General Order No. 1

General Order No. 1 for the surrender of Japan, was prepared by the Joint Chiefs of Staff of U.S. military forces and approved by the President of the United States on 17 August 1945.

It was the U.S. General Douglas MacArthur's first order to the forces of the Empire of Japan following the surrender of Japan. It instructed Japanese forces to surrender to designated Allied commanders, reveal all current military deployments, and preserve military equipment for later disarmament.

It also had the effect of leading to the eventual division of Korea at the 38th Parallel in that Japanese forces surrendered to the Soviet commander and to the American commander north and south of the 38th parallel respectively.

Since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the term of General Order No. 1 also refers to a multi-page United States Central Command order that prohibits inter alia consumption of alcohol and proselytizing by United States Department of Defense personnel while in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and some other countries.

Excerpt of the General Order No. 1 for the Surrender of Japan
a. The senior Japanese commanders and all ground, sea, air and auxiliary forces within China [meaning "Republic of China"] (excluding Manchuria), Formosa and French Indo-China north of 16° north latitude shall surrender to Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek.

b. The senior Japanese commanders and all ground, sea, air and auxiliary forces within Manchuria, Korea north of 38° north latitude and Karafuto shall surrender to the Commander in Chief of Soviet Forces in the Far East.

c. The senior Japanese commanders and all ground, sea, air and auxiliary forces within the Andamans, Nicobars, Burma, Thailand, French Indo-China south of 16 degrees north latitude, Malaya, Borneo, Netherlands Indies, New Guinea, Bismarcks and the Solomons, shall surrender to the Supreme Allied Commander, Southeast Asia Command.

d. The senior Japanese commanders and all ground, sea, air and auxiliary forces in the Japanese Mandated Islands, Ryukyus, Bonins, and other Pacific Islands shall surrender to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet.

e. The Imperial General Headquarters, its senior commanders, and all ground, sea, air and auxiliary forces in the main islands of Japan, minor islands adjacent thereto, Korea south of 38° north latitude, and the Philippines shall surrender to the Commander in Chief, U. S. Army Forces in the Pacific.