Which World War II order directed Japanese forces to surrender to designated Allied commanders?

General Order No. 1 directed Japanese forces to surrender to designated Allied commanders after Japan’s 1945 capitulation. It was prepared by the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff and approved by President Harry Truman on August 17, 1945.

The order required Japanese forces to reveal their military deployments, preserve equipment, and await disarmament. It also assigned surrender areas to different Allied commands across Japan and Japanese-controlled territories.

One important provision divided responsibility in Korea at the 38th parallel. Japanese forces north of the line were to surrender to Soviet forces, while those south of it were to surrender to U.S. forces. This arrangement contributed to Korea’s later political division.

General Order No. 1 was not the same thing as the Japanese Instrument of Surrender. The instrument recorded Japan’s capitulation; General Order No. 1 translated that capitulation into operational instructions for Japanese troops throughout the region.