SWNCC 21 Series

Memorandum by the Joint Chiefs of Staff56

SM–1841

Memorandum for the State-War-Navy Coordinating Committee:

Subject: Unconditional surrender of Japan.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff recommend that the Secretary of State be informed as follows:

“The Joint Chiefs of Staff have considered the military implications in the report of the State-War-Navy Coordinating Subcommittee for the Far East relating to the ‘Unconditional Surrender of Japan’ (SWNCC 2157) and they submit the following comments.

“Throughout the documents, the title ‘Commander-in-Chief, United Nations Armed Forces’ has been used on the assumption that such a [Page 544] designated commander will have been named by the time of the unconditional surrender, that this commander will receive the surrender and that he will, at least initially, be in full charge of enforcing the terms imposed upon Japan through the medium of military government. Since at this time no officer with the title ‘Commander-in-Chief, United Nations Armed Forces’ exists, it is preferable that the assumptions on which the documents have been drawn be met by the use of the expression ‘designated commander’ in place of the title ‘Commander-in-Chief, United Nations Armed Forces’ and the words ‘Supreme Allied (United States) Command’ wherever used in the documents. Should future events require the amendments of the conception of such a commander, appropriate changes must be made in the documents to make them conform to the command situation actually existing at the time of surrender.

“The documents relating to the surrender or total defeat of Japan contemplate that the designated commander, if appointed, shall be an officer of the United States armed forces. The Joint Chiefs of Staff are of the opinion that the predominant role being played by United States forces in the war in the Pacific fully warrant the assumption that, if such a commander is designated, he will be an officer of this country’s armed forces.

“The Joint Chiefs of Staff also believe that ‘Hokkaido’ (Appendix “E”, page 13, line 12, SWNCC 21) should be deleted.

“Further but minor changes considered desirable are the insertion of the word ‘non-combatant’ before the word ‘duties’ in the fourth line of the third paragraph of the Proclamation by the Emperor of Japan and also before the word ‘official’ in line 3 of the paragraph numbered 2 of Proclamation No. 1.

“The Joint Chiefs of Staff are aware that the instruments of unconditional surrender executed with respect to Germany58 and the proclamations issued or to be issued subsequent thereto have given rise to some discussion, not yet completed, as to their form. They believe that these discussions may result in determinations which might properly lead to changes in the form of the appendices to SWNCC 21. Accordingly, they suggest that these appendices be re-examined by the State-War-Navy Coordinating Committee and its appropriate subcommittees with a view to determining (a) whether the current discussions as to Germany should lead to changes in these appendices, and (b) whether these appendices go as far as is practicable to give to the designated occupying commander sufficient powers to facilitate achievement of the objectives of the occupation, particularly in respect [Page 545] to freeing the occupation from the restrictions contained in various international conventions.

“Subject to the foregoing comments, the Joint Chiefs of Staff perceive no objection from the military point of view to the five appendices to SWNCC 21.”

For the Joint Chiefs of Staff:
A. J. McFarland

Brigadier General, U.S.A. Secretary
  1. Circulated as SWNCC 21/2, May 23.
  2. February 7, p. 521.
  3. For Acts of Military Surrender of Germany, May 7 and 8, 1945, see Department of State Executive Agreement Series No. 502, or 59 Stat. (pt. 2) 1857; for documentation on negotiations leading to the surrender of Germany, see vol. iii, pp. 717 ff.