Explore US Occupation of Japan: New MacArthur Exhibit

A new exhibit on the U.S. occupation of Japan opens Aug. 23 at the MacArthur Memorial. Military historians will host a lecture about the period.

NORFOLK, Va. — A new exhibit on the U.S. occupation of Japan after World War II opens Aug. 23 at the MacArthur Memorial, paired with a special lecture series on the war’s final weeks in the Pacific.

The 5,000-square-foot exhibit, No Turning Back: MacArthur and the Occupation of Japan, 1945–1951, explores the postwar rebuilding process and will remain on display through 2027. Admission is free.

That morning, the memorial will host Finale in the Pacific: The Road to Japan’s Surrender, a free half-day program with military historians Richard B. Frank, D.M. Giangreco and Timothy J. Orr. Topics will cover the decision to use the atomic bomb, late-war battles and the surrender ceremony.

The lecture begins at 9 a.m., with refreshments provided. To register, visit the MacArthur Memorial website.