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Britain sought speedy end to hostilities after hint of Japan surrender+(Japan Economic Newswire Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)LONDON, Jan. 1_(Kyodo) _ Britain's end-of-war Prime Minister Clement Atlee was keen to give up on the insistence that Japan's Emperor Hirohito be treated as a war criminal if it meant hostilities in the Far East would come to a quicker end in August 1945, according to papers released Sunday. In newly published National Archives records of the notes taken by Deputy Cabinet Secretary Norman Brook in his own style of shorthand, the books show the first detailed personal insight into what was said and, sometimes more importantly, who said what during debates on crucial issues in the Cabinet. "Mistake to hold out for punishment of Emperor as war criminal if it means delaying substantially end of hostilities," Atlee is reported to have said Aug. 10 following an announcement of the Japanese government's surrender broadcast by Japan's Domei news agency. The Cabinet discussion refers to the Potsdam declaration issued on July 26 by the United States, British and Chinese allied forces outlining Japan's terms for surrender and comes before Britain received official confirmation of the Japanese surrender. "Religious position is such that if you don't imply the Emperor will remain the (Japanese) may push it to suicide," Earnest Bevin, Atlee's foreign secretary, says during a debate as to whether the United States would accept a conditional surrender based on Emperor Hirohito retaining his title. But Atlee implies that the Potsdam declaration is unclear in its reference to the maintenance of the emperor, saying, "Doubt if U.S. will go on sacrificing lives for a technicality," adding that having prisoners of war and civilians in Japanese hands may mean that "pastoral life with Emperor" may be easier than a capitalist republic. Despite the extensive discussion and early communication of Japan's surrender, it is only in the notes from the final entry in the released Cabinet secretary's notebooks on what appears to be the second of two meetings on Aug. 14 taking place at 2250 GMT that the statement "END OF WAR WITH JAPAN," is written in capital letters and underlined. It was on this day in history that the Japanese government made its final decision to surrender, preceding the Imperial broadcast to the people of Japan informing them of the decision. Referring to British broadcast arrangements, Atlee is documented as making suggestions for a draft statement referring to the impending release of POWs and states, "Announce tonight that tomorrow is V.J. (Victory over Japan) Day." |