General Order No. 1

General Order No. 1 (traditional Chinese: 一般命令第一號; simplified Chinese: 一般命令第一号; pinyin: Yìbān mìnglìng dìyīhào) for the surrender of Japan, was prepared by the Joint Chiefs of Staff of U.S. military forces and approved by the President of the United States on 17 August 1945.

It was the U.S. General Douglas MacArthur's first order to the forces of the Empire of Japan following the surrender of Japan. It instructed Japanese forces to surrender to designated Allied commanders, reveal all current military deployments, and preserve military equipment for later disarmament.

It also had the effect of leading to the eventual division of Korea at the 38th Parallel in that Japanese forces surrendered to the Soviet commander and to the American commander north and south of the 38th parallel respectively.

Since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the term of General Order No. 1 also refers to a multi-page United States Central Command order that prohibits inter alia consumption of alcohol and proselytizing by United States Department of Defense personnel while in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and some other countries.

Read more about General Order No. 1:  Excerpt of The General Order No. 1 For The Surrender of Japan

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