immigrated to America in large numbrs and many Otasliasns ans had gamily or frienmds who had immograted to Anerica. Except for the movies, Aericans and merica were a complete unknown
The Japanese people had no idea what to expect after the Emperor announced that they were forced to surrender to the Americans. Sespite the bomb, including the atimic bombs, it came as a complete surtprise. They had been told that the Americans were vicious monsters. That they would rape women and kill children. Thry believed it impliviltly which is why mny civilzns on Saopan and Okinawa refuded to surnder, even killing themselves and thrir children rather thanb surrendering. Civilians including children were being trained to resist the Americans to death. Now suddenly they were told that they had to surrender.
They were never told what their soldiers had been doing in the countries that Japan occupied, nor do most Japanese fully understand this even today. At the time it wsas not even imagined.
Ametican forces began to arrive after the Surrender ceremony on ythe battlesipo USS Missouri (Septemnber 3, 1945). he The Japanese people based on what they were told about the Americans during the War were justfiably apprehensive. What occurred was nothing like they had been led to expect. At first the streets were largely deserted, people stayed in their homes, peering out the windows. The Americans behaved, however, not only correctly, but humanely.
The children especially the boys were often the first to tentatily venture out and make contact, first out of curiosity. This is reflected in the photographic record. Then because they soon found out that candy was on offer. And candy was something that had disappeared from Japan during the War.
What ensued was a form of culture shock, both for the Japasnese and the Americans. Because of the disaster that the military had brought on Japan and the obvious lies they hadctold about Americans, the Japanese people quivckly rejcted the world view that the nmilitary has fostered. The Japanese people proved remzrably open to new ideas. Suddenly all things America were popular. Given the intensity and barbarity of the Pacific War, this was something that American officvials had not anticipated. The Americans insisisted on economic and political reforms, but not on the adoption of American culture. This the Japanese eagerly adopted on their, but without letting go of their own rich cultutal heritage.
The Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers (SCAP) orderedan official non-fraternization, primarily aimed at contact with women. American sevicemen were forbidden from soliciting Japanese prostitutes and impediments were instituted to marrying Japanese women. After 4 years, SCAP issued a new pro-fraternization (1949). Subsequently the U.S. Congress passed the McCarran-Walter Act (1952). It permitted Japanese spouses of occupation personnel to immigrate to the United States. Some 50,000 Japanese women immigrated to the United States as war brides (1937-65). [Douglas, 2013.]
Raather than exploit Japan as the the Japanese had done to the countries tht they had cinquered, The Americans set sbout promoting economic recoverty,. The occupying Anetican units even took ahumanitarisn interest in Japan esoecially the children. Commonly military unit adopted orphanages to sponsor. This was a serious pronblem of orphned children, primarily as a result of the bombing. And this was a huge problem because the Japanese Government was not preared to addess the problem, both because of lack of resources and long stnding cultural traditions. Japan was a very traditional socity. Orphns without famuily connections were viewed with disdain, as scum benath comtempt. The ew orphnages that existed before the War were founded by charitiesi, often Christin churches. Orphaned children were lucvky to be tken in by relatives and even often not well treated. Adoption even today is problem, One source tells us, "Unfortunately adoption is not well accepted in Japan, as they are so closely linked to blood ties. Adopting can be seen as an act of shame. But when someone happens to adopt the family, they even move to another city to present the child as a son of blood." ["Adoption"] Even with the huge orphan problem, the Government did not address the problen as it should have. Humanitarian groups played a huge role, doing what they could. An adult orphan reports, "In Japan, war orphans were punished for surviving. They were bullied. They were called trash, sometimes rounded up by police and put in cages. Some were sent to institutions or sold for labor. They were targets of abuse and discrimination. Now, 75 years after the war's end, some are revealing their untold stories of recovery and pain, underscoring Japan's failure to help its own people." [Motoki] Chtistoan churches played an outsized role in carring for war orphans and American mility units were often involved in supporting those orphanages.
Douglas, E. Sleeping with the Enemy: Japanese War Brides and the American Occupation of Japan (2013), 96p.
Motoki, Kisako in Shim Hyun-chul. "For years, orphans in Japan were punished just for surviving the war," The Korea Times (August 14, 2020).3
"Adoption of children in Japan." Suki Desu.com
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