"[typing a report after meeting Baron Kido] It is a fundamental American concept that the people of any nation have the inherent right to choose their own government. Were the Japanese given this opportunity, they would select the Emperor as their symbolic head of state. In effecting our bloodless occupation, we requisitioned the services of the Emperor. By his order, seven million soldiers laid down their arms. Through his act, hundreds of thousands of American casualties were avoided. His guilt or innocence in the prosecution of the war is unknowable, but his decisive role in ending the war is beyond dispute. If the Emperor were tried for war crimes, the governmental structure would collapse, and a general uprising would be inevitable. There would be chaos and bloodshed. It would take more than a million American servicemen to oversee the occupation for years to come. In conclusion, the people of Japan have suffered greatly, and it is in their interest beyond all other considerations that I strongly urge allowing the Emperor to continue on his throne as the leader of his people."