Loring Chien
WWII USN enthusiastAugust 14

How did the USS Missouri know it was safe to sail into Tokyo Bay? Even
after the war, there were holdouts, so how did the US counter the threat
of an attack during the signing of the Japanese surrender?
Japanese treachery beginning with Pearl Harbor and also manifested in
false surrender incidents during fighting throughout the Pacific put the Americans/Allies on alert.

However by this stage in the war, major Japanese naval assets were
mostly sunk or trapped elsewhere with no fuel. And the Americans had
full control of the air over Tokyo (and most of Japan with bombers from
Iwo Jima and Saipan and a large fleet of aircraft carriers 50 miles
offshore providing continuous fighter cover from any remaining aircraft.

Air superiority and the Japanese stopping fighting 2 weeks before meant
that US recon planes had free reign over Japan and could pick up any
large scale troop or ship movement.

And it wasn’t just the Missouri but the entire fleet of 250 ships
including 10 battleships plus cruisers and destroyers that sailed into
the harbor with 90 or so 14, 15 and 16″ guns fully loaded and aimed and
ready to level what was left of the city if provoked.

So they didn’t know absolutely it was safe, but they were fully prepared
with Overwhelming show of force, I guess, is the short answer.

James Phillabaum
August 19
The first American ship to enter Tokyo Bay was a minesweeper. The entire
bay was swept for mines and declared safe for travel. The name of that minesweeper - the USS Revenge!


John Collins
August 19
Admiral Halsey would not allow his carriers to enter the harbor. A
carrier at anchor is useless. For his part, General LeMay sent over a
thousand B-29s escorted by hundreds of fighters over the harbor. He then
had them turn around and fly back over. Several hours were needed for
all the aircraft to pass.

The allies had insisted that all Japanese planes be disabled. This
involved removing the propellers.


Loring Chien
August 14
250 ships entered the harbor, many minesweepers and troop carriers and
there was 2 weeks between the Japanese agreeing to surrender and the
formal ceremony and US personnel were in Tokyo wanting to have mine
field locations and making arrangements.

Joe Ala
August 19
Also from the devastating bombing raids they knew the US had
overwhelming force and were completely ruthless.

Dalbir Singh
11h ago
Japan was finished and done with. Emperor was alive and still on the
throne. He himself had capitulated and ordered his subjects to
surrender. His command was like a divine order. There was no possibility
of any surprise attack. Suffice to say America was preapared for any
such attacks while in the harbo…

Loring Chien
7h ago
There was a faction that almost succeeded a coup against the emperor.
They were for continuing the war, so there was a militant group still
with a lot of military force under their command. And pockets of
resistance continued in remote places for 20 years after the war…
people who said later that they believed reports of surrender were
impossible and just an allied ruse to make them give up. Given the
Kamikazes and the crazies, it was a possibility they had to consider and
not dismiss. That’s how Pearl Harbor happened.

Randall Benson
August 22
Japanese were required to remove the propellers from military aircraft…


Richard Bealer
August 19
Admiral Spruance was at sea with a fleet, including carriers, ready to
react during the surrender.


Loring Chien
August 19
His carriers were at sea offshore probably 50 miles but I’m sure there
was a CAP presence from the carriers circling overhead Tokyo Bay and
Tokyo area at the time.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)