Yokohama Circa 1947

Yokohama Circa 1947, a photo by Mustang Koji on Flickr.

THESE PROCEEDINGS ARE OVER....four words that insured Japan's success, four words that are rarely mentioned.

General MacArthur was the only man who could have turned this tragedy into an event that led Japan to become a super economic power in the decades that followed World War II.

The Japanese, I believe, were totally stunned when General MacArthur, onboard the deck of the USS Missouri, after the signatures were affixed, stated, "...these proceedings are over."

The Japanese are a very forgiving people.