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JAPAN AND AMERICA, c1930-1955
THE PACIFIC WAR AND THE OCCUPATION OF JAPAN
Series One- The Papers of General Robert L Eichelberger (1886-1961) from the William R Perkins Library- Duke University
Part 1: Subject Files on World War II and Japan (Boxes 32-53)
Part 2: Subject Files on Japan and Diaries (Boxes 54-65 and Boxes 1-4)
Part 3: Correspondence (Boxes 5-27)
Part 4: Subject Files, Writings, Speeches, Photographs and Oversize Material (Boxes 28-31, 66-69, 79-88 and 93-98)
BRIEF CHRONOLOGY
1886, March 9
Robert L Eichelberger born in Urbana, Ohio.
1903-1905
He attends Ohio State University.
1909
He graduates from the United States Military Academy at West Point.
1909-1915
Serves with the 10th Infantry in Texas and Panama.
1913
Eichelberger marries Emma Gudger. Spends early married years in Panama Canal Zone.
1915, March
He is assigned to the 22nd Infantry at Fort Porter, New York.
1915, Sept.
22nd Infantry moves to Arizona for tour of field duty.
1915, October
Present during attack by Villa against Obregon at Agua Prieta (Mexican border with Arizona). Eichelberger first comes under enemy fire during border troubles.
1916-1917
Eichelberger teaches military science and tactics at the Kemper Military School in Boonville, Missouri. Then appointed to command battalions of the 20th and 43rd Infantry during World War I.
1918, February- July
Serves with the War Department General Staff in Washington D.C. with War Plans Division.
1918, July
Eichelberger is sent on a one month tour as G-3 with 8th Division at Camp Fremont, California.
1918-1920
He serves in Siberia as Assistant Chief of Staff, Operations Division, and Chief Intelligence Officer with the American Expeditionary Forces.
1920-1921
Eichelberger serves in Japan at American Embassy in Tokyo, followed by a year in China and the Philippines in connection with military intelligence activities. Makes numerous visits to Peking and has tour of duty in Tiensin. Serves as G-2 in Philippine Department.
1921-1924
He serves in the Military Intelligence Division, War Department General Staff in Washington, D.C. dealing with China and Russia. Makes 4 month tour of principal units in Europe. Serves as American liaison officer with the Chinese Delegation during the Limitation of Armaments Conference in Washington, D.C.
1925-1929
Student and Instructor at the Command and General Staff School, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
1930, June
Graduated from Army War College in Washington, D.C.
1930, June-1931, July
Adjutant General at the War Department.
1930, June-1935, April
Secretary of the Academic Board, United States Military Academy, West Point.
1935, July-1938
Serves as Secretary of the General Staff under General Douglas MacArthur and then General Malin Craig. Eichelberger gains close insight into all the operations of the War Department and becomes acquainted with some of the great characters of the period: General Simonds, General Stanley D. Embick and General Marshall (when he became Deputy Chief of Staff).
1938, August
Promoted to rank of Colonel.
1939-1940
Eichelberger assumes command of the 30th Infantry, Presidio of San Francisco. Involved in fleet landing exercises at Monterey Bay and other manoeuvres with 3rd Division.
1940, October
Ordered to be Assistant Divisional Commander under Joe Stilwell at Fort Ord, 7th Division; followed almost immediately by another order to command 5th Corps in Columbus, Ohio. Both these orders were superseded by the West Point appointment, 18 October 1940. Promoted to rank of Brigadier General (temporary).
1940-1942
He is appointed Superintendent of the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York and introduces many improvements including the addition of flying to the regular course.
1941, July
Promoted to rank of Major General (temporary).
1941, December
Based on his experiences in the Far East, Eichelberger predicts Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor at fraternity banquet in New York City.
1942, January
Designated Commander of the 77th Army Division, organized at Fort Jackson, S.C.
1942, March
77th Army Division activated. Lord Mountbatten visits.
1942, June
Winston Churchill visits 77th Army Division for the first demonstration of United States troops for the British Prime Minister. Then on 18 June Eichelberger is assigned to command the I Army Corps.
1942, August
Eichelberger flies to Australia to report to General MacArthur.
1942, October
Promoted to rank of Lieutenant General (temporary).
1942, December -1943, January
Sent by MacArthur to take over command at Buna. Eichelberger plays leading role in the Buna and Sanananda, New Guinea campaigns. Leads American and Australian forces to decisive victory. Forces include HQ I Corps, 32nd Infantry Division, 18th Australian Brigade and other Allied elements.
1943, January
Serves as Commanding General, Advanced New Guinea Forces, at Buna and Sanananda.
Forces include HQ I Corps, 32nd Infantry Division, 163rd Regimental Combat Team from the
41st Division, 7th Australian Infantry Division and 14th, 16th, 18th and 30th Australian Infantry Brigades. Describing Eichelberger's role, General Sir Thomas Blamey, the senior Australian ground commander, said: "It has been his personality, drive and courage that kept the attack going. He went everywhere with his men, encouraging them and keeping them going at the Japanese."
1943, September
Promoted to Brigadier General. Eichelberger acts as official military host to Mrs Franklin D. Roosevelt on her extensive tour in Australia.
1944, April
Eichelberger commands Task Force which captures Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea. This was the first truly "triphibious" operation in the Southwest Pacific Theatre utilizing full fleet support and carrier based fighter cover. It set the pattern for the future long jumps to Leyte and to the Linguayan Gulf on Luzon. Surprise was also a key factor in the success of the Hollandia Operation. Forces led by Eichelberger in this amphibious assault included I Corps, 24th and 41st Infantry Divisions.
1944, June
At Biak, after the assault troops ran into difficulties in May against well dug-in defenders, General Krueger sent Eichelberger to restore the situation on Biak Island. Eichelberger commanded the
Biak Task Force, which comprised HQ I Corps, 41st Infantry Division and 34th Regimental Combat Team, and retook the island from the Japanese. The main objectives were captured within a week of Eichelberger's arrival. He returned to Hollandia on 27 June.
1944, Sept.
He becomes Commanding General, US Eighth Army. Eighth Army under Eichelberger's command fights on every occupied island of the Philippine Archipelago, 1944-1945.
1944, December-1945, August
Leyte Campaign.
1945, January
Subic Bay Landing, Luzon, P.I. (by XI Corps comprising HQ XI Corps, 38th Infantry Division and elements of 24th Infantry Division) followed at end of month by Nasugbu Landing, Luzon, P.I. (carried out by 11th Airborne Division and elements of 24th Infantry Division). Both operations were masterminded by Eichelberger and resulted in rapid and outstanding successes which relieved pressure on the US Sixth Army.
1945, January- August
Mindoro-Marinduque Operation.
1945, February- June
Visayan and Zamboanga-Sulu Archipelago Campaigns, P.I. Using the Americal, 40th and 41st Infantry Divisions, the 503rd Parachute Regiment, the 1st Philippine Regiment and supporting troops, in 44 days Eichelberger conducted a lightning of 30 amphibious landings.
General MacArthur commented: "...my heartiest commendations for the brilliant execution of the Visayan Campaign. This is a model of what a light but aggressive command can accomplish in rapid exploitation."
1945, February- August
Palawan Operations in Southern Philippines.
1945, March- August
Panay, Negros and Cebu Operations.
1945, April-Aug.
Mindanao Campaign. Capture of Davao City by 24th Division. Eichelberger's X Corps Task Force consisted of HQ X Corps, 24th and 31st Infantry Divisions, 108th Regimental Combat Team, 2nd Engineer Special Brigade and supporting troops. By the end of the Mindanao Campaign, Eighth Army's record of amphibious landings in enemy territory had reached 55.
1945, August
Prior to the sudden surrender of Japan, Eighth Army preparing to strike the main blow in the proposed armed invasion of the Japanese mainland.
1945, August 30
Participates in the initial phase of the Occupation of Japan by landing at Atsugi Air Field in Honshu with the Eighth Army and a detachment from the 11th Airborne Division.
1945, August- December
Eichelberger commands all ground troops in central and northern Japan.
1945, October
General Headquarters, SCAP established in Tokyo. Eichelberger nominated for Major General
(permanent) by President Truman.
1946, January 1
Eichelberger assumes control of all ground occupation troops in Japan. These included I, IX, X, XI, XIV and V Amphibious Corps (Marine); Americal, 1st Cavalry, 11th Airborne, 24th, 25th, 27th, 32nd, 33rd, 43rd, 77th, 81st, 97th, 98th and 2nd Marine Divisions; 112th, 158th and 4th Marine Regimental Combat Teams; and Australian, New Zealand, English, Scottish and Indian units of
the British Commonwealth Forces.
1946, May
Yoshida Shigeru becomes Prime Minister in Japan.
1946, June
Eichelberger's wife joins him in Japan.
1946, October
Land Reform Law in Japan.
1946, November
New Constitution for Japan promulgated by the Emperor.
1947
Eichelberger continues to be involved in the detail of the political, social and economic re-organisation of Japan. He spends about half his time travelling round Japan, the remainder based at his office in Yokohama.
1948
SCAP's policy in Japan begins to change from one of social reform to an emphasis on economic revival and political stability in order to rebuild Japan as an American ally in the Cold War.
1948, Dec. 31
Eichelberger retires from the Army.
1949, March -1954
He spends much of the next six years as a Consultant on the Far East in the Department of the Army and then in the Pentagon. Eichelberger publishes "Our Bloody Jungle Road to Tokyo" and writes numerous articles for prominent magazines such as the "Saturday Evening Post" and "Newsweek".
1951, June
Eichelberger and his wife make their permanent home in Asheville, North Carolina.
1952, April-May
Guest of Honour visit to Australia.
1952-1961
Civic work in North Carolina includes membership of North Carolina State Ports Authority and position as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Health Research Foundation.
1954
Eichelberger is promoted to the rank of four star general by an Act of Congress.
1961, Sept. 26
Eichelberger dies. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. |
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