~ 720th Military Police Battalion Reunion Association History Project ~

Photo A0094:On 28 April 1952 the status of the 720th MP Battalion and all other allied units on occupational duty changed from an "Occupational Force" to that of a "Security Force" with the acceptance of the Japanese Peace Treaty. On 1 May Japanese University students lead by the radical Communist Marxist movement staged a massive unannounced demonstration against the Americans in the center of Tokyo. The demonstrators turned over and burned several vehicles while shouting "Yankee go home!" Standard orders to the 720th MP Battalion patrols were to avoid confrontation and stay out of sight during public demonstrations, and let the Japanese civil police handle the disturbance.Courtesy of CPL Richard W. Stone (CWO Retired) HQ & C Company, 720th MP Battalion, HQ Service Command, Tokyo, Occupied Japan, 1950-1952.

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