JAPAN: Shikata Ga Nai

MacArthur clamped down further. He forbade transactions in silver, gold and foreign exchange, denied the stock exchange permission to reopen, ordered the. Army and Navy to hand over all arms to the Allied Commander, all food and other supplies to civilian authorities (unwanted arms would be broken up for scrap). He permitted the manufacture of trucks but not of passenger cars. He ordered the criminals responsible for the infamous “Death March” on Bataan rounded up. Finally, he seized 21 Jap banks (but assured ordinary depositors that they would get their money).

And what did the people say? They have a phrase for calamity: “Shikata ga nai.” It means: it can’t be helped.