The Gordon W. Prange Collection () is the most comprehensive archive in the world of Japanese print publications issued during the early years of the Occupation of Japan, 1945–1949. The Collection is located in
Hornbake Library
The University of Maryland Libraries is the largest university library in the Washington, D.C. - Baltimore area. The university's library system includes eight libraries: six are located on the College Park campus, while the Severn Library, an o ...
at the
University of Maryland
The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of M ...
.
History
Dr.
Gordon W. Prange, a professor of History at the University of Maryland, worked as Chief of
General Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur (26 January 18805 April 1964) was an American military leader who served as General of the Army for the United States, as well as a field marshal to the Philippine Army. He had served with distinction in World War I, was C ...
's historical staff between 1946 and 1951 during the
Occupation of Japan
Japan was occupied and administered by the victorious Allies of World War II from the 1945 surrender of the Empire of Japan at the end of the war until the
Treaty of San Francisco took effect in 1952. The occupation, led by the United States wi ...
. When censorship of the Japanese media by the
Civil Censorship Detachment (CCD) was lifted, Dr. Prange arranged for the shipment of the CCD materials to the University of Maryland. The materials arrived at the University in 1950. In 1978, the Board of Regents of the University of Maryland passed a motion to name the collection the "Gordon W. Prange Collection."
Holdings
The holdings of the Prange Collection once constituted the files copies of the Civil Censorship Detachment (CCD). Two copies of print publications were submitted to the CCD for censorship review. One copy was retained by the CCD, and one copy was returned to the publisher or author with instructions for revisions. The Prange Collection also holds several gift collections, including
Charles L. Kades' drafts of the Japanese Constitution of 1947.
The holdings are:
* 71,000 book and pamphlet titles
* 13,800 magazines titles
* 18,000 newspaper titles
* 10,000 news agency photos
* 640 maps
* 90 posters
* 140 ephemera items
* Gift collections
Preservation
Between 1992 and 2001, the University of Maryland Libraries partnered with the
National Diet Library
The is the national library of Japan and among the largest libraries in the world. It was established in 1948 for the purpose of assisting members of the in researching matters of public policy. The library is similar in purpose and scope to ...
(NDL) to microfilm the Prange magazines and newspapers. In 2005, the digitization of the Prange books and pamphlets began. Phase One consisted of the scanning of the 8,000 children's books in the Prange Collection, which was completed in 2010. Phase Two began that same year with the scanning of the books in the social sciences, including political science, economics, and history. Currently, education-related books are being scanned.
See also
*
Occupation of Japan
Japan was occupied and administered by the victorious Allies of World War II from the 1945 surrender of the Empire of Japan at the end of the war until the
Treaty of San Francisco took effect in 1952. The occupation, led by the United States wi ...
*
Postwar Japan
Post-occupation Japan is the period in postwar Japanese history which started when the Allied occupation of Japan ended in 1952 and lasted to the end of the Showa era in 1989. Despite the massive devastation it suffered in the Second World War, ...
*
Gordon Prange
Gordon William Prange (; July 16, 1910 – May 15, 1980) was the author of several World War II historical manuscripts which were published by his co-workers after his death in 1980. Prange was a professor of history at the University of Maryland ...
*
Censorship in Japan
Censorship in Japan has taken many forms throughout the history of the country. While Article 21 of the Constitution of Japan guarantees freedom of expression and prohibits formal censorship, effective censorship of obscene content does exist and ...
*
Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers
was the title held by General Douglas MacArthur during the United States-led Allied occupation of Japan following World War II. It issued SCAP Directives (alias SCAPIN, SCAP Index Number) to the Japanese government, aiming to suppress its "milit ...
References
External links
Gordon W. Prange CollectionUniversity of Maryland LibrariesGordon W. Prange Collection - National Diet Library of Japan Research NaviHow to Search Prange Collection Holdings - National Diet Library of Japan Research Navi*
ttps://archives.lib.umd.edu/repositories/2/resources/1160 Gordon W. Prange papers at the
University of Maryland libraries
The University of Maryland Libraries is the largest university library in the Washington, D.C. - Baltimore area. The university's library system includes eight libraries: six are located on the College Park campus, while the Severn Library, an of ...
{{Authority control
Collections
University of Maryland, College Park
Censorship