Det danske Fredsakademi
Kronologi over fredssagen og international politik 26. Juli 1945 / Time Line July 26, 1945
Version 3.007/26/1945
Potsdamerklæringen om Japans overgivelse
Potsdam Declaration : Proclamation Defining Terms for Japanese
Surrender
Issued, at Potsdam, July 26, 1945
1.We-the President of the United States, the President of the
National Government of the Republic of China, and the Prime
Minister of Great Britain, representing the hundreds of millions of
our countrymen, have conferred and agree that Japan shall be given
an opportunity to end this war.
2.The prodigious land, sea and air forces of the United States, the
British Empire and of China, many times reinforced by their armies
and air fleets from the west, are poised to strike the final blows
upon Japan. This military power is sustained and inspired by the
determination of all the Allied Nations to prosecute the war
against Japan until she ceases to resist.
3.The result of the futile and senseless German resistance to the
might of the aroused free peoples of the world stands forth in
awful clarity as an example to the people of Japan. The might that
now converges on Japan is immeasurably greater than that which,
when applied to the resisting Nazis, necessarily laid waste to the
lands, the industry and the method of life of the whole German
people. The full application of our military power, backed by our
resolve, will mean the inevitable and complete destruction of the
Japanese armed forces and just as inevitably the utter devastation
of the Japanese homeland.
4.The time has come for Japan to decide whether she will continue
to be controlled by those self-willed militaristic advisers whose
unintelligent calculations have brought the Empire of Japan to the
threshold of annihilation, or whether she will follow the path of
reason.
5.Following are our terms. We will not deviate from them. There are
no alternatives. We shall brook no delay.
6.There must be eliminated for all time the authority and influence
of those who have deceived and misled the people of Japan into
embarking on world conquest, for we insist that a new order of
peace, security and justice will be impossible until irresponsible
militarism is driven from the world.
7.Until such a new order is established and until there is
convincing proof that Japan's war-making power is destroyed, points
in Japanese territory to be designated by the Allies shall be
occupied to secure the achievement of the basic objectives we are
here setting forth.
8.The terms of the Cairo Declaration shall be carried out and
Japanese sovereignty shall be limited to the islands of Honshu,
Hokkaido, Kyushu, Shikoku and such minor islands as we
determine.
9.The Japanese military forces, after being completely disarmed,
shall be permitted to return to their homes with the opportunity to
lead peaceful and productive lives.
10.We do not intend that the Japanese shall be enslaved as a race
or destroyed as a nation, but stern justice shall be meted out to
all war criminals, including those who have visited cruelties upon
our prisoners. The Japanese Government shall remove all obstacles
to the revival and strengthening of democratic tendencies among the
Japanese people. Freedom of speech, of religion, and of thought, as
well as respect for the fundamental human rights shall be
established.
11.Japan shall be permitted to maintain such industries as will
sustain her economy and permit the exaction of just reparations in
kind, but not those which would enable her to re-arm for war. To
this end, access to, as distinguished from control of, raw
materials shall be permitted. Eventual Japanese participation in
world trade relations shall be permitted.
12.The occupying forces of the Allies shall be withdrawn from Japan
as soon as these objectives have been accomplished and there has
been established in accordance with the freely expressed will of
the Japanese people a peacefully inclined and responsible
government.
13.We call upon the government of Japan to proclaim now the
unconditional surrender of all Japanese armed forces, and to
provide proper and adequate assurances of their good faith in such
action. The alternative for Japan is prompt and utter
destruction.
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