The Cairo Declaration

In November 1943, heads of China, the US and the UK met in Cairo. In December 1943, China, the US and the UK issued the Cairo Declaration, which consolidated future military operations against Japan and stated in explicit terms that Japan would be stripped of all Pacific islands it had seized or occupied.

In November 1943, Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Prime Minister Winston Churchill, together with their respective military and diplomatic advisers, met and conferred at Cairo. The following general statement was issued:

“The several military missions have agreed upon future military operations against Japan. They covet no gain for themselves and have no thought of territorial expectation. It is their purpose that Japan shall be stripped of all the islands in the Pacific which she has seized or occupied since the beginning of the first World War in 1914, and that all the territories Japan has stolen from the Chinese, such as Manchuria, Formosa, and the Pescadores, shall be restored to the Republic of China. Japan will also be expelled from all other territories which she has taken by violence and greed. The aforesaid three great powers, mindful of the enslavement of the people of Korea, are determined that in due course Korea shall become free and independent.”

“With these objects in view the three Allies, in harmony with those of the United Nations at war with Japan, will continue to persevere in the serious and prolonged operations necessary to procure the unconditional surrender of Japan.”

Chinese Version of the Cairo Declaration

English Version of the Cairo Declaration