* Adam Matthew Publications. Imaginative publishers of research collections.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
News  |  Orders  |  About Us
*
* A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z  
 

JAPAN AND AMERICA, c1930-1955
THE PACIFIC WAR AND THE OCCUPATION OF JAPAN
Series One: The Papers of General Robert L Eichelberger (1886-1961) from the William R Perkins Library, Duke University

Part 1: Subject Files on World War II and Japan (Boxes 32-53)

The main focus of the Eichelberger Papers is on the period 1942-1949. Prominently highlighted are the military campaigns of General Robert L Eichelberger in New Guinea and the Philippines during World War II (1942-1945); his leadership and role as Commander of US Eighth Army; and the Post-War period when he was in charge of all ground occupation troops in Japan (1945-1948) and acted as second in command to General Douglas MacArthur. The papers contain diaries, correspondence, military papers, writings and speeches, photographs, scrapbooks, printed materials, clippings and other material chiefly relating to Eichelberger's military career. This collection is of vital importance for anyone studying the Pacific War and the Occupation of Japan, and their impact on Asia.

Part 1 covers Subject Files on World War II and Japan. Campaign reports, Eichelberger's dictated notes, special reports and staff studies on terrain and likely difficulties to be encountered, Naval Intelligence reports, directives from General Douglas MacArthur, operations instructions, administrative orders, after action reports, interviews with Japanese prisoners and material on the Pearl Harbor Investigative Reports provide extensive documentation on the War in the Pacific, 1941-1945. There is detailed coverage of Eichelberger's leading role in the Biak, Schouten Islands, Buna, New Guinea, Leyte-Samar, Lingayen, Luzon, Mindanao, Mindoro-Marindugue, Nasugbu, Palawan, Zamboanga, Jolo, Panay, Negros and Cebu campaigns. In addition, there is much material on Operation Coronet (the planned Allied invasion of Japan).

There is a wealth of documents on the economic, educational, social and political restructuring of Japan during the period of occupation after World War II. This includes intelligence reports, monthly military summaries, correspondence between the Japanese government and the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers (SCAP), war trial reports, monthly non-military summaries, Eighth Army reports, United States Army occupational reports, letters and notes. The bulk of the material covers the years 1945-1948 but it does run right through to 1960.

This material on the Occupation of Japan focuses primarily on the following:

 - General Douglas MacArthur and Eichelberger as his right hand man and Commanding General of the Eighth Army, 1944-1948.
 - Exchanges with Yoshida and a wide range of Japanese politicians and officials.
 - The implementation by Eichelberger of the policies of occupation in Japan after 1945. 

The files include good material on the social and economic aspects of the occupation as well as the military. There is also strong material on:

 - economics in Japan, 1945-1949
 - the Editors and Publishers Tour of Kobe in 1947
 - material on education and food in Japan, 1948
 - Japan and America - Politics and Diplomacy
 - Economic Aid and Reconstruction
 - Administrative Orders 1945-1946: Civil Intelligence Section - Occupational trends for Japan, Korea and the Philippines (covering such topics as law and order, labour, crime prevention, police, transportation, education, economics, public health, self protection, politics and religion).

The War in the Pacific, 1941-1945
There is considerable analysis of mistakes made, the lessons to be learnt, the importance of good leadership and the crucial part Eichelberger played in these campaigns, often leading troops in the front line himself. Nowhere was this more in evidence than during the Buna campaign. General MacArthur, with his own position in some doubt, badly needed a land victory against the Japanese. He sent Eichelberger to take over command at Buna with the following instructions:

"I want you to go to Buna and capture it. If you do not do so I don't want you to come out alive and (pointing at Byers, Lt. General Eichelberger's Chief of Staff) that applies to your Chief of Staff also. Do you understand Bob ! "

MacArthur continued: 

"Time is of the essence ! I want you to relieve Harding, Bob. Send him back to America. If you don't do it, I will. Relieve every regimental and battalion commander. Put corporals in command if necessary. Get somebody who will fight. When do you want to start, Bob ! "

Eichelberger replied that he would leave after breakfast next morning.

Buna was the first victorious operation by American Army ground forces against the Japanese. When it came to writing his detailed report, immediately after Buna, Eichelberger told the Buna Task Force Liaison Officer at General MacArthur's headquarters:

"Write the damn thing so that whoever fights in the jungle in the future will learn from our mistakes and our successes."

The liaison officer, R M White, recalls:

"The 32nd Division had been inspected by I Corps and rated not ready for combat. MacArthur's only other division, the 42nd, was also inspected and rated less ready than the 32nd. General MacArthur had been told that he might be relieved if he faltered in his return north. Yet, he was convinced the Buna operation was necessary so he ordered it. The 32nd Division had been shipped out from the states before being reorganized as were other guard divisions back in the states. It was not properly equipped. The officers and men had no idea - I repeat, no idea - of what the jungle was like and the professional skill of the enemy - basically Japanese Marines with an outstanding combat record going back to Malaya...When Eichelberger took over, whole units were already reduced to fractions of their TO strength.... The shortage of officers was most severe....We were losing when Eichelberger took over. He led our forces to victory. Perhaps it is not a well-known victory because our casualties, including a part of the sick, totalled 10,960 compared with a counted enemy dead of about 2,600. Yet, it was a historic victory."

All Eichelberger's documents on all his campaigns are reproduced here. This material includes reports, terrain studies, maps, letters, the exchanges between MacArthur and Eichelberger and other colleagues, interviews with captured Japanese soldiers, staff studies and analysis, as well as day-by-day records of each campaign.



  Highlights
Description
Contents
Digital Guide
 
 
 
 
 
* * *
   
* * *

* *© 2024 Adam Matthew Digital Ltd. All Rights Reserved.