Attention American Soldiers! I Cease Resistance (surrender pass, leaflet 17-J-1)
A U.S. surrender pass for Japanese soldiers. The English, addressed to American troops, says the leaflet 'guarantees humane treatment to any Japanese desiring to cease resistance' and is signed 'By Direction of the Commander in Chief'. The Japanese text says the bearer is no longer an enemy and that life, food, clothing, shelter and medical care are guaranteed by international treaty. The photo shows prisoners with cigarettes, eyes masked 'to protect their families in Japan'. The wording avoids the word 'surrender'.
- Date
- 1945
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- U.S. Army Forces, Pacific, Psychological Warfare Branch
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Leaflet
- Issuer type
- Military
- Regime
- Truman Administration
- Leader
- Harry S. Truman
- Audience
- Enemy forces
- Purpose
- Mobilize or secure compliance
- Theme
- War and the military
- Event
- World War II
- Techniques
- Euphemism / doublespeakTestimonial
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- Library of Congress, retrieved September 27, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (U.S. government work; LOC: No known restrictions on publication)
U.S. Army Forces, Pacific, Psychological Warfare Branch; Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, LOT 8093.
Text on the object
ATTENTION AMERICAN SOLDIERS! I CEASE RESISTANCE THIS LEAFLET GUARANTEES HUMANE TREATMENT TO ANY JAPANESE DESIRING TO CEASE RESISTANCE. TAKE HIM IMMEDIATELY TO YOUR NEAREST COMMISSIONED OFFICER. By Direction of the Commander in Chief. 上の英文の内容は「この人は最早敵でなく国際条約により生命・衣食住は勿論医療等が完全に保証さるべき者なり」と云ふ意味が書かれて居る。左図は既に当方に来て居られる諸君の戦友の一部。 [illegible — small caption beneath the photograph] 17-J-1
[English portion already in English] The content of the English text above means: 'This person is no longer an enemy, and by international treaty his life and food, clothing and shelter, as well as medical care, are of course fully guaranteed.' The picture on the left shows some of your comrades who have already come over to our side. [illegible] 17-J-1
The leaflet addresses American soldiers in English on the front matter and Japanese soldiers in the vertical Japanese text beside the photograph; hence 'Multiple'. A short caption beneath the photograph (small vertical Japanese, evidently explaining the prisoners' masked eyes per this entry's caption) is too small to transcribe confidently and is marked [illegible]. The leaflet code '17-J-1' appears at bottom left.
