SUGAMO PRISON, TOKYO An Account of the Trial and Sentencing of Japanese War Criminals in 1948, by a U.S. Participant

Hardback. The war with Germany and its allies ended on May 7, 1945, and the war with Japan ended on August 14, 1945, both in unconditional surrender. This book begins with the end of the war that involved the United States and Japan. Gen. Douglas MacArthur planned for the Eleventh Airborne Division to land at Atsugi Airfield on August 23. The Japanese quickly informed him that government authority over the armed forces was not yet complete and that they needed more time to bring radical forces under control. The general agreed and set August 26 as the new date. However, a storm prevented the main landing of occupational troops until August 30. For the Russians the war with Japan was over after only 24days. It lasted 14yrs for the Chinese, and almost 4 for the Americans, British, and Dutch. The occupation forces began rounding up suspected Japanese war criminals early in September. While Army troops were readying Sugamo Prison, other troops from the Thirty-fifth AAA group, reinforced with two batteries from the 579 AAA, were guarding war criminal suspects at Omori Prison. This prison, much small than Sugamo, was located on Omori Island - land reclaimed from Tokyo Bay. During the war, this facility had been a notorious POW camp for Americans. On December 8, 1945, the overcrowded Omori prisoners were transferred to Sugamo Prison - known then as XI Corp Stockade 1. The two batteries of troops serving at Sugamo provided guard duty and security around the clock. In March 1946, administration and control of Sugamo Prison was assigned to 8th Army with headquarters in Yokohama. Lt. General Robert L. Eichelberger was the Commander. One of the first prisoners to be processed into Sugamo Prison was Hideki Tojo. Chapter headings include : The Prison; The Prisoners; The Trials; The Sentences; The Executions; The Americans. Illus., Appendices, Bibliog. and Index. 297pp. 8vo. h/back. From the library of true crime writer, Wilfred Gregg, with his personal b/plate. F. dw. not required.