Is today a special day? What happened?
What a Day! No, no, no, I don’t mean today as I sit here and pound on this Smith-Corona. It is last Thursday, Aug. 27, when these words are being written. There he goes again. Doesn’t that sound familiar? So let’s get right down to what this ‘cuff is about. That “what a day” statement should have read, “What a day that was … that day 75 years ago, Sept. 2, 1945.”
Do you remember that day or know what it meant to America and the world? The number of people who do remember are drifting away and I think students today don’t have to memorize a bunch of numbers and facts which helped shape the world for many years. We’ve come a long way to today’s world situation. Wouldn’t it be terrific if patriotism was as prominent now as it was then, Sept. 2, 1945?
That September day was the official end of the war that had stretched across the world from west to east or east to west depending on the starting point. It began for America on that fateful day, Dec. 7, 1941, which President Roosevelt declared “a day of infamy.” Since it isn’t a holiday or is so scarcely remembered, why bring it up? Let’s look back a little.
No doubt that day was overshadowed by two days in August when two atomic bombs unofficially ended the war. But it was not officially ended until September 2 when Japanese officials signed those documents while aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. Present for the signing was General Douglas MacArthur, commander of the war in the Pacific, and other American dignitaries as well as those from Japan. There was joy throughout the world, and I can briefly remember a feeling that day in what is now Westside Eagle Observer
country.
At ten, I remember being proud that General MacArthur was a native of Arkansas. He was born in Arkansas, in Little Rock. But there is more to this ‘cuff … that occurred which was aided not only by the many servicemen and women who came from this neck of the woods, there was another Arkansan who made many contributions to bring those almost four years of war to its conclusion.
Was that man on the ship witnessing the signing of those documents? I don’t know, but I do know he spent years in Japan learning the language, was friends with many at high levels in Japan and worked hard with a group
attempting to keep that war from occurring. He was the man who spent more than 30 years in the U.S. diplomatic service, helped break the Japanese code and who reportedly told authorities that there was a liaison between Japan and Germany in later years that an attack on Pearl Harbor was being discussed.
That man, who we will call Max, after the war was a close companion to MacArthur. He is mentioned briefly in a book about MacArthur, “The Years of MacArthur: Triumph and Disaster,” written by D. Clayton James. Max was chief of Northeastern Affairs and his influence convinced MacArthur that Hirohito was looked on by his people as a god and making him a criminal would destroy peaceful occupancy of that country. He was not criminalized and peace results to this day.
Who was that man? Information is taken from his obituary printed in the “Gravette News Herald” after his death on Nov. 18, 1994: “Max Waldo Schmidt Bishop, 86, was born October 30, 1908, in Gravette, the son of Julius August and Cecilia Bishop Schmidt.” A prominent marker in Hillcrest Cemetery in Gravette reveals he died in Ailey, Ga., and is buried there, where he and his wife made their home.
He was known as Max Schmidt to everyone in Gravette. He changed his official name to Max Bishop (his grandmother’s name) when he began his diplomatic career in 1932.
His resume reveals a lengthy career of more than 30 years in diplomacy positions for America. He was a graduate of the National War College and Naval War College. His career in Tokyo began early and, while there, he learned to speak, read and write the language and became acquainted with many officials in the country. His wife reported that was the greatest disappointment, that war could not be avoided. Among his many awards was a 1974 award by the Emperor of Japan with the Order of the Sacred Treasurer. As a political advisor to the Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Japan, he was awarded the Medal of Merit and the Medal of Freedom by the president.
After his retirement, he was president of the National Council of Community World Affairs organization and a private consultant to Pepperdine University and several international corporations.
During his later years, he visited occasionally with his brother Elson Schmidt in Gravette, and “No matter where he traveled and lived, Arkansas remained his favorite place in the world and he could not wait to return to his hometown of Gravette,” his son, Max Bishop Jr., is quoted as saying. At the time of his death, survivors were his wife, son and three daughters, Ala Jones, Nancy Dutcher and Cecilia Bishop, as well as his brother Elson in Gravette.
I never met Max. I regret our paths never crossed during one of his trips home to Gravette. His legacy is buried in official records and information listed in articles available on the computer. Ironically, his name was familiar to me because members of the Schmidt family recorded weather information at the local weather station from the early ’30s until the late ’50s. His name, along with Julius and Elson, appeared on monthly reports. The ones he wrote were immaculate, readable and very accurately kept.