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The occupation of Japan was, from the beginning to the end, an American operation.

General Douglas MacArthur, sole supreme commander of the Allied Power was

in charge of it.   The Americans had insufficient men to make a military

government of Japan possible; so they decided to act through the existing

Japanese government.   General Mac Arthur became, except in name, dictator

of Japan.   He imposed his will on Japan.   Demilitarisation was speedily

carried out, demobilisation of the former imperial forces was completed by

early 1946.



  Japan was extensively fire bombed during the second world war.   The

stench of sewer gas, rotting garbage, and the acrid smell of ashes and

scorched debris pervaded the air.   The Japanese people had to live in the

damp, and cold of the concrete buildings, because they were the only ones

left.   Little remained of the vulnerable wooden frame, tile roof dwelling

lived in by most Japanese. When the first signs of winter set in, the

occupation forces immediately took over all the steam-heated buildings. The

Japanese were out in the cold in the first post war winter fuel was very

hard to find, a family was considered lucky if they had a small barely

glowing charcoal brazier to huddle around.   That next summer in random

spots new ho uses were built, each house was standardised at 216 square

feet, and required 2400 board feet of material in order to be built.   A

master plan for a modernistic city had been drafted, but it was cast aside

because of the lack of time before the next winter.   The thousands of

people who lived in railroad stations and public parks needed housing. Some even lived in forests.



  All the Japanese heard was democracy from the Americans.   All they cared

about was food.   General MacAruther asked the government to send food, when

they refused he sent another telegram that said, "Send me food, or send me

bullets."



  American troops...