Menace Of Japan s Old Order

The National Broadcasting Company and its affiliated stations present the Pacific story. This is the story of the Pacific, the drama of the millions of people who live around this great a sea, where the United States is now committed to a long-term policy of keeping the peace.

This, as another public service of the National Broadcasting Company, is the background story of the events in the Pacific and their meaning to us and to the generations to come. The menace of Japan's old order.

This much is sure. You'll never eliminate the danger of Japan until you eliminate Japan's old order. Japan's old order is the men and the institutions that promoted the war in the Pacific.

It is the men who have been running Japan and the way they have been running it. It's the zibatsu, the kleek of powerful families that have run Japan's industry and commerce for generation. the men who shaped the government's policies and controlled the military for the last quarter centuries. It's the Shinto goal, it's the emperor, and all he stands for.

On the day Japan surrendered, the group of young army officers killed a general in command of Hirohito's personal guard. Through a cordon around the Imperial Palace, and tried to capture the emperor's re-script to prevent it from being proclaimed to the world.

This was the old order. We hope that peace will last for 20 years. Then we will be back again. This is the old order too. Lieutenant General Itagaki at the surrender of Singapore. We are stopped fighting because the emperor asked us to.

This is the old order. The opinion of the Japanese man in the streets. The emperor is insatibir. He decided to end the war to save us from privation and misery. Such is his benevolence. And this is the old order, regard for the emperor and all he stands for.