Disarming Japan “The Marines arrived in Nagasaki in September…six weeks after the 22-kiloton plutonium fission bomb detonated over Nagasaki on Aug. 9, 1945.” ( The New York Times ) The booklet includes photos of Japanese military gear.Occupation and Repatriation
American soldiers in Kyushu were surprised that the occupation was not met with resistance:
“Schmidt’s forces were amazed at what they encountered. “We couldn’t believe the Japanese could previously fight so ferociously and then be so completely subservient, without a murmur,” Brigadier General Joseph L. Stewart later recalled. “Not once did I see any Japanese who acted or looked with disrespect toward occupation forces . . . . We were overwhelmingly surprised by the cooperative reception we had from the Japanese.” (Source)
This may be propaganda, but there’s a heartwarming picture of an American serviceman surrounded by relatively happy-looking Japanese boys.
The Atomic Bowl
The American servicemen were given some time for R&R. They visited tea-houses, watching sumo, and played sports, including the indelicately titled “Atomic Bowl” on New Year’s Day, 1946. Two decent accounts of this game are here:
- Nagasaki, 1946: Football Amid the Ruins, by John D. Lukacs, December 25, 2005 (The New York Times)
- The Atom Bowl: The Strangest New Year’s Bowl Game Ever, by Whet Moser, January 2, 2013 (Chicago Magazine)
Two interesting tidbits from the Times article on the Atomic Bowl:
“A few curious Japanese watched from a distance or from behind the shells of scorched buildings that ringed the post-apocalyptic field, according to news accounts.”
“The possibility of exposure to radiation apparently caused little if any alarm on either sideline, but because shards of glass littered the field, it was decided that the game would be two-hand touch below the belt instead of tackle. Fifteen yards, instead of the standard 10, would be necessary for a first down.”