Following World War II, hundreds if not thousands of Japanese were accused of war crimes. General MacArthur’s appointment as Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers on August 15, 1945 made him responsible for the prosecution of war criminals. Though MacArthur called this his “most repugnant duty,” he did not shy away from it. Lieutenant General Tomoyuki Yamashita was the first to face trial for atrocities committed by Japanese troops. MacArthur informed his staff that Yamashita’s trial would be the “bellwether” and predictably, his hand was heavy on the proceedings. In the end, Yamashita was easily convicted. For some, the trial reeked of victor’s justice. For others, regardless of the legal irregularities of the trial, command responsibility made Yamashita guilty of the atrocities committed by those under his authority. This month’s podcast will tell the story of MacArthur’s involvement in the Yamashita trial and the subsequent criticisms of the trial.

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