WWII E165 - Demilitarizing a Defeated Empire

WWII E165 - Demilitarizing a Defeated Empire

From History of the Marine Corps by Robert Estrada

January 12, 2026 · 31 min · Episode 165

About this episode

This episode discusses the 5th Marine Division's role in demilitarizing Japan after World War II.

On 22 September 1945, the 5th Marine Division entered Sasebo Harbor under Japanese pilotage. Marines cleaned and stabilized a burned, silent city, secured depots and key sites, and watched a wary civilian population slowly reappear. From Sasebo, the division spreads across northern Kyushu, locking down airfields, rail junctions, coastal guns, and ammunition dumps, while also helping run repatriation and displaced-person processing. This episode tracks the shift from assault warfare to tense, day-to-day control: demilitarization, sanitation and disease prevention, restrictions on liberty, black markets, and the pressure of demobilization. Support the Show Listen ad-free and a week early on historyofthemarinecorps.supercast.com Donate directly at historyofthemarinecorps.com Try a free 30-day Audible trial at audibletrial.com/marinehistory Social Media Instagram - @historyofthemarines Facebook - @marinehistory Twitter - @marinehistory

People in this episode

Host: Robert Estrada

Topics covered

  • World War II
  • Marine Corps
  • demilitarization
  • military history
  • post-war Japan
  • civilian life
  • control operations

Keywords

  • Marine Corps
  • Sasebo
  • demilitarization
  • World War II
  • Japanese history
  • military operations
  • civilian population
  • repatriation
  • displaced persons
  • black markets

Sponsors

Audible, History of the Marine Corps

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: 5th Marine Division

Places: Sasebo Harbor, northern Kyushu, Japan

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