Cairo Declaration

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This article is about the Allied declaration of 1943. For the Muslim human rights declaration, see Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam. For the 1997 agreement on Somalia, see Attempts at reconciliation in Somalia (1991–2004).
Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Prime Minister Winston Churchill met at the Cairo Conference in Cairo, November 25, 1943.

The Cairo Declaration was the outcome of the Cairo Conference in Cairo, Egypt, on November 27, 1943. President Franklin Roosevelt of the United States, Prime Minister Winston Churchill of the United Kingdom, and Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek of the Republic of China were present. The declaration developed ideas from the 1941 Atlantic Charter, which was issued by the Allies of World War II to set goals for the post-war order. The Cairo Communiqué was broadcast through radio on December 1, 1943.[1] The Cairo Declaration is cited in Clause Eight (8) of the Potsdam Declaration, which is referred by the Japanese Instrument of Surrender.

Contents

Summary [edit]

The main points of the document were:

  • The Allies are not fighting Japan for their own territorial expansion.
  • The Allies are resolved to bring unrelenting military pressure against Japan until it agrees to unconditional surrender.
  • Japan shall be stripped of all islands she has seized or occupied in the Pacific since the beginning of World War I in 1914.
  • All the territories Japan has taken from China such as Manchuria (Dongbei), Formosa (Taiwan), and the Pescadores (Penghu), shall be restored to the Republic of China.
  • The Allies are determined that Korea shall become free and independent.
  • Japan will also be expelled from all other territories which she has taken by violence and greed.

Legal Effect [edit]

The Cairo Declaration was a statement of intention. The Allies, however, did not recognize that the Cairo Declaration itself affected any transfer of Taiwan's sovereignty to China.[2][3] However, by signing the Instrument of Surrender (2 Sep 1945), Japan specifically accepted the terms of the Potsdam declaration, which incorporated by reference the terms of the Cairo Declaration: "We, acting by command of and on behalf of the Emperor of Japan, the Japanese Government and the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters, hereby accept the provisions in the declaration issued by the heads of the Governments of the United States, China, and Great Britain 26 July 1945 at Potsdam, and subsequently adhered to by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, which four powers are hereafter referred to as the Allied Powers." [4] The Potsdam Declaration (26 Jul 1945) stipulated that: "(8) The terms of the Cairo Declaration shall be carried out AND Japanese sovereignty shall be limited to the islands of Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, Shikoku and such minor islands as we determine."[5]

See also [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ "Cairo Communiquè, December 1, 1943". Japan National Diet Library. December 1, 1943. 
  2. ^ "Foreign Relations of the United States". US Dept. of State. Jan. 6, 1951. Retrieved 2012-06-07. "The Cairo declaration manifested our intention. It did not itself constitute a cession of territory." 
  3. ^ "UK Parliament". Hansard. Feb 7, 1955. Retrieved 2012-06-07. "The position in law is that an armistice or the cessation of fighting does not affect sovereignty." 
  4. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Instrument_of_Surrender
  5. ^ http://pwencycl.kgbudge.com/P/o/Potsdam_Declaration.htm

External links [edit]

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