Leading the Retentionist View: Joseph Grew's Influence on U.S. Decisions

Abstract

Joseph Clark Grew was a well-known career diplomat, serving in countries such as Denmark, Switzerland, Turkey, and Japan. His most notable duty was his ten-year term as Ambassador in Japan between 1932 to 1942 as Grew witnessed Japan's military strengthen over a decade until Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor. Joseph Grew's primary purpose was practicing diplomacy through peaceful negotiations. As Ambassador, Grew worked to ensure stability between U.S. and Japanese relations but was not as successful near the last couple of years of his ambassadorship due to negligence of Japan's leaders. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, he returned to the United States and became Under Secretary of State from 1944 to August 1945. Near the end of the Pacific War, Grew was most influential in advocating for an exception to America's unconditional surrender policy-to preserve the Japanese Emperor and Imperial institution as a Post-War Constitutional Monarch. Among the U.S. leadership, there was a division between "retentionists" and "abdicationists." With an existing division of opinion among American leaders and a strong public opposition, his request was not easily supported by U.S. decision-makers. Grew was one of the top Japan specialists at the time. Serving as ambassador in Japan for ten years, his understanding of Japan's way of thinking and psychology of the kokutai concept was often unquestionable. Regardless of his knowledge, his recommendations of U.S. policy towards Japan were often overlooked. Although the U.S. did retain the Emperor in the occupation, U.S. decision-makers initially rejected Grew's proposal. Considering Grew's background and experience in Japan, why did Grew support the retentionist view, of preserving the Emperor in the post-war, and why was his view ignored? In the end, how influential was Joseph Grew in U.S. policy decision-making? Joseph Grew was quite a prominent figure who strongly advocated for the retention of the Imperial Institution and Emperor Hirohito as a condition for Japan's surrender. Gaining support for incorporating this condition in the surrender terms was a complicated process due to strong opposition from American leaders and the public. There was a clear division in the State Department between the "Japan Hands," that Joseph Grew contributed to, and the "China Crowd." Many of the diplomatic advice offered by Joseph Grew and other Japan experts were often neglected, as policy suggestions towards Japan were met with criticism. Joseph Grew was determined to preserve the Emperor due to his understanding of Japan's history and the mindset of the Japanese people. This was mainly acquired through his ten-year term in Japan and his relations with specific individuals. The reasons why Grew's suggestion was met with disapproval was because of the existing strong support for an unconditional surrender policy; the assumption that Joseph Grew was sympathetic to the Japanese; and the common idea that Emperor Hirohito was responsible for the war.