Emperor — Japan
In the days following Japan's surrender, General MacArthur's aide Bonner Fellers must determine whether Emperor Hirohito should be tried as a war criminal — a decision that will shape postwar Japan.
General Douglas MacArthur made the politically calculated decision to preserve Emperor Hirohito from war crimes prosecution, believing Japanese stability required the Emperor's continued role. The decision remains controversial — Hirohito had approved the Pearl Harbor attack and the Nanjing offensive. MacArthur arrived at Atsugi Air Base on 30 August 1945 and formally accepted Japan's surrender on 2 September aboard USS Missouri.