Postwar Occupation of Japan Question.

how long where the americans meant to stay there? I know they only left in the 1950s because of the Korean problem, but if the korean war was somehow butterflied away? How long then?
 
As a wild-assed guess, I'd say no longer than 1956 and 1960 at the way outside. MacArthur was already beginning to give more authority to the Japanese government back in 1949, so make of it what you will.
 
They more or less pulled out half-finished to go fight communism (which, incidentally is one reason Japan is so weird) so following through on their wildly ambitious plans to tear down and rebuild a society would probably take a few more years.

The consequences to Japan could be huge, quite frankly.
 
Top