February 1
1947 The Allied Occupation authorities under Douglas MacArthur and the Japanese government banned a general strike. The Confusion Era -- Art and Culture of Japan During the Allied Occupation is a Smithsonian Institution site focuses on posters from American-occupied Japan (1945-52). It includes background readings and a fascinating poster gallery, including "Don't Sell Salt Illegally."
1958 U.S. Ambassador to Japan, Douglas MacArthur II, began urging his State Department superiors to reassess America's continued occupation of Okinawa. Okinawa Under American Occupation, 1945-72 offers biographical essays, photos, political cartoons, a bibliography and more.
1962 The popularly elected legislature of Okinawa adopted a resolution accusing the United States of treating Okinawa as a colony in violation of the United Nations charter and resolutions. The resolution called on the United Nations to examine the American occupation of Okinawa.
1968 U.S. President Lyndon Johnson issued Executive Order 11395 permitting popular election of the chief executive of U.S. occupied Okinawa. On May 15, 1972, the United States yielded sovereignty over Okinawa back to Japan. Japanese control of the Ryuku Islands, of which Okinawa is a part, dated back to the 1870s.
The Teaching about Japan website is edited by Clayton Dube.
He welcomes your comments and suggestions.
© 2001 UCLA Center for East Asian Studies