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Because a gun ban, perhaps even forcible confiscation, is exactly what gun control advocates up to the then US Attorney General or President of the United States say they want. Sometimes publicly. Anyone who says otherwise is poorly informed or a deliberate liar. Forcible confiscation is not possible without violation of other Constitutional freedoms like the Fourth Amendment.New: Kevin Baker's answer to Why does the issue of gun control in American engender such passionate discourse?TL;DR:Quotes by Gun-grabbers - whatreallyhappened [dot] com:Waiting periods are only a step. Registration is only a step. The prohibition of private firearms is the goal. [Edit: Snopes reports this statement never happened. But more below.]Janet Reno (US Attorney General), 1993-12-10. . . . .The goal is an ultimate ban on all guns, but we also have to take step at a time and go for limited access first.Joyner Sims (Deputy Commissioner, Florida State Health Dept.); Chicago Tribune, 1993-11-07And we should - then every community in the country could then start doing major weapon sweeps and then destroying the weapons, not selling them.Bill Clinton (US President)More:Saulius Muliolis's answer to Do some gun owners really believe in the conspiracy that the government is planning to take away all the guns?"In fact, the assault weapons ban will have no significant effect either on the crime rate or on personal security. Nonetheless, it is a good idea ... Passing a law like the assault weapons ban is a symbolic - purely symbolic - move in that direction. Its only real justification is not to reduce crime but to desensitize the public to the regulation of weapons in preparation for their ultimate confiscation." Charles Krauthammer, columnist, 4/5/96 Washington Post. . . . ."I don't care about crime, I just want to get the guns." Senator Howard Metzenbaum, 1994Seriously, No One Wants to Take Your Guns - The Truth About GunsThe following was posted as a comment by Excedrine under yesterday’s post, Don’t Worry, No One Wants to Take Your Guns.I laugh when they trot out that old, tired line. I really do. Right in their faces. Then, I point out all the people who do. Branford, Connecticut Police Officer Joseph Peterson does. “I [would] give my left nut to bang down your door and come for your gun.” Those are his exact words to a long-time “friend” of his . . .Senator Dianne Feinstein (D – CA) does.“Banning guns addresses a fundamental right of all Americans to feel safe.” – Associated Press, 18 November, 1993.“If I could have gotten 51 votes in the Senate of the United States for an outright ban, picking up every one of them; “Mr. and Mrs. America, turn ‘em all in,” I would have done it.” – 60 Minutes on CBS, 5 February, 1995.“The National Guard fulfills the militia mentioned in the Second amendment. Citizens no longer need to protect the states or themselves.”Senator Frank Launtenberg (D – NJ) did.“We have other legislation that all of you are aware that I have been so active on, with my colleagues here, and that is to shut down the gunshows.”He died last year.Fmr. Senator Howard Metzenbaum (D – OH) did.“No, we’re not looking at how to control criminals … we’re talking about banning the AK-47 and semi-automatic guns.” – Constitution Subcommittee, 2 February, 1989He died in 2008.Fmr. Representative Charles Pashayan (R – CA) does.“All of this has to be understood as part of a process leading ultimately to a treaty that will give an international body power over our domestic laws.” – United Nations Small Arms Conference, 2001Fmr. Senator John Chafee (R – RI) did.“I shortly will introduce legislation banning the sale, manufacture or possession of handguns (with exceptions for law enforcement and licensed target clubs)… . It is time to act. We cannot go on like this. Ban them!” – Minneapolis Star Tribune pg. 31A, 15 June, 1992.He died back in 1999.Then-Senator Joe “Buckshot” Biden (D – DE) does.“Banning guns is an idea whose time has come.” – Associated Press, 11 November, 1993Representative Jan Schakowski (D – IL) does.“I believe…..this is my final word……I believe that I’m supporting the Constitution of the United States which does not give the right for any individual to own a handgun….” – Recorded 25 June, 2000 by Matt BeauchampFmr. Representative Major Owens (D – NY) did.“We have to start with a ban on the manufacturing and import of handguns. From there we register the guns which are currently owned, and follow that with additional bans and acquisitions of handguns and rifleswith no sporting purpose.”He died last year.Representative Bobby Rush (D – IL) does.“My staff and I right now are working on a comprehensive gun-control bill. We don’t have all the details, but for instance, regulating the sale and purchase of bullets. Ultimately, I would like to see the manufacture and possession of handguns banned except for military and police use. But that’s the endgame. And in the meantime, there are some specific things that we can do with legislation.”Vermont State Mary Ann Carlson (D) does.“We must be able to arrest people before they commit crimes. By registering guns and knowing who has them we can do that. If they have guns they are pretty likely to commit a crime.”New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) does.” …confiscation could be an option…”Sarah Brady, fmr. Chairman of Handgun Control Inc. (now The Brady Campaign) does.“…I don’t believe gun owners have rights.” – Hearst Newspapers, October 1997“The House passage of our bill is a victory for this country! Common sense wins out. I’m just so thrilled and excited. The sale of guns must stop. Halfway measures are not enough.” – 1 July, 1988Fmr. Chancellor of Boston University John Silber did.“I don’t believe anybody has a right to own any kind of a firearm. I believe in order to obtain a permit to own a firearm, that person should undergo an exhaustive criminal background check. In addition, an applicant should give up his right to privacy and submit his medical records for review to see if the person has ever had a problem with alcohol, drugs or mental illness . . . The Constitution doesn’t count!”He died in 2012.Fmr. United States Attorney General Janet “Waco” Reno does.“The most effective means of fighting crime in the United States is to outlaw the possession of any type of firearm by the civilian populace.” – Written affidavit by Fred Diamond, 1984 B’nai B’rith meeting in Coral Gables, FloridaDeborah Prothrow-Stith, of the Office of Government and Community Programs and the Community Violence Prevention Project at the Harvard School of Public Health, does.“My own view on gun control is simple: I hate guns and I cannot imagine why anybody would want to own one. If I had my way, guns for sport would be registered, and all other guns would be banned.”Rosie O’Donnell does.“I think there should be a law — and I know this is extreme — that no one can have a gun in the U.S. If you have a gun, you go to jail. Only the police should have guns.” – Ottawa Sun, 29 April, 1999“I don’t care if you want to hunt, I don’t care if you think it’s your right. I say, sorry, you are not allowed to own a gun, and if you do own a gun I think you should go to prison.” – The Rosie O’Donnell Show, 19 April, 1999.The American Civil Liberties Union does.“We urge passage of federal legislation … to prohibit … the private ownership and possession of handguns.” – National ACLU Policy #47I could go on literally for days and days, listing pages upon pages of people saying exactly how and why they’re coming for our guns. Not a single bit of it could ever be supported, defended, or refuted by them, either.More:Quotes by Gun-grabbers - whatreallyhappened [dot] comThe NRA is bound and determined not to allow the Brady Bill to be enacted. And they're a fearsome opponent. They see this as `threshold' legislation. Because they realize if we get the Brady Bill to President Clinton and he signs it into law, then the door will be wide open for further gun control legislation. Of course, we hope that's true because, as you know, our campaign to enact a National Gun Policy to combat gun violence doesn't end with the Brady Bill - it just begins.Sarah Brady; HCI Newsletter, Handgun Control Inc., 1993-03. . . . .[All firearms] ... should be outlawed. Our organization will probably take this stand in time but we are not anxious to rouse the opposition before we get the other legislation passed.Elliot Corbett (National Council for a Responsible Firearms Policy, secretary); Washington Evening Star, 1969-09-19I think you have to do it a step at a time and I think that is what the NRA is most concerned about, is that it will happen one very small step at a time, so that by the time people have "woken up" - quote - to what's happened, it's gone farther than what they feel the consensus of American citizens would be. But it does have to go one step at a time and the beginning of the banning of semi-assault military weapons, that are military weapons, not "household" weapons, is the first step.Barbara Fass (Mayor of Stockton, California); ABC News Special: Guns, hosted by Peter Jennings, 1991-04-11. . . . .We have to start with a ban on the manufacturing and import of handguns. From there we register the guns which are currently owned, and follow that with additional bans and acquisitions of handguns and rifles with no sporting purpose.Major Owens (US Representative, D-NY, Brooklyn), 1993-11-10. . . . .We're going to have to take one step at a time, and the first step is necessarily - given the political realities - going to be very modest. Of course, it's true that politicians will then go home and say, "This is a great law. The problem is solved." And it's also true that such statements will tend to defuse the gun-control issue for a time. So then we'll have to strengthen that law, and then again to strengthen the next law, and maybe again and again. Right now, though, we'd be satisfied not with a half a loaf but with a slice. Our ultimate goal - total control of handguns in the United States - is going to take time. My estimate is from seven to ten years. The problem is to slow down the increasing number of handguns sold in this country. The second problem is to get them all registered. And the final problem is to make the possession of all handguns and all handgun ammunition - except for the military, policemen, licensed security guards, licensed sporting clubs, and licensed gun collectors - totally illegal.Nelson T. "Pete" Shields (Handgun Control Inc., chairman); "A Reporter at Large: Handguns", The New Yorker, pp. 53, 58, 1976-07-26

July 1945As the U.S. Pacific Fleet pushes on with its “Island Hopping” campaign across the Pacific, pushing the weakened Imperial Japanese Army and Navy back to their homeland, there are high hopes that the war will be over soon and the Empire of Japan will finally be defeated. Unbeknownst to many, in a location, thousands of miles from the frontlines, American scientists, physicists, and engineers have been working tirelessly on a secret military undertaking known as Tube Alloys. Whose purpose is to create a new type of weapon, one they believe will help end the war and change the history of warfare forever, the Atomic Bomb. However, there have been numerous unprecedented complications with the project. Lack of resources and acts of sabotage have been ruled out, but there is still something that has prevented the advancement of the project and the development of a weapon. As such, the project has failed to produce a working atomic bomb by late July as promised, and the possibility of creating a working bomb could take months if not years to successfully create one.President Harry S. Truman is soon informed of the Manhattan Engineering District’s failure to produce a working atomic bomb, but despite this great setback, he is determined to find a quick end to the Pacific War. Within moments of the news, the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff inform the President that there are three alternatives to bring Japan to its knees.Naval blockade: Depriving Japan of all imports causing famines, which would eventually force a surrender. But the distance from any major Allied ports will force Allied navies to endure whatever casualties are inflicted.A continued strategic firebombing campaign: Causing massive fires and destruction across Japan until nothing is left. Inflicting damage on Japanese morale and military capabilities.Invasion of the Japanese Home Islands codenamed: Downfall.At first President Truman is hesitant, as he is aware that American forces have recently taken heavy casualties at the Battle of Okinawa, demonstrating the determination of the Japanese people to defend their homeland to the last. A naval blockade could take months, and firebombing could prove ineffective. Believing an invasion of mainland Japan could be the only way to force Japan to accept the Proclamation Defining Terms for Japanese Surrender, President Truman, orders the invasion plans to be put on standby, still hoping to force Japan to surrender without the need for additional bloodshed.Throughout the months of July and August, several messages are sent to the Japanese government demanding the nation to surrender unconditionally or continued Allied bombings will turn Japan to dust. Japanese Prime Minister General Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni refuses, and demands a negotiated peace be made if they wish for hostilities to cease.Seeing that there is no other alternative to end the war quickly, and after carefully thinking about the repercussions of such a decision, President Truman is left with no choice and gives the go for Operation Downfall, scheduled to begin on November 1st. Meanwhile, the Japanese have made their own plans. Initially, they are concerned about an invasion during the summer of 1945. However, the Battle of Okinawa had gone for so long that they conclude the United Nations will not be able to launch another operation before the typhoon season, during which the weather will be too risky for amphibious operations. Japanese intelligence predicts where the invasion could take place: southern Kyūshū at Miyazaki, Ariake Bay, and/or the Satsuma Peninsula.While Japan no longer has a realistic prospect of winning the war, Japan's leaders believe they could make the cost of invading and occupying the Home Islands too high for the Allies to accept, which could lead to some sort of armistice rather than total defeat. The Japanese operation for defeating the invasion is designated as: Operation Ketsugō (Operation Codename Decisive). The Japanese plan to commit the entire population of Japan to resist the invasion, and from June 1945 onward, a propaganda campaign calling for “The Glorious Death of One Hundred Million” commences. Creating a nationwide armed civil defense known as the Patriotic Citizens’ Fighting Corps.To add to the possibility of forcing an armistice, a covert biological research and development unit known as Unit 731 led by Surgeon General Shirō Ishii, informs the government that he has been preparing for a long-distance attack on the United States. This operation codenamed: 夜櫻作戰 “Cherry Blossoms at Night”, calls for the use of airplanes to spread plague in the American’s naval base in San Diego at night. The plan was finalized on March 26, 1945. Five of the new I-400-class long-range submarines are to be sent across the Pacific Ocean, each carrying three Aichi M6A Seiran aircraft loaded with plague-infected fleas. The submarines are to surface and launch the aircraft towards the target, either to drop the plague via balloon bombs or to crash in enemy territory. Either way, the plague would then infect people in the area. If the operation is given the go-ahead, it is scheduled to begin on September 22, 1945.Although the long-distance operation is contemplated, Japanese officials are convinced that the attack will only further enrage the American people into completely decimating Japan and eliminate any possibility of a negotiated peace. Furthermore, the Imperial Japanese government views the operation as too ambitious, and is fully aware that the Americans are planning an invasion, believing that any/all military assets should be utilized for the defense of Japan. This idea is further reinforced by the Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation on August 9th, as the Red Army crossed the border into Manchukuo. Therefore, Cherry Blossoms at Night is scrapped and Unit 731 is placed under strict military control, as the Imperial government and military work together to prepare and deploy their forces accordingly. By July, the army and navy claim to have more than 10,000 planes ready for use with more on the way.Late October 1945, the sky is literally falling in on the people of Japan. Massive fleets of American heavy bombers, pound cities to rubble; Japan is surrounded. From every frontier, enemies are marching towards the Land of the Rising Sun. They have twice as many men as the Imperial Japanese Army and 10x the industrial strength. Men, women, and children prepare for a desperate fight against hopeless odds. Yet, at the same time, a people who remain astonishingly loyal in the face of certain defeat. Boys and girls of the Volunteer Fighting Corps, ready themselves for battle. Ordinary people still cheer the Imperial armies. These troops are all that stand between Japan and Armageddon.November 1, 1945 - Operation Olympic (X-Day)A combined Allied naval armada, the largest ever assembled, including 42 aircraft carriers, 24 battleships, 400 destroyers and escorts led by Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz sail towards the southern Japanese island of Kyūshū. Fourteen U.S. “division-equivalents” are scheduled to take part in the initial landings. Using Okinawa as a staging base, the objective is to seize the southern portion of Kyūshū with a simultaneous attack on Shikoku in order to secure airstrips to cover the rest of Japan. This area is to be used as a further staging point to attack the Main Island of Honshū in Operation Coronet. As the Allied naval armada inches closer to the beaches of Kyūshū, Japanese coastal defenses along with the remnants of the Imperial Japanese Navy, including four battleships (all damaged), five aircraft carriers (all damaged), two cruisers, 23 destroyers, and 46 submarines commanded by Admiral Soemu Toyoda arriving from Nagasaki begin their attack. Opening fire upon Allied aircraft carriers, battleships, and above all transports, while hundreds of North American P-51 Mustangs and Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighters take-off, engaging in one of the largest air-sea battles the world has ever seen. From Second General Army Headquarters in Hiroshima, in an act of desperation, Imperial Japanese Army and Navy officials decide that these initial battles are the perfect opportunity to unleash “experimental weapons”.Out of numerous mountain hangars throughout Kyūshū and other less vulnerable parts of Japan, dozens of squadrons of Nakajima J9Y1 Kikka jet fighters, J8M Shūsui rocket-powered interceptors, take-off with orders to intercept and destroy the hordes of Boeing B-29 Super Fortresses and fighters heading towards Japan and to provide cover for Japanese Kamikaze attacks. While simultaneously, hundreds of Yokosuka MXY-7 Ohka rocket-powered human-guided Kamikaze attack aircraft take-off with one mission, to damage and destroy as many allied ships as possible.From the get-go, the Battle for Kyūshū is a slaughter. In the skies above, hundreds of fighters and bombers attack and destroy opposing forces while Japanese Kamikazes attack allied ships in their hundreds. One Mitsubishi G4M Betty bomber carrying an Ohka attack aircraft flies within range of its target. On release, the pilot first glides towards his chosen target, the Iowa-class battleship USS Missouri. Once close enough, he fires the Ohka’s three solid-fuel rockets in unison and flies the rocket at over 650 mph towards the ship. Anti-aircraft guns and allied planes fire at the oncoming aircraft attempting to shoot it down, but the human-guided rocket is simply too fast for them to catch. With a solemn battle cry of “Tennōheika Banzai!” The Ohka pilot crashes his aircraft onto Missouri’s hull with full force, causing a devastating explosion that can be seen for miles. Seeing the success of their fallen comrades, Japanese Kamikaze units attack multiple vessels in different areas at once, sinking dozens of allied ships and critically damaging hundreds more. The circumstances of the battle favor the defenders, as Kyūshū’s terrain has reduced the Allies’ radar advantage. Within a period of hours, U.S. defenses are overwhelmed by large numbers of Kamikaze attacks from all directions.Meanwhile at sea, while the Japanese capital ships remain in Nagasaki due to damage and fuel concerns, destroyers and fleet submarines including five I-400-class submarines are stationed strategically around the presumed landing zones forming the backbone of the naval defense. As Allied ships approach the shores of Kyūshū, just when they thought they had seen the worst, hundreds of Kōryū and Kairyū-class midget submarines, Shin'yō suicide boats and Kaiten manned-torpedoes attack the allied transports with devastating effect. While the destroyers and submarines attack the Allied carriers and battleships.After four days of intense naval warfare, the remnants of the once feared Imperial Japanese Navy is either destroyed or forced to retreat, allowing the allied fleet to continue its advance but at a terrible cost. Over 400 Allied ships and thousands of sailors, a third of the invasion force has been severely damaged or destroyed.By X+5, the offshore islands of Tanegashima, Yakushima, and Koshikijima are taken within a matter of hours in order to establish secure anchorages, for ships not needed off the landing beaches and for ships damaged by air/sea attacks. Later that same day, after a short naval bombardment, the U.S. Sixth Army finally lands on the beaches of Kyūshū at three points: Miyazaki, Ariake, and Kushikino. They are eerily unopposed, but as they advance further inland, they are greeted with a hail of enemy fire. Japanese machine-gun nests, foxholes, bunkers, minefields, anything the Japanese can utilize for defense is thrown into the path of the advancing U.S. armies.After several days of hard fighting, the U.S. advance is slowed to a crawl as determined enemy resistance and lack of familiarity with the terrain makes the going more difficult. While some units are able to break through Japanese defenses and advance deeper into enemy territory, others are pinned down along the beaches or other areas in the surrounding region. Though they’re outnumbered 3:1, the Japanese are determined to hold on to every inch of land, defending it with their very lives. Through aerial reconnaissance, it is discovered that the Japanese defenders are receiving weapons and ammunition from the city of Kokura in northern Kyūshū. Kokura is the main weapons production city in Japan with direct logistical lines to the beaches. If the city’s factories and logistical lines are not dealt with soon, the U.S. advance could be ground to a halt, and Operation Olympic could be in danger of failure. The task of a strategic bombing campaign falls on the United States Strategic Air Forces in the Pacific (USASTAF), comprised of the U.S. 8th and 12th Air Forces as well as the British Tiger Force and many others.From airfields in the Mariana Islands, squadrons of B-29 Super Fortresses and escorts of P-51 Mustangs of the U.S. 8th and 12th Air Forces take off en route for the city of Kokura. While at the same time, the 7th, 5th, and 13th Air Forces are sent as tactical air support responsible for attacking Japanese airfields and transportation arteries in Kyūshū and southern Honshū as well as to gain and maintain air superiority over the beaches. Within hours after take-off, the B-29s arrive over their targets in Kokura and southern Honshū and begin their attack. In response, Japanese Type 3 and Type 5 anti-aircraft guns light up the skies while Zero fighters and interceptors are scrambled to repel the attacks. The fighting for air superiority is brutal, dozens of planes falling from the skies while bombers pound Kokura to rubble, factories, hospitals, and government buildings are destroyed, while P-51 Mustangs attack and destroy Japanese armored trains and railway networks with bombs and rockets. After laying waste to Kokura, the American planes begin their return to Allied territory, harassing Japanese defensive positions on their way back.With their logistical supply lines now severed and munitions beginning to run low, the Japanese prepare to make a final stand near the beaches. Fixing their Type 30 bayonets on their rifles while the commanding officer draws out his katana. With a determined battle cry of “Banzai!”, the Japanese unleash a banzai charge on American positions, while many Japanese are gunned down by dug-in American troops, others engage the defenders head-on in fierce hand-to-hand combat. The sheer fanaticism of the defenders is absolutely astonishing to the invading American forces.After more than three weeks of battle, due to constant bombings of enemy positions and heavy losses, the remaining Japanese defenders near the beaches are forced to pull back to secondary defensive positions and plot a counterattack. Meanwhile, American forces secure the beachheads and set up a defensive perimeter, clearing debris in order to allow American supplies and armor such as LVT-2 Water Buffalos and M4 Sherman tanks to land without further obstructions. Also arriving at the beaches is the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in the Pacific, newly promoted General of the Armies of the United States Douglas MacArthur. His arrival is captured on film by allied war correspondents as a symbol of triumph similar to his return to the Philippines in 1944, greatly boosting morale for the U.S. and Allied troops and giving off the impression that the war will soon be over. General MacArthur surveys his troops as well as the devastation of Japanese territory. After seeing the bodies of U.S. and Japanese soldiers and their equipment scattered across the beaches, General MacArthur states:“Screw death and the idea of going to hell, we’re already here.”After this, he and his general staff go on to inform their troops of the next stage of the operation.While American soldiers claim that they are willing and ready to fight to capture the whole of Kyūshū, to their surprise, General MacArthur informs them that their objective is to reach a certain point in the southernmost third of the island designated as the “General Limit of Northern Advance”. Upon their arrival, they’re to clear the area of any resistance and establish defensive positions. After this, they are to seize Japanese airfields and most likely need to rebuild them as the retreating Japanese have without a doubt destroyed most of them rather than see them fall into the hands of the enemy. The success of which will allow the Allies to begin building up their supplies and strength in order to initiate the second stage of the invasion and help bring a quick end to the war.By X+60, now with reinforcements and fresh supplies, the Allies are now ready to push forwards towards their designated targets. But from the get-go, the going is difficult, as American forces become ever more paranoid. Not knowing when and where the next attack may come from. Upon reaching the midway point towards their limit of advance, U.S. forces are suddenly hit by a barrage of Japanese mortars and artillery. American troops scramble to find cover, but everywhere they turn, they discover Japanese troops in every direction, now reinforced with civilian conscripts from well-entrenched positions in the mountains and valleys. The Japanese now launch a counteroffensive in an attempt to push the invading U.S. armies back to the beaches.Looking to break through the enemy attacks, U.S. army officers begin calling for armored and air support. Within moments, U.S. Sherman tanks arrive to support infantry units, however, the Japanese have also called for armored support and dozens of Japanese tanks appear from the horizon to counter the American armored columns, resulting in a massive tank battle the likes of which have never been seen in the Pacific War. New Japanese Type 4 Chi-To and Type 5 Chi-Ri tanks are used to spearhead the attack followed by masses of Type 1 Chi-He and Type 3 Chi-Nu tanks. Forward observers of the U.S. Sixth Army watch in horror as bazooka and anti-tank rounds seem to bounce off the Japanese tanks. At the same time, over 8,000 Japanese soldiers and civilians armed with bamboo spears, Molotov cocktails, sidearms, and other weapons banzai charge towards allied positions, many units armed with 22-pound satchel bombs run under tanks and detonate them, while others fight hand-to-hand with the Americans, causing heavy casualties and mass hysteria. To the Americans, it is the Battle of Okinawa all over again. With the memories of Okinawa still fresh in their minds, morale among the American troops drops significantly while that of the Japanese defenders is high. Many of them come from Kyūshū, they are defending their homeland with their very lives.Over the course of several days, American troops attempt to stand their ground but Japanese resistance grows evermore ferocious, although they manage to knock out several Japanese tanks while others break down during battle, this doesn’t seem to deter the defenders in the least. While officers desperately try to call for air support, American armored units form a defensive perimeter around the remaining U.S. soldiers providing cover fire while infantry units charge forward using grenades and flamethrowers against Japanese tanks and foxholes, clearing them of resistance. Although this works, Japanese troops and armor just keep coming, it’s beginning to look as though a Japanese breakthrough might be possible. Suddenly, dark silhouettes appear above, American forces cheer as Allied planes from the United States Army Air Forces fly overhead to bomb and strafe the enemy. Destroying Japanese tanks and artillery using bombs and rockets, and laying waste to Japanese defensive positions. The tide has turned, and American forces renew their advance onto enemy territory, while most Japanese forces stand their ground and fight to the death, others retreat into the dense forests and mountains while others commit suicide rather than surrender. Though suffering from shellshock and severe cases of PTSD, American forces regroup and continue onwards, knowing that they still need to clear the innumerable mountain bunkers, hangars, and other obstacles the Japanese island and its inhabitants can throw at them, for the war is not over yet.Over the course of three months, American forces continue pushing northward. Though they had fought and survived many battles, their commanders can permit them no rest. Instead, they must struggle on, through the unforgiving terrain. Instruments of their supreme commander’s lust for victory. The U.S. armies drive deep into Japanese territories, fighting exhaustion, cold mud, inch by bloody inch the infantry advances, capturing vital Japanese positions including several destroyed Japanese airfields. Upon capturing them, Allied engineers are sent in and immediately get to work in rebuilding the airfields and getting them back into working condition for Allied planes, and using them as bases of forward operations. By X+120, American forces finally reach the General Limit of Northern Advance at the southernmost third of the island. For a moment fighting ceases while Allied forces regroup and begin setting up defensive positions, awaiting further orders. Now they must face another grim reality, the death toll. 149,046 American casualties (including 28,981 dead and missing) over the course of three months, while Japanese losses are estimated to have reached as high as 381,000.With Kyūshū’s airstrips in Allied hands, the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff now prepare for Phase II of Operation Downfall. An amphibious invasion on the Japanese main island of Honshū, and an advance along the Kantō Plain towards Tokyo codenamed: Coronet. Simultaneously, after witnessing the Japanese resistance all throughout the Pacific War, American officials begin contemplating whether or not to include the Soviets into their plans. At first, Allied leaders are worried that Joseph Stalin will take advantage of the proposal and seize Japanese territory for himself. When STAVKA is informed of the Allied plans, they are hesitant. Although the Soviet Union is now formally at war against the Japanese Empire, the Red Army has recently sustained heavy casualties during the Soviet invasion of the Kuril Islands, particularly in the Battle of Shumshu, where a well-established Japanese garrison resisted fiercely against the invading Communists. Even so, the Soviet Union does not have the naval capabilities to aid the Western Allies in their invasion. However, the Americans persist, promising to provide naval assets and air cover to the Soviets in order for them to open a second front on Japan. After careful consideration, Joseph Stalin agrees to the proposal, and orders plans be made for an invasion of the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido.Meanwhile, in the Imperial capital, the Japanese First General Army’s prevalent thinking is that Tokyo, close to the shore and on the rim of the Kantō Plain, is indefensible. Therefore, with enemy forces closing in on Japanese soil, they prepare plans to have the vital organs of government shifted inland. Fearing the worst, General Masakazu Kawabe orders the First General Army to hastily evacuate the Emperor, his family, and the Imperial General Staff. Loading them onto a specially guarded armored train and transferring them to an underground Imperial Headquarters far from the frontlines, as well as evacuate any/all civilians who are unable to fight. Once all members of the Imperial family, government, and civilians are safe, the remaining Japanese military units begin preparations for an all-out defense of the Imperial capital. Having heard of the Soviet defense of Stalingrad and the heroic German last stand in Berlin, Field Marshal (Gensui) Shunroku Hata orders defensive positions to be set up all around the city and prepare to defend Tokyo to the last. Orders go out to the city’s defenders young and old, to turn Tokyo into a super Stalingrad that will be the grave of the U.S. armies.While the Allies deal with the remaining pockets of resistance in Kyūshū and build up supplies for an advance northwards, the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff prepare for a decisive battle for Honshū. Coronet is projected to be even larger than Olympic, with up to 1.1 million men in 40 divisions earmarked for both the initial landing and follow-up. As well as 190,000 vehicles and over 2,500 guns have been assembled, facing Tokyo’s outer defenses along the Kantō Plain. General Courtney H. Hodges and Lieutenant-General Robert L. Eichelberger have been given command of the field armies that will take part in the invasion. Opposing the American forces are 950,000 Japanese troops, many of them are poorly trained conscripts and reservists and they are short on tanks and artillery. But Japanese soldiers are still ready to fight to the death, to defend their capital city.March 1, 1946 - Operation Coronet (Y-Day)At exactly 3:00a.m. Operation Coronet opens with a deafening barrage from the U.S. Third Fleet and British Pacific Fleet led by Fleet Admiral William Halsey Jr. Their guns pound the Japanese defenses along the shorelines, trenches and gun positions are pulverized by the rain of shells and rockets.After over an hour of bombardment, the First United States Army invades Kujūkuri Beach, on the Bōsō Peninsula. Upon their arrival at the shores, army and marine units scour the burning areas for any signs of resistance. To their surprise, they discover that the shore defenses are completely empty, seemingly abandoned. But as the assault infantry advance several kilometers through the Kantō Plain, the Japanese 52nd Army begins it attack. The Japanese firepower is murderously heavy and very accurate, the Japanese had adopted a “defense in depth” strategy after studying its effectiveness during the battles of Peleliu, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. Placing the bulk of their defensive forces a few kilometers inland, back far enough to avoid complete exposure to pre-invasion shore bombardment, but close enough that the Americans cannot establish a secure foothold before engaging them. The Japanese had prepared their defenses very carefully as for every inch of ground, U.S. forces have to endure heavy fire and high casualties.When dawn breaks, the Japanese line is still holding. Shelling and bombarding the Americans with all kinds of weapons: small arms, artillery, mortars, and even dropping bombs from aircraft. General Hodges’s offensive is going nowhere, but to the west, the second phase of Operation Coronet is launched. Lieutenant-General Eichelberger’s Eighth United States Army invades Hiratsuka, on Sagami Bay. From hundreds of landing crafts, Eichelberger’s infantry rush through the beaches and in just 20 minutes, they carve out a small beachhead on the west bank. Once the beaches are ready, LVT-2 Water Buffalos and M4 Shermans begin landing and begin driving northwards. In spite of savage counterattacks by the Japanese 53rd Army, they manage to advance eight miles. But to the east, General Hodges’s attack is still bogged down as the defenders had established a formidable defensive line along the peninsula.Simultaneously in the north, from the port city of Vladivostok, the U.S. Pacific Fleet begins ferrying Soviet troops across the Sea of Japan and northern Pacific, to the Japanese island of Hokkaido. Any/all Japanese troops who managed to withdraw from the Kuril Islands, now prepare to defend their Home Islands to the death, digging a series of trenches and forming defensive lines around landing zones.On the early morning of Y-Day, 120 amphibious assault craft race towards northwestern Hokkaido to the city of Rumoi. Once in range, Japanese coastal defenses open fire upon the incoming craft, while Japanese fighters and bombers take to the skies and attack allied transport ships. The Americans respond by sending their fighters to counter the Japanese and provide air cover for the Soviet troops approaching the beaches. Artillery pieces and aircraft make short work of many landing crafts while others are knocked out, forcing the Soviets to jump over the sides and swim towards the shores, many of which drown.As the Japanese fighters engage the Americans, the surviving landing crafts arrive at their designated landing zones and unleash the Red Army. With a battle cry of “Ura!” Soviet marines charge towards the Japanese coastline and are greeted with fierce resistance. Sparing no expense, the Japanese throw every available unit in Hokkaido into the heat of battle, each citizen fighting with all their might to repel the Soviet invasion and stop the spread of the red terror.Back in Honshū, news of the Soviet invasion of Hokkaido reaches the frontlines. Japanese military officials are sent into disarray as they struggle to decide whether to divert part of their forces north, or remain in Honshū and attempt to further stall the U.S. advance. The generals ultimately decide that they should divert troops north to stop the Soviets and attempt to reach a separate peace with the Americans. Four divisions and an armored brigade are diverted north to aid the Japanese defenders in Hokkaido. Noticing the decrease of Japanese strength in the area, General Hodges orders a new offensive to knock out Japanese positions and continue the establishment of proper beachheads to allow reinforcements and armor to land. As Japanese forces attempt to reorganize to cover plug all gaps left by the diverted forces, they are attacked with full force by the U.S. 1st Army, American troops fire their M1 Garand and carbine rifles along with M1A1 Thompson submachine guns, grenades, and flamethrowers clearing many Japanese fortified positions and forcing the defenders to retreat further back in a rearguard action. After four days, Kujūkuri Beach is finally secured, and American engineers hastily build reliable docks and establish a secure beachhead.By Y+10, a follow-up force of up to 12 additional divisions of the Tenth United States Army and British Commonwealth Corps are landed as reinforcements. Once the Allied forces have regrouped and are reequipped, the Allied armies continue their advance north, in order to reach their rendezvous point along the outer reaches of Tokyo. Within days, as the U.S. 8th Army presses on towards Tokyo, they are ordered to surround and bypass the Japanese cities of Yokosuka and Yokohama along Tokyo Bay. But continuous Japanese attacks from within the cities become too much for the Allied officers to ignore, if the allies do not find ways to pacify the cities, a combined Japanese counterattack could force the operation to a standstill. Forcing the Anglo-American forces to halt their advance and take the cities by force. Meanwhile to the east, the U.S. 1st Army continues to spread throughout the Bōsō Peninsula and continue their advance north along Tokyo bay.After more than five weeks of hard fighting, the two armies arrive at the gates of Tokyo. But unbeknownst to them, just six weeks earlier, the Japanese First General Army had built an extensive network of defenses in the city, designated as Fortress Yamato. American troops are to be held up by minefields and trench systems and channeled into killing zones, with barricades and gun positions covering every street. But short of time, and lacking manpower and resources, the defenses were less than half-built, and there are only 41,000 troops in the garrison. Allied reconnaissance had failed to report the construction of such a structure, either way, allied officers and generals believed that the Japanese would concentrate all available forces towards Kyūshū, leaving their capital practically undefended. The British and American troops know they must do whatever it takes to break through Japanese defenses and race towards Tokyo, believing the capture of the city will mean the end of the war.On April 16th 1946, with no other alternative, Generals Eichelberger and Hodges order their tanks and infantry to advance towards the fortress and for artillery pieces to begin a massive barrage and provide cover for the advancing units. But a series of minefields, tank traps, and counterattacks force the infantry units to pull back and allow the artillery to level the fortress to the ground. Although less than half-finished, the Japanese lines hold strong throughout the night and its defenders continue to put up unrelenting resistance.By the end of day one, the Japanese defenders have suffered terrible losses from a barrage of over a million shells and rockets. But every minute they can hold the Anglo-American armies spares the capital of the Japanese Empire from becoming a kill-zone. April 17th, day two of the Battle of Tokyo, the Allies' last offensive to crush the Japanese Empire is in trouble. The 1st and 8th U.S. armies are trapped in a kill-zone along with Tokyo’s outer defenses of Fortress Yamato. The outskirts of the city have been turned into a maze of tank traps, bunkers, and machine-gun nests, but the Generals are determined to punch through the Japanese lines and reach the heart of Tokyo before the other. They turn to aerial reconnaissance to find weak points in the fortress defenses, the capital itself is the central bastion of the defensive line. American ground attack bombers from Kyūshū’s airfields target gun positions while the artillery pounds the lines with rockets and shells.The next attack goes in, but Japanese Type 1 47mm Anti-tank guns take out American tanks at long range and infantrymen hunt them among the rubble with deadly tank-busting Type 4 20mm and Type 4 70mm AT Rocket launchers. As many as 152 allied tanks are destroyed in this relentless battle of attrition, later at 3:00 p.m. Japanese aircraft launch suicidal attacks on allied positions but swarms of American fighters drive the last of Japan’s Army Air Forces from the skies. As the U.S. attacks continue, Prime Minister Higashikuni tries to inspire his troops on the frontlines with the following statement:“In these hours, the whole Japanese nation looks to you, my heroic warriors. And hopes that by your resolution, your fanaticism, your weapons, and under your leadership, the enemy’s assaults will be drowned in a bloodbath!”In the north, after weeks of intense battle, the Red Army has finally secured a foothold in Hokkaido and has begun pushing southward, but only after human carnage on a terrible scale. Out of the 20,000 Red Army soldiers that stormed the beaches, more than half had been killed or wounded while Japanese losses are moderate. For the soldiers of both sides who had experienced the fighting firsthand, it is the Battle of Shumshu all over again. Both sides fighting for every inch of land, but the Soviets steadily gain the initiative as swarms of T-34 tanks have begun landing and are used to spearhead the Communist advance, whereas Japanese forces lack adequate anti-tank defenses. But no matter what, as with the Americans in the south, the defenders are willing to do whatever is necessary to push the Red Army out of Hokkaido.Meanwhile back in Honshū, 15 miles west of Tokyo, Lieutenant-General Eichelberger’s tanks are pushing forward. American aircraft blast a path ahead of them through the burning buildings, when they reach the next Japanese line southwest of the city, the tanks charge across and shatter the weak Japanese defenses. At midnight, Eichelberger orders his armies to bypass pockets of resistance and head both east towards Tokyo and northeast to cut the roads leading out of the city. 20 miles east of the capital, General Hodges orders his men to attack and take the Japanese forward positions. Both U.S. armies are very eager to fight, everyone knowing that this is perhaps one of the last if not, the last battle of the war, as they continue running into combat ignoring the flying bullets and grenades, paying no attention to the fact that they could be killed or injured. After more than two months of fighting, the Japanese have had enough, whole divisions begin to disintegrate and the survivors are driven back into Tokyo and into the mountains and forests north of the city. General Hodges finally has the open road to Tokyo that he had been demanding for four days. His armies are more than 17 miles from the city center, but the carnage had been terrible. Suffering 36,000 casualties while the Japanese losses are estimated at over 25,000.The race is on between Eichelberger and Hodges, while Eichelberger’s men close in on Tokyo from the west, Hodges orders his armies to strike in from the east and encircle the city from the north. The next morning, bombs rain down on the city from the last Allied thousand bomber raid in the Pacific. By the time the bombing is over, the Allied forces reach the suburbs of Tokyo, but as they advance closer to the city, they are suddenly stopped in their tracks by a horrific sight. Japanese soldiers and civilians, a gigantic wave of men and steel, banzai charge towards them at full speed. It is the largest banzai charge ever seen, a demonstration of the Japanese loyalty and willpower to fight for their homeland. While both sides engage in a ferocious battle on the streets, many units set up defensive positions within the remains of destroyed buildings, using them to maximum capacity. A great portion of the defenders are from the ranks of the Volunteer Fighting Corps which include all able-bodied men aged 15 - 60 and women aged 17 - 40 for a total of 28 million people throughout Japan, for combat support, and combat jobs. Weapons, training, and uniforms are generally lacking: many are armed with nothing better than antiquated firearms, Molotov cocktails, longbows, swords, knives, bamboo or wooden spears, and even clubs and truncheons; nevertheless, they are expected to make do with what they have. One mobilized high school girl, Yukiko Kasai, finds herself issued an awl and is told:“Even killing one American soldier will do. ... You must aim for the abdomen.”In between combat, several attempts are made by Japanese officers with orders from Imperial High Command to attempt to negotiate a separate peace deal with the Allies. Demanding an end to the war and further loss of innocent lives. In exchange for their government to remain untouched and for a limited Allied occupation force within Japan. After the proposal is delivered to the U.S. government and is thoroughly examined, the proposal is rejected, deemed too unacceptable for Allied leaders, who continue pressuring the Japanese government to surrender unconditionally. As always the Japanese refuse and both sides prepare for the continuation of the war. As the American armies close around Tokyo, orders go out to the city’s defenders young and old, to turn the city into a super Stalingrad that will be the grave of the U.S. armies.On July 21, 1946 (Y+142) American artillerymen prepare to fire a historic barrage. Shells are labeled with slogans such as “For Pearl Harbor” and “Tōjō’s kiss of death”. At exactly 9:30 a.m. their guns crash into action, the shells fly 10 miles and smash down into the center of Tokyo. For the first time in history, the heart of the Japanese Empire is within range of ground fire, the U.S. Army is on its doorstep. After a bitter four-day battle, American forces have finally broken through the cities outer defenses. West of the city, Lieutenant-General Eichelberger’s tank columns are approaching the outer workings of Tokyo and the suburbs to its north. At the same time, General Hodges’s forces are striking past the city to the north and pushing into the eastern suburbs. Now it is street fighting, building by building. Everyone a natural redoubt for desperate defenders. Casualties mount, resistance stiffens, but the American armies cannot be halted now.By 7:00 p.m. on Y+143 the U.S. 8th Army reaches the main industrial hub of the city. Only several miles of rubble and defenses lay between its tanks and the center of the Empire’s capital city. But reinforcements arrive at Tokyo’s defense just in time, they had been diverted from Kyūshū as fighting in the southern island has been static for the most part with several minor incursions from both sides. Driven back into the city by Hodges’s 1st Army, are the units which had held out for so long at Fortress Yamato. These troops now form the backbone of the defense, they bring with them just 20 tanks to hold back the masses of American armor. As the U.S. ring of steel closes around Tokyo, with the coasts surrounding the city having been cleared, the U.S. Pacific Fleet enters Tokyo Bay providing cover fire and air support to the advancing infantry. While Eichelberger prepares to cross the industrial hub in the west, Hodges’s armies begin to push in from the east and northeast. General MacArthur now sets a boundary between the two general lines of advance but stops it just short of the city center. There the ruined parliament building the National Diet Building the symbolic heart of the Empire’s government will be their target. Both generals are determined that their troops will be the ones to plant the Stars and Stripes on its roof.Undercover of a deafening naval bombardment, Eichelberger’s infantry storm across the industrial zones but in this sector, the men and women of the Volunteer Fighting Corps are backed up by regular troops. The first major assaults are wiped out by ferocious counterattacks and banzai charges. But by midday, Eichelberger’s tanks are fighting their way through the maze of rubble and buildings on the northern sector. Further east, Hodges’s men are also advancing, but here the defenders are Japanese Special Forces from the Giretsu Kuteitai (“Heroic Paratroopers”), they fight back fanatically. Fighting every step of the way, the Japanese defenders in the east and west pullback towards the center of Tokyo. But on Y+146, comes the news that the people of Tokyo have been dreading. 10 miles north, the U.S. 1st and 8th armies have linked up after sweeping east and west around the city, Tokyo is surrounded, and there is no escape for the desperate defenders and the cities inhabitants.But some are still determined to fight on, and in the rubble choked streets of the city, American tanks go from being the hunters to the hunted. But by the next day, with the capital city of the Japanese Empire now surrounded by allied forces, the final drive to crush the city is about to begin. More than a million Anglo-American troops, 3,000 guns, and 1,500 tanks are now ready and waiting for the final assault on the heart of Tokyo. And in the sky overhead, American reconnaissance aircraft play a vital role in charting their army’s progress. In the east, the 1st Army pushes forward through Japanese defenses leading to the heart of the city, and in vicious fighting, they capture Haneda Airfield, the cities the last link with the rest of Japan has been severed. The Japanese defenders break up into small groups as they are driven back to the central defense zone. The last eight Japanese tanks take positions around the Shinjuku Gyo-en Park. Their deadly 75mm guns dominate the area around the Diet building, but as dawn breaks, allied officers become frustrated by their troop’s slow progress. When tanks try to penetrate the rubble-filled streets, they are easy prey for the fanatical tank hunting teams Japanese Special Forces and volunteers.By Y+148, the 8th Army is closing in on the center of the city, the last defense area known as the Citadel, by the evening they are at the gates of the Chiyoda ward only two miles from the Diet Building and the Imperial Palace. From the north, both allied armies drive the defenders back into an area just two miles wide and seven miles long. But in this last bastion are some of the Empire’s most fanatical defenders, tough veteran troops are joined by ordinary citizens; young men, women, and children. As more pockets of resistance are isolated with no chance of escape, allied troops encounter ghastly sights, although some are no longer willing or able to fight, many simply cannot imagine a Japan after the Empire. Mass suicides occur across the island nation on a scale never before seen, in Asian history. By September 13th, American units reach the Chiyoda ward, 400 yards away through the smoke, they catch glimpses of the Diet. Infantry charge forward but the area had been barricaded with barbed wire and mines, a hail of fire comes from the fortified building on the opposite side. But allied troops push ahead with reckless courage.From their underground Imperial Headquarters far from the city, reports come in from all areas across Japan showing the amount of carnage and destruction brought about by the invasion. Emperor Hirohito also views the photographs and reports and is horrified by what he sees. Back in Hokkaido, after two months of holding the line, the Red Army finally breaks through Japanese defenses and begin spreading south throughout the island. Soon after, rumors begin spreading that Soviet soldiers have begun a campaign of plunder and rape of Japanese women. Imperial officials use this information to incite rage and encourage greater resistance from the defenders. Japan is now in its final hours, in the bomb-shattered buildings at the heart of Tokyo, both sides now prepare for the last act of the Second World War in the Pacific.September 15, 1946After five months of bitter fighting, the Battle for Tokyo is coming to a climax. From all sides, the allies are closing in on the city center. The Japanese Empire, which once spanned more than 2,857,000 sq. miles is now a strip of land just two miles wide and seven miles long. The men of the U.S. 1st and 8th armies, prepare to advance the last few hundred yards to the Diet, the symbolic heart of the Empire. On General MacArthur’s orders, they carry American flags to place on its roof, but first, they have to overcome the last fanatical defenders. Ahead of the 8th Army lay the government buildings around the Diet, they are separated by the trees and undergrowth of the Shinjuku Gyo-en Park. But the peaceful landscape which had been popular with Japanese citizens for 200 years, is now a hell of splintered trees and trenches. The first obstacle to their advance is the heavily fortified Kantei (Prime Minister’s Official Residence), American soldiers call it “Tōjō’s House”. Under a storm of fire, they batter their way through the entrance and begin a desperate hand-to-hand fight from room to room. Outside, Sherman tanks become sitting ducks for Japanese tank hunting squads armed with deadly Type 4 70mm AT Rocket launchers. The chaotic battle for the Kantei goes on all night, driven on by their desire to be the ones to end the war, allied units suffer horrendous casualties. When “Tōjō’s House” finally falls, the assault troops try to storm the Diet, but on the open ground, they come under fire from Japanese mortars and machine-guns. U.S. artillery and rockets lay down a barrage of shells at point-blank range to give the riflemen cover. Less than a mile to the east, the 1st Army has also blasted its way forward, the battle now rages around the Imperial Palace and the Diet building.Seeing that there is no escape from the city and U.S. forces are fast approaching, rather than surrender, the leaders of the First General Army either join their troops on the frontlines where they are killed, or resort to Japanese Bushido tradition choosing instead to die with honor and commit suicide through Seppuku. With no idea their leaders are dead, the garrisons of Japanese troops and volunteers in the Diet, fight on. But at 6:00p.m. American assault troops, at last, reach the building. Murderous hand-to-hand fighting erupts as both sides hunt each other through the burning smoke-filled rooms, the battle is decided with submachine guns, grenades, swords, and even knives. One small group carrying victory banner number five fights their way through the maze of corridors. Breaking out onto the shell-torn roof, they tie their flag around a pillar, days later, the flag-raising is reenacted for the cameras. Still, the battle goes on, once the Imperial palace is captured General MacArthur orders his troops to search for the Emperor but after an extensive search, they discover that he is nowhere to be found. While the majority of the plains defenders were engaged in Tokyo, there are still several large pockets of resistance throughout the Kantō Plain, and with Tokyo now subdued, Allied armies now turn north to clear the surrounding lands of resistance and search for the remaining Japanese leaders.By November 1946, a year into the invasion, the Soviet Red Army has captured the entire island of Hokkaido. The Japanese defenders have suffered terrible losses as a result of their heroic defense, more than 120,000 Japanese killed, wounded, or captured. While Soviet losses are estimated between 190,000-340,000 casualties. In the south, American forces continue their advance along the Kantō Plain and the island of Kyūshū, causing great devastation and heavy loss of life.No longer able to bear the horrors of war and the destruction of his empire, Emperor Hirohito after careful consideration, comes out of hiding from his underground bunker in Matsushiro and surrenders himself to the approaching U.S. forces. At first, the Americans are stunned by what they see, the “God Emperor of the Land of the Rising Sun” stands before them. While many are mesmerized, others raise their weapons and prepare to execute the Emperor on the spot, believing him to be responsible for the entire war and the deaths of millions. But before they can take the fatal shot, they are immediately ordered to stand down by their commanding officer and allow the Emperor to surrender peacefully. That commanding officer, is General of the Armies Douglas MacArthur. His reason being that if the Emperor is executed, the American occupation forces will have an even greater problem on their hands, as the Japanese people will be infuriated and continue fighting to the last, in order to avenge the death of their God.The Emperor is then transported to the remains of Tokyo. There, he is assured by MacArthur that he will be allowed to remain on the throne, so long as he accepts the Potsdam Declaration and end the war. With his throne secured, the Emperor makes a nationwide radio broadcast with the guidance of U.S. forces. Across the nation, Japanese soldiers and citizens hear to the voice of their God Emperor through radio for the first time in history.Upon hearing the words of their deity, the news of the Emperor’s surrender explodes like a bombshell throughout Japan. However, through their absolute loyalty to the Emperor, Japanese military forces begin to surrender in the thousands, meanwhile, in the north, Japanese forces are still fighting to defend northern Honshū from the advancing Red Army. The Emperor’s radio broadcast soon reaches its location. Although the news is shocking and to some discouraging, the remaining Imperial Japanese Army and Volunteer Fighting Corps units throughout Japan regroup and plot their next move. They’re determined to fight on, although with supplies quickly running out and in a desperate attempt to reach safety, Japanese forces make plans to flee southwards and surrender to the British and American forces in order to avoid being carted off to the gulags by the Soviets.By early-1947, the island of Hokkaido and parts of northern Honshū are captured by the Red Army while elsewhere, the remaining Japanese forces fight a spectacular rearguard action against the advancing Red Army. Racing southwards in an attempt to reach the Americans and surrender to them. Upon arriving at key Allied positions, the Japanese toss their weapons aside and surrender. While many are taken into custody to join the many Japanese/Axis POWs, others are simply gunned down at the orders of Allied commanders.January 28, 1947At 6:00 a.m. the last major pockets of resistance, are wiped out and the remnants of the Imperial government surrender to the Allies and an order goes out to the remaining Japanese forces everywhere to lay down their arms.February 13, 1947The Japanese Empire signs the terms of Unconditional Surrender the Second World War in Asia and the Pacific is over. The Empire of Great Japan has been completely destroyed, for the Japanese people who followed their leaders into the abyss, the world has come to an end.With the war finally over, the victorious Allied nations begin to wonder what exactly they will do now. The Japanese landscape has been destroyed and its citizens are homeless refugees. General MacArthur decides that there is only one thing left to do, rebuild. In order to maintain public support even to a minimal extent, the U.S. occupation force allows Emperor Hirohito to maintain his throne. With U.S. forces having been tied up with Japan, Soviet forces had captured Manchuria, Korea, southern Sakhalin, and the Kuril Islands, while in the north, Soviet forces install a puppet Communist government in Hokkaido the Democratic People’s Republic of Japan led by Kyuichi Tokuda chairman of the Japanese Communist Party. Knowing they cannot allow the spread of Communism to the rest of Japan, General MacArthur and the Allied leaders are forced to bite their tongues and allow the Imperial General Headquarters to remain in power and help rebuild its destroyed military at least for the time being, in order to act as an effective buffer against Soviet influence.Operation Downfall becomes the largest amphibious invasion in history, bringing nothing but death and devastation the likes of which have never been seen in modern history. For the Japanese people, to say the devastation of the mainland has been all-consuming is a gross understatement, military units obliterated, cities ruined, infrastructure eliminated, and Japan, defeated. Japanese casualties as a result of the invasion are estimated to be as high as 10 million, most of which are civilians: men, women, and children all thrown into the meat grinder of war to defend their homeland. While American/Allied casualties range from 890,000 – 1.3 million. With the Japanese Empire defeated and the Second World War finally over, the Allies now have a new challenge, the reconstruction of Japan and East Asia. In addition, the United Nations now have to face a new threat, in the form of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the threat of Communism. With the Axis Powers gone, the Communists are moving in the fill the gaps left by the Axis. And now the United Nations must face this threat head-on in a new type of military conflict, at this point with a new weapon, the Atomic Bomb now having been successfully created, the shroud of the Axis Powers has fallen, the Cold War, has begun.

What power? The person itself - Police General Tito Karnavian, or the National Police Chief title itself? The political image of Polri has been described in other answer. I want explained anotherFunction & ResourcesIndonesia National Police (Polri) for me its quite powerful. Indonesia National Police is one unity. It consist of around 400.000 personnel all around Indonesia. It has budget 72.43 Billion Rupiah ($ 5.4 Million) in 2017 Polri Urutan Ketiga Institusi Penerima Anggaran Terbesar di RAPBN 2017 . Its responsibility is super big, from law enforcement, law and order, national security, traffic, etc.OrganizationI want to compare with US Police/Sheriff which has decentralized to state and city/municipality and has also in federal level. Polri organization consist of:Leadership - Chief of Polri (Kapolri ****) & Vice Chief of Polri (Wakapolri ***). Chief of Polri is answer to President directly. President nominate from three star general candidates to become Chief (Four star). Chief of Polri also must an active personnel (internal candidate) and still has enough times before retirement. House of Representative conducted hearing, fit and proper test to agree/not with President choice. President is also indirectly controlled Commissioned Officer (General) mutation, promotion and rotation tour-of-duty. For Chief Police, there are no exact terms like FBI (10 years) or Secretary (2-4 years), but as President want, and usually followed the pension age (58 yo); Chief Police usually held the position from 2 until 3 years. Tito Karnavian as young and rising star (He is a good anomaly; still 52 years old and already four-star general) is expected to retired in 2022 (from 2016). There aren’t also protocol/ethical procedure like in US which coordinate between President, DOJ and FBI Chief independency (which Trump-Comey feud dominated US news right now); which Chief of Polri act publicly more like Homeland Security Secretary more (yes to President direction) than Chief Law Enforcement (like DOJ/FBI, which independent to White House).Criminal Investigative Agency (Badan Reserse Kriminal - Bareskrim ***) - Just like Federal Bureau of Investigation in national level. It consist of many directorate of criminal investigation (general crime, economic&special crime, cyber crime, narcotics crime, corruption crime) and forensic labs, criminal statistics center, fingerprint analysis center, etc. It also has supervisory mandate to all of detective in Regional & Local Police (Biro Pengawas Penyidik); assistance mandate to all of civil service investigator (Penyidik Pegawai Negeri Sipil - in similar of federal agents from other agency in US)Security Development Agency (Badan Pemelihara Keamanan - Baharkam ***) - just like Homeland Security, although not as big as DHS in US (I will discussed it below). It consist of Marine and Air Police (Polair dan Udara), Community Policing Directorate (Direktorat Pembinaan Masyarakat); Anti-Riot Police Directorate (Direktorat Sabhara, usually secure/escorts the demonstration or doing routine patrol on street too); K9 Directorate (Direktorat Satwa), Critical Infrastructure and Vital Object Directorate (Direktorat Pengamanan Objek Vital) and etc. The Regional & local police consist of that directorate too. But in national level, Its job to create regulation to all local police all over Indonesia in terms of homeland security. It also has supervisory and assistance mandate to all special cops (Train cops, Tourism cops, Forest Cops, etc) and also regulate private security industry (Company/community security like Satpam). In terms of community policing, Indonesia has its own force named Bhabinkamtibmas (Bhayangkara Pembina Keamanan Ketertiban Masyarakat) scattered all over Indonesia until village level. Baharkam regulate its use. Usually, Baharkam is on high alert when big events happening such as national election and local election, national holiday such as Mudik, Christmas, new year, happened, or security issues such as ISIS at Philippine-Sulawesi Border.Intelligence Security Agency (Badan Intelijen Keamanan - Baintelkam ***) - just like Intelligence Section of FBI or MI5 in UK, National Polices Chief has authority over domestic intelligence too (Although, BIN as State Intelligence Agency - leading agency, is tasked both into foreign and domestic intelligence). In local level, it use to issuing Daftar Pencarian Orang (DPO) against criminal (like all-points bulletin (APB/BOLO) in US). In National level, It consist of many intelligence analysis directorate such as Domestic Politics, Social-Culture, Economic, National Security, Cryptic section, and tech section. It also regulate gun use and explosives substance like ATF in US. In Indonesia, gun for personal use is heavy regulated (only for police/armed forces, and sport) and explosives for such as mining & construction company. It also receive and analyze permit to big events in society such as demonstration, crowd, parade, conference, etc. It also conducting background check to create certificate to employer - SKCK (Surat Keterangan Catatan Kepolisian). It also regulate supervision against foreigner and against deviant sect and local believer. It also has new directorate- Counterintelligence, to tackle propaganda/deception/hoax.Traffic Corps (Korps Lalu Lintas) - Traffic cops is available to each Local Police. In National level, it regulate inter-province transportation, National Traffic Management Center (NTMC), highway patrol, or in big events or national holiday like Mudik Lebaran or Christmas eve and new years. It also regulate driving permits, car ownership and license plate (in Indonesia, the permits and plate is standardized all over the country, not by each province/city. Province Gov just collects its taxes)Mobile Brigade Corps - (Brigade Mobil - Brimob **) - Paramilitary arms of Indonesia National Police. The forces is available and ready-to-deploy in each Local Police (Polda). It play a role as anti-riot police (anti-anarchist, riot control), counter-insurgence (and guerilla also), bomb disposal, bio, chemical and radioactive detachment, HRT, and backup to counter-terrorism force (Densus). When Government or Polri is tighten security level, escort VIP, escort or arrest high-value-target prisoner, you can see Brimob presence with fully armed there. In history of independence struggling, Brimob play a big role in there. Their presence is also increased in conflict area like Poso (leading fight against Mujahidin Indonesia Timur) or Papua (against Organisasi Papua Merdeka)Counter-Terrorism Special Detachment (Detasemen Khusus 88 Anti Teror **) - Special forces of Indonesia National Police, like SWAT. In the beginning, they are parts of Criminal Investigative Agency (Bareskrim), but due to nature of crime which elevated in the next couple years, in 2010 reorganization, Densus placed under Chief directly, with One-Star General as Commander (now, its Two-Star). It has its own investigative, intelligence, and enforcement function. Tito Karnavian (Chief Police right now) is popular and rising star in Polri because his last job here as commander.Supervisory Inspector General (Inspektorat Pengawasan Umum - Irwasum ***). Supervision of budget and organization. Different than internal affairs.Education and Training Agency (Lembaga Pendidikan dan Pelatihan ***) - Consist of Police Academy, Police University (STIK), leadership school for commissioned officer (Sespim), and special training. It is like FBI Academy+FLETCDivision and Center (**) - Internal Affairs (include Provost); Public Relation; ICT; International Affairs (include NCB Interpol and Police Attache); Treasury; History; Health and Doctor (also include Disaster Victim Investigation);Chief Assistant (**) - Assistant in Planning (Financial and Budget); Logistic; Operation (which command deployment/mobilize all police forces in Indonesia); Human Resource (regulate police tour-of-duty rotation, mutation, and promotion around Indonesia, yes around Indonesia, not limited to each local police); and also Special Staff to ChiefRegional Police (**/*) Polisi Daerah - Polda, local police in Province level; each consist of Polisi Resor (City Level), Polisi Sektor (district level); and many division like in national level (Crime Investigation, Security, Intel, Traffic, etc). Regional Police (Polda) is leading operational forces to implement police regulation, policy and function. Chief of Regional Police answer to Chief Police command directly, not to Governor or Mayor. Local Government can’t command local police only coordinate. Local police don’t have to face election, re-election, involved in local politics or anything like Sheriff in US there. Because tour-of-duty in national/local level is conducted by Chief Police, position holder is sometimes from outside those area, sometimes in Regional level (Chief - Kapolda), He usually get one-until-three years before get rotated, promoted, or mutated, to reduce local politics roots involvement in that area.So, if you ask how powerful authority Chief of Indonesia National Police has? look how big the organization, resource, budget, jurisdiction, one-command to all of police function and police personnel he has.Governance and Authority “Power-Grab”Police is also has regulatory function beside operational function. It differentiate Police and Armed Forces in Indonesia. For Example; Armed Forces (TNI) only has operational function, but the policy making and budget-decision is from Ministry of Defense (Kemhan). You can see my other answer here: Someone anonymous's answer to What does the average Indonesian feel about its defense policy?But in Police, Chief of Polri has dual-hat role, he create policy (about law enforcement, national security & community service) and regulation, control budget, and also implement it. Many Civil Society Organization also criticized this enormous authority. Some said, this create political rivalry between TNI-Police and create small conflict all around Indonesia because show-of-force and Because TNI is under Ministry but Police is under President directly. TNI itself still has many power over domestic issues; read my other answer Someone anonymous's answer to Do Indonesia military still play huge influential role in the domestic affairs of Indonesia after the downfall of Suharto?In fact, there are Commission of National Police (Kompolnas), like watchdog for Polri. It want to follow example like National Public Safety Commission in Japan, But their authority (Kompolnas) is weak Imparsial Minta Kewenangan Kompolnas Diperluas / Pemerintah Diminta Perluas Kewenangan Kompolnas, only doing watchdog, receive community complaint and critics, supervise, but has no strategic authority like approving budget, or policy making, or can give sanction and punishment to personnel, it only advise President in terms of policing policy and recommend new Police Chief candidates for President choose (and still not legally binding from that list, President still get his prerogative right as head of state to choose his own Chief), and it’s not independent, as Head of Kompolnas are automatically Coordinating Minister of Political, Law and Security, and Minister of Internal Affairs (Mendagri) and Minister of Law and Human Right (Menkumham) are also part of Kompolnas, beside 6 outsiders (society and academician) as commissioners Menko Polhukam Dinilai Kurang Pas Kepalai Kompolnas / "Kompolnas Diisi 3 Menteri, Bagaimana Memosisikan Diri Ketika Hadap Presiden?"From year-to-year there are already suggestion and rumored that Indonesia National Police will placed under like-Homeland Security/Home Office department, under Attorney General or under Ministry of Internal Affairs-Kemendagri (fyi, it controls Local Government, Local Autonomy, Domestic politics, local election, political party and mass organization, and Citizen ID) Perlu Dibentuk Kementerian Keamanan Dalam Negeri? | Republika Online / Perlu Dibentuk Kementrian Khusus Untuk Polri? / Keamanan Dalam Negeri / Tim Seleksi Menteri Usulkan Pembentukan Kementerian Keamanan Nasional But Polri rejected this idea Polri Tolak Kementerian Keamanan Dalam Negeri because in past Polri has been under many organization such as ABRI (with Armed Force) during New Order, Attorney General or Ministry of Internal Affairs in late 50s and there many excess like dual function, police can’t investigate criminal under its ministry (impartial issue), or there are potential to politicized the law enforcement section (because Police in Indonesia is not about Homeland Security only but also like FBI too) Kapolri Menolak Kedudukan di Bawah Kementerian. You can follow about their reorganization history on quora too Why isn’t the Indonesian National Police (Polri) under the Internal Affairs Ministry (Kemendagri)?Recently also, there are judicial review to Constitutional Court about Police authority to issue driving license (SIM) and car ownership license (BPKB) Kewenangan Polri Terbitkan SIM Digugat di MK. because plaintiff said that that authority has nothing to do with Police function in security and order (Kamtibmas) and its create conflict of interest with Police function in traffic management. but Court finally reject it MK Putuskan Wewenang Polisi Terbitkan SIM Tak Langgar AturanThere are opinion in intellectual/expert circle that we have to follow US Homeland Security alike that aggregated many agency after 9/11. If we followed the US Homeland Security logic, In Indonesia homeland security function scattered from Indonesia National Police (Polri), Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla), Counter-Terrorism Agency (BNPT), National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Search and Rescue (Basarnas), Secret Service (Paspampres, under TNI; Botasupal (Financial Anti-Counterfeit Police), under BIN), Border Security Forces (Army authority, under TNI), National Border Management Agency (Badan Nasional Pengelola Perbatasan, under Ministry of Internal Affairs), Directorate General of Immigration (under Law and Human Right Ministry), Directorate General of Custom and Excise (under Finance Ministry), Aviation Security (under PT Angkasa Pura, airport company and operator, each airport has one, not integrated like TSA), Nuclear Supervisory Agency (Bapeten, under Ministry or Research and Technology), and recently newest organization National Cyber Agency (Badan Siber dan Sandi Negara).US Department of Homeland SecurityUK Home Office, for comparisonAlthough, US DHS itself has many problem such as bureaucratic nightmare, ineffective, risk overestimate, its security paradigm, etc this is a good article Man-Made Disaster. UK later then facing the same problem UK spy agencies may face merger pressure - author / and recently in 2010 has reorganize National Crime Agency under UK Home OfficeIn past (New Order Era) there are Security and Order Commando (Kopkamtib) and Subsersive Law which has one command of all operational of security agency (police, military, intelligence) Komando pemulihan keamanan dan ketertiban - Wikipedia bahasa Indonesia, ensiklopedia bebas / Tragedi 1965 dan lembaga super bernama Kopkamtib | merdeka.com. (and now, there are tendency that our security forces wanted it again, that’s dangerous Cegah ISIS di RI, UU Anti-Subversi Diusulkan Diterapkan Lagi / Tindak gerakan radikal, Kapolri minta pengganti UU Subversif | merdeka.com)Now Maybe there are already Coordinating Minister for Political, Law and Security (Kemenkopolhukam) which ‘coordinate’ all that agency and Ministry. But Kemenkopolhukam not only coordinate security agency, but also political (Ministry of Internal Affairs; Ministry of Foreign Affairs; General Election Commission; National Resilience Agency/Lemhanas; Ministry of State Apparatur and Bureaucratic Reform; Ministry of Communication and Information; etc) and Law (Ministry of Law and Human Right; Attorney General; KPK; Human Right Commission; etc); Oh don’t forget that many security agency. Which is so many and not effective. You know, politics and law is the daily problem and issues which dominated our news.General Gatot (Commander of Armed Forces), Police General Tito Karnavian (Chief of National Police), Police General Budi Gunawan (Chief of State Intelligence Agency)You know in Indonesia, coordination is super bad between agency. There are many political rivalry; sectoral ego; budget contest; and it depends heavily with the people and its characters, competence, professionalism, focus, who sitting as Coordinating Minister of Polhukam, not the system and governance itself;Case study; You can see why National Cyber Agency took time many time (from 2013–2017) to be formed, beside President reshuffle Menkopolhukam 3 times; Bakamla formation also took many years from Bakorkamla, which don’t mention rivalry between Sea and Coast Guard (under Ministry of Transporation) and Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla; under Coordinating Ministry of Polhukam) and Marine & Fishery Resources Supervisor (under Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fishery); or Why National Security Law (which supposed be an umbrella legislation to all security issues) can’t passed to parliament from 2005 and deadlock again in 2010 until recently has not done either; Wewenang Polisi Dipereteli / Indonesia satu-satunya negara tanpa UU Keamanan Nasional / Imparsial Nilai UU Kamnas Tak Dibutuhkan or Why State Secret Law (RUU Rahasia Negara) can’t passed also to parliament together with Freedom of Information Law (Law no. 14/2008) & Intelligence Law (Law no. 17/2011) RUU Kebebasan Informasi Vs. RUU Rahasia Negara/Masih Perlukah UU Rahasia Negara? ; Why interception law has not been discussed until now although Constitutional Court has ordered Government and Parliament to do it (regulate interception according to Human Right issues) since judicial review in 2010 Mendamaikan Pengaturan Hukum Penyadapan di Indonesia; Why now anti-terrorism law revision can’t passed to parliament from 2016 early year until now that had deadlock in the same place; rivalry between TNI and Police or Police with someone else (let say; KPK).ConclusionWell; I have talk to nowhere. So hope can answer your question. (Or not). I hope at least it became our concern and attention about Security Sector Reform (SSR) in Indonesia since 1998 reformation which still ongoing until now. (And people already forget it).In my opinion right now; In democratic phase of Indonesia history as a state, police hold critical key to implement democratic country. Armed Forces already did their job to reform since 1998 (civil supremacy, creating new doctrine, remove dwi-fungsi, promote professionalism, etc). Now our attention must shifting to Police forces (although, political situation lately in 2017 has shown that our reform in TNI also still has the long road). I’m not saying that the best format to police is like US Homeland Security or UK Home Office. I’m just mention that two, because they are number one reference for democratic government. Indonesia political and bureaucracy characteristic are really different like theirs (we are not federal states, or fully devolved autonomy like UK, we still don’t implement meritocracy spirit yet-although it has started since Law 5/2014, the system is still depends on the leaders not the system itself, political ethics is not good as theirs, law enforcement and corruption, collusion and nepotism eradication still not satisfied enough, etc), so we can’t really copy-paste their organization and policy to our country. Maybe national police format is the best to our time right now. In the future? That’s our job as young generation.My recommendation for short-term:Amend the Law 2/2002 about National Police and Law 8/1981 about Criminal Procedure Code KUHAP. 15 years after the law started there must be many complaint. You can find the study everywhere.Polri organization is so big, has many authority, budget, jurisdiction, etc. But the supervision is so weak. Give Kompolnas more authority to strategic function like budgeting, and reward and punishment (like include them in discipline trial, or regulate remuneration review). I have already mention National Public Safety Commission in Japan, or in UK you can see there are many ad-hoc committee inside Home Office to doing remuneration review, handling complaint, regulate forensic science.Biggest component in democratic country is governance. Good governance require splitting the body who has policy-making function and implement-policy/operational function and who supervise it. I know it really depends on the new President to create Homeland Security-alike Ministry. But, the Law itself who stated that Police is right under the President not any Minister. So, include this to that law amendment. Or if its not ready in 2019, create roadmap to….(mention some year here) to create transition phase to that. Kompolnas already mentioned at this Law but still not strong. In the long term, split policy-making function and operational function in Polri and give it to Kompolnas.In the meantime, Stick to the plan on bureaucratic reform in Police. See this as reference http://ntb.polri.go.id/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/road-map-reformasi-birokrasi-polri-gel-iii-2016-2019.pdf. Polri also have doing self introspection to be consistent to his own regulation like Perkap 1/2009 for Use of Force, Perkap 8/2009 for Human Right principle for policing, Perkap 3/2015 for Community Policing. and as citizen, we must keep vocal about this one.Law enforcement and National Security is two different domain. In other country, they split this function at national level. Because law enforcement need independence from executive (like KPK, that’s why KPK works.) and national security needs loyalty to leadership and order. That’s kind of contrary. But in our police doctrine, law enforcement (either general crime/transnational-organized crime) is part of keeping security and order in society (kamtibmas), so you don’t have to confuse that sometimes police do penal law concept like restorative justice (promote mediation and non-judicial process or you can call it, damai) instead of process all report from society (like KPK, so they don’t have SP3-letter that can terminate the criminal investigation so they have to prosecute it all) and sometimes it creates disappointment from victim family or law society. I know this is a long shot and need comprehensive discussion and study more than above.