12.++++US+Occupation+of+Japan+Post+WWI

Nick Culberson October 21, 2008 Block 1 **__ Group 5 __** **__ U.S. __****__ Occupation of __****__ Japan __****__ Post WWII __** Name: Hirosaka Nagoda D.O.B: February 10, 1910 Date of Incident: 1946 Interests: Seeing the World Through the eyes of those suffering from what the world strived to prevent. General Info: Photographer for 10 years, In Japan during the “Occupation” http://www.bengstonfamily.com/edclosejapan1946-001.JPG I sit here today at the beach waiting for the sun to set and to my surprise I see a sight seen not to often. Could they be…..no they aren’t ours….no they can’t… they were American ships…no this can’t be happening, not after what just happened. I’m just sitting here with this blank look on my face wondering what this could be for. I followed the ships to port taking photographs as I go as the ships near the ports. The second they pulled themselves in, to dock, soldiers were off and running. Squads of 100’s going through the town Jeeps and trucks carried troops far, fast. As I stood there in aw I couldn’t believe my eyes. Could this be an invasion, a capture Japan …no I can’t no ones shooting or telling us to get to the ground. Sitting there wondering what is going on, 30 or 40 scenarios running through my mind, I don’t know what to do, whether to run or to stay, whether to scream in terror or to stay silent, WHAT SHOULD I DO!? As the troops kept piling out I stood there stiff as a board silent as a mouse, watching… just watching. Three years had passed and troops were still here rummaging through the cities looking for people, lots of them, I sat back trying not to be noticed I noticed that people from the prisons were taken, but not who you think, no it wasn’t the inmates it was the guards. As I was following the guards being taken I followed them to a man who seemed to be the leader of the operation. The officers walked up to him with the guards dragging behind, “ General MacArthur here are some more guards,” the officers said to the man. MacArthur huh so he’s the man in charge. From day to day I follow MacArthur ’s daily events, one day in particular surprised me, they made their way to the Prime Ministers house. Minister Hideki Tojo answered the door from there I knew something wasn’t right. They started talking then it turned bad, there was yelling and arguing. I snapped photos as this horrendous event took place. Minister Tojo was taken to the ground and handcuffed, I wanted to say something or even run up and help him but here were too many officers. Even though I studied martial arts for years there were just too many to take on. I hid as the Prime Minister was taken to the truck and driven off I followed them on my bike to a holding facility, which later I found out was for all of those who “participated” in WWII, and was there for day. The days turned to weeks, more and more people going in but no one coming out. Days later people were brought out bunches at a time, at first I thought they were being moved somewhere, well they were. Minister Tojo was brought out a day later and I followed them to a court house. I went in a watched; Minister Tojo and 6 others were sitting on the defendants’ side. I sat there watching and waiting to see the outcome of this ordeal. What I didn’t know was how serious the crimes were. Once I heard them I knew this wasn’t going to turn out well. Tojo was sentenced to death, my jaw dropped but I knew there was nothing I could do just as it started it ended. That was it nothing said nothing heard it was all over. Soon the ships left and that was it, it was as if a tornado flew through our country and swept away only those involved in the war. Works Cited  (no other information available) Danzer. Gerald A. __The Americans__. McDougal Little, 2005.