(World War II)

Documents Pertaining to the Japanese Surrender September 2, 1945 [binding title]. [Manila: Bureau of Printing, for the United States Army, September 1945]



Broadsheets (23 5/8 x 17 1/2 in.; 602 x 444 mm). 5 leaves with 12 mounted photographic facsimiles of documents and translations of the documents within ruled frames. Original textured red morocco gilt over beveled boards, front cover gilt with border frame, title, and supralibros Lieutenant General Richard K. Sutherland, gray textured endpapers, original gray board box, a large (17 3/4 x 22 in.) view of Mount Fuji laid in; the box scuffed and stained.

One of just twenty official copies of the instrument of surrender signed in Tokyo Bay, 2 September 1945, with copies of three related documents: the Emperor's Proclamation of Surrender, the Accreditation of Mr. Mamoru Shigemitsu (Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs), and the Accreditation of General Umezu (Chief of the General Staff of the Japanese Imperial Army).

The treaty ending the war in the Pacific was signed aboard the battleship Missouri by representatives of the nine Allied nations (the United States, the Republic of China, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, Australia, Canada, France, the Netherlands, and New Zealand) and by representatives of the Emperor of Japan. Only two original copies were signed, with the United States and Japan each retaining one.

Shortly afterwards, the State Department directed General Douglas MacArthur, who had accepted (but not signed) the United States copy of the Surrender, to have facsimile copies made for the nine signatories (Admiral Chester Nimitz had signed for the United States). MacArthur had facsimiles of the three related documents made as well and had the Phillipines Bureau of Printing, working under the direction of the G-2 section of his staff, produce eleven additional copies for distribution to his staff. Of the total edition of twenty copies, the nine requested by the State Department were bound in blue carabou leather, and the eleven requested by MacArthur were bound in red.

MacArthur gave this copy to his "hatchet man" General Richard K. Sutherland (1893–1966). It was Sutherland who represented MacArthur before the Joint Chiefs of Staff, deflecting bad news from his superior.  Sutherland opened, read, and frequently answered all communications with MacArthur, including those addressed to him personally or "eyes only." Some decisions often attributed to MacArthur were actually taken by Sutherland.