Description
Known as the “LeMay Leaflet,” this piece of propaganda warned cities of impending bombing raids.
Printed on newspaper, text in blue. Measures 19.5cm x 12.5cm. Stapled along left side. The names of Japanese cities are on the front, including the following: Mito, Hachiouji, Kouriyama, Maebashi, Nshinomiya, Ohtsu, Maizuru, Toyama, Fukuyama, Kurume, Takaoka and Nagano.
The text on the verso warns the following:
Dear Japanese People: Don’t you think you want to save lives of your family, friends and yourself? If you want, please read this paper carefully.
Within a few days, the United States Air Force will bomb the military facilities located in all or part of the cities shown on the back of this leaflet. There are military facilities and factories manufacturing munitions in these cities. US Air Force will destroy all weapons of Japan, which are used to prolong the war that Japan doesn’t have any chance to win. Bombs don’t have eyes, thus where bombs will fall can’t be expected although humanitarian US doesn’t want to hurt innocent people. Therefore, please evacuate from the cities shown in the back side.
The enemy of US is not you but Japanese military who has drawn you into the war. US believes it is a peace to relieve you from oppression by Japanese military. By doing so, Japan will become “new better Japan”.
Why don’t you uphold a leader who will stop this war, and let’s recover peace.
Although other cities than shown in the back side might be bombed, at least all or part of those cities will surely be bombed. / We alert you. Please note in advice to evacuate from the cities shown in the back side.
These bombing leaflets were produced by the Office of War Information in 1945, headquartered in Saipan. An after-action report by the Central Intelligence Agencies “Studies in Intelligence” reports that leaflets were dropped on 33 cities, including Hiroshima and Nagasaki, prior to bombing raids. Their purpose was to encourage citizens to evacuate a city to minimize civilian deaths.
