A Time to Heal
Sigemitsu, remembers standing there on the deck in front of MacArthur, the generals, the admirals, and all the sailors "in their glittering uniforms of immaculate white," feeling like "penitent boys awaiting the dreaded schoolmaster." Kase felt physical pain: "Never have I realized that the glance of glaring eyes could hurt so much."
At 0902 Macarthur stepped to the microphones. His right hand, holding a single sheet of paper, visibly trembled, but his voice boomed out: "We are gathered here, representatives of the major warring powers, to conclude a solemn agreement whereby peace may be restored. The issues, involving divergent ideals and ideologies have been determined on the battlefields of the world and hence are not for our discussion or debate. Nor is it for us here to meet, representing as we do a majority of the peoples of the earth, in a spirit of distrust, malice or hatred.... It is my earnest hope and indeed the hope of all mankind that from this solemn occasion a better world shall emerge out of the blood and carnage of the past--a world founded upon faith and understanding--a world dedicated to the dignity of man and the fulfillment of his most cherished wish-- for freedom, tolerance, and justice.
As Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, I announce it my firm purpose in the traditions of the countries I represent, to proceed in the discharge of my responsibilities with justice and tolerance, while taking all necessary dispositions to insure that the terms of surrender are fully, promptly, and faithfully complied with.
I will now ask that the representatives of the Emperor of Japan, the Japanese Government and the Japanese Imperial General headquarters to step forward and sign the instrument of surrender at the places indicated."
After the Japanese delegation signed, MacArthur sat down at the green covered table, hastily drafted from the Missouri's mess deck, and began to sign his name. He turned and asked Generals Percival and Wainwright to step forward. Stepping up at attention were the two men who had endured first, the humiliation of surrender to the Japanese in the dark days of 1942, then three years of brutal captivity. Percival had been forced to surrender the British stronghold at Singapore on February 15, 1942. Wainwright had been left in charge of Bataan and Corregidor's desperate defenders when President Roosevelt ordered Macarthur to Australia in March 1942. Two months later with his "head bowed in sadness, but not in shame," Wainwright had surrendered to the Japanese.
MacArthur signed "Douglas" and handed the first pen to Wainwright. The general then wrote "Mac" and gave the second pen to Percival. The last pen
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