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In August 1945, the Japanese population was terrified
by the thought of the "barbaric Americans" entering onto
Japanese territory. Women were advised to stay indoors in order to
minimize the chance for rape. Some of this fear was a result of what
was said to be the mass rapes of woman on Okinawa after the surrender
of that island. Hard evidence of this has not been found but it did
create histaria among the population of the four main Japanese
islands. To prevent mass rapes, the Gen Macarthur issued stern
warnings to US troops as well as started a rumor that the Japanese
girls were infected by some incurable disease! A handful of rapes did
occur by US forces but by far, the Japanese people were stunned how
disciplined and how kind the US soldiers were. Here, a GI is walking
with a group of children in Ueno park in October, 1945. This is a
Japanese photograph. |
