Word: emperor
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Hirohito consented to pose with MacArthur for a Signal Corps picture. Then he and the Supreme Commander talked alone (through an interpreter) for 38 minutes. When he came out, the Emperor saw a cluster of U.S. correspondents, doffed his high hat and just perceptibly bowed...
Propaganda, Maybe. Evidently the Son of Heaven was bestirring himself on behalf of his unhappy people. MacArthur had not invited the visit; the Emperor had asked (through his Grand Chamberlain) to see MacArthur. Previously Hirohito had granted press interviews to Frank Kluckhohn of the New York Times and Hugh Baillie of United Press (see PRESS). He asked them some questions, wished them well, and answered their own questions in writing. If he was making propaganda, he did it gracefully. He said that Tojo had abused the imperial war rescript in the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor; he hoped that Japan...
Descent to the Earth. To the horrified Japanese Home Ministry, it seemed that the Son of Heaven had stepped down to a very earthy earth. The photograph was especially painful, for it showed MacArthur, in informal attire, towering over the fussily dressed Emperor (whom no mortal is supposed to behold from above). The Ministry suppressed editions of Asahi, Mainichi and Yomiuri Hochi, which car ried both the picture and reports of the meeting. MacArthur sternly ordered the banned papers released to the public...
Both reporters seemed a little unsure what to do in the presence of the Emperor, who received them in morning dress. (Baillie: "He was taller than I expected"; Kluckhohn: "He was about the average height of the Japanese.") The Times man had to wait, but was provided with ash tray and matches, then was led in, shook hands with the Son of Heaven ("I did not bow nor was I asked to"). He and the Emperor chatted about ten minutes before "I backed out, walked back down the hall to the waiting room to pick up my overseas...
...Emperor gossiped cozily (the reporters had agreed not to shoot questions at him). Hirohito marveled that Baillie had reached Japan from the U.S. in four days, asked about U.S. baseball in wartime and remarked that Jap players were a little out of practice. Like Kluckhohn, Baillie had had to submit his questions in advance, was handed the carefully prepared answers on court stationery when he left...