１５年戦争の敗戦後、わたしたち日本人の生活は『ポツダム宣言』（及び『降伏文書』）の土台の上に成立しています。これは客観的・世界的な現実・事実であり、覆すことはできません（再び世界大戦をするのでない限りは）。
このわたしたちが生きている戦後の日本と世界の思想と現実を踏まえない、あるいは見ようとしない人が政治家を含めて大勢いるのには呆れてしまいます。
四十数年前、わたしの通った区立中学と都立高校では授業で教えていましたが、どうもその後の教育は、上記の現代史の最も重要な文書さえ教えないという驚くべき事態に陥っているようです。これでは、日本人は戦後世界における内政と外交の基本知識さえ持たない国民ということになります。
極めて簡潔な文書、敗戦を受諾した『ポツダム宣言』（及び『降伏文書』）は、日本人全員が読んでおかなければならないはずです。それは、戦後世界において他国との正常な関係を築くための最低条件です。
武田康弘
Potsdam Proclamation
ポツダム宣言
Proclamation of the Three Powers, the United States, Great Britain and China.
米、英、支三国宣言
Potsdam, July 26, 1945
1945年7月26日、ポツダムニ於テ
1. We, the President of the United States, the President of the National Government of the Republic of China, and the Prime Minister of Great Britain, representing the hundreds of millions of our countrymen, have conferred and agreed that Japan shall be given an opportunity to end this war.
吾等(われら)合衆国大統領、中華民国政府主席、及「グレート・ブリテン」国総理大臣ハ、吾等ノ数億ノ国民ヲ代表シ、協議ノ上、日本国ニ対シ、今次ノ戦争ヲ終結スルノ機会ヲ与フルコトニ意見一致セリ。
2. The prodigious land, sea and air forces of the United States, the British Empire and of China, many times reinforced by their armies and air fleets from the west, are poised to strike the final blows upon Japan.
合衆国、英帝国、及中華民国ノ巨大ナル陸、海、空軍ハ、西方ヨリノ自国ノ陸軍及空軍ニ依ル数倍ノ増強ヲ受ケ、日本国ニ対シ、最後的打撃ヲ加フルノ態勢ヲ整ヘタリ。
This military power is sustained and inspired by the determination of all the Allied Nations to prosecute the war against Japan until she ceases to resist.
右軍事力ハ、日本国ガ抵抗ヲ終止スルニ至ル迄、同国ニ対シ戦争ヲ遂行スルノ、一切ノ連合国ノ決意ニ依リ支持セラレ、且(かつ)鼓舞セラレ居(お)ルモノナリ。
3. The result of the futile and senseless German resistance to the might of the aroused free peoples of the world stands forth in awful clarity as an example to the people of Japan.
蹶起セル世界ノ自由ナル人民ノ力ニ対スル、「ドイツ」国ノ無益且無意義ナル抵抗ノ結果ハ、日本国民ニ対スル先例ヲ極メテ明白ニ示スモノナリ。
The might that now converges on Japan is immeasurably greater than that which, when applied to the resisting Nazis, necessarily laid waste to the lands, the industry and the method of life of the whole German people.
現在日本国ニ対シ集結シツツアル力ハ、抵抗スル「ナチス」ニ対シ適用セラレタル場合ニ於テ、全「ドイツ」国人民ノ土地、産業、及生活様式ヲ必然的ニ荒廃ニ帰セシメタル力ニ比シ、測リ知レザル程度ニ強大ナルモノナリ。
The full application of our military power, backed by our resolve, will mean the inevitable and complete destruction of the Japanese armed forces and just as inevitably the utter devastation of the Japanese homeland.
吾等ノ決意ニ支持セラルル吾等ノ軍事力ノ最高度ノ使用ハ、日本国軍隊ノ不可避且完全ナル壊滅ヲ意味スベク、又同様、必然的ニ日本国本土ノ完全ナル破壊ヲ意味スベシ。
4. The time has come for Japan to decide whether she will continue to be controlled by those self-willed militaristic advisers whose unintelligent calculations have brought the Empire of Japan to the threshold of annihilation, or whether she will follow the path of reason.
無分別ナル打算ニ依リ、日本帝国ヲ滅亡ノ淵ニ陥レタル、我儘(わがまま)ナル軍国主義的助言者ニ依リ、日本国ガ引続キ統御セラルベキカ、又ハ理性ノ経路ヲ日本国ガ履(ふ)ムベキカヲ、日本国ガ決意スル時期ハ到来セリ。
5. The following are our terms:
吾等ノ条件ハ左ノ如シ。
We will not deviate from them.
吾等ハ右条件ヨリ離脱スルコトナカルベシ。
There are no alternatives.
右ニ代ル条件存在セズ。
We shall brook no delay.
吾等ハ遅延ヲ認ムルヲ得ズ。
6. There must be eliminated for all time the authority and influence of those who have deceived and misled the people of Japan into embarking on world conquest, for we insist that a new order of peace, security and justice will be impossible until irresponsible militarism is driven from the world.
吾等ハ、無責任ナル軍国主義ガ世界ヨリ駆逐セラルルニ至ル迄ハ、平和、安全、及正義ノ新秩序ガ生ジ得ザルコトヲ主張スルモノナルヲ以テ、日本国国民ヲ欺瞞シ、之(これ)ヲシテ世界征服ノ挙ニ出ヅルノ過誤ヲ犯サシメタル者ノ権力及勢力ハ、永久ニ除去セラレザルベカラズ。
7. Until such a new order is established and until there is convincing proof that Japan's war-making power is destroyed, points in Japanese territory to be designated by the Allies shall be occupied to secure the achievement of the basic objectives we are here setting forth.
右ノ如キ新秩序ガ建設セラレ、且日本国ノ戦争遂行能力ガ破砕セラレタルコトノ確証アルニ至ル迄ハ、連合国ノ指定スベキ日本国領域内ノ諸地点ハ、吾等ノ茲ニ指示スル基本的目的ノ達成ヲ確保スル為、占領セラルベシ。
8. The terms of the Cairo Declaration shall be carried out and Japanese sovereignty shall be limited to the islands of Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, Shikoku and such minor islands as we determine.
「カイロ」宣言ノ条項ハ履行セラルベク、又日本国ノ主権ハ、本州、北海道、九州、四国、及吾等ノ決定スル諸小島ニ局限セラルベシ。
9. The Japanese military forces, after being completely disarmed, shall be permitted to return to their homes with the opportunity to lead peaceful and productive lives.
日本国軍隊ハ、完全ニ武装ヲ解除セラレタル後、各自ノ家庭ニ復帰シ、平和的且生産的ノ生活ヲ営ムノ機会ヲ得シメラルベシ。
10. We do not intend that the Japanese shall be enslaved as a race or destroyed as a nation, but stern justice shall be meted out to all war criminals, including those who have visited cruelties upon our prisoners.
吾等ハ、日本人ヲ民族トシテ奴隷化セントシ又ハ国民トシテ滅亡セシメントスルノ意図ヲ有スルモノニ非(あら)ザルモ、吾等ノ俘虜ヲ虐待セル者ヲ含ム、一切ノ戦争犯罪人ニ対シテハ、厳重ナル処罰ヲ加ヘラルベシ。
The Japanese Government shall remove all obstacles to the revival and strengthening of democratic tendencies among the Japanese people.
日本国政府ハ、日本国国民ノ間ニ於ケル民主主義的傾向ノ復活強化ニ対スル一切ノ障礙(しょうがい)ヲ除去スベシ。
Freedom of speech, of religion, and of thought, as well as respect for the fundamental human rights, shall be established.
言論、宗教、及思想ノ自由並ニ基本的人権ノ尊重ハ確立セラルベシ。
11. Japan shall be permitted to maintain such industries as will sustain her economy and permit the exaction of just reparations in kind, but not those which would enable her to rearm for war.
日本国ハ、其ノ経済ヲ支持シ、且公正ナル実物賠償ノ取立ヲ可能ナラシムルガ如キ産業ヲ維持スルコトヲ許サルベシ。但シ、日本国ヲシテ戦争ノ為、再軍備ヲ為スコトヲ得シムルガ如キ産業ハ、此ノ限ニ在ラズ。
To this end, access to, as distinguished from control of, raw materials shall be permitted.
右目的ノ為、原料ノ入手（其ノ支配トハ、之ヲ区別ス）ヲ許可サルベシ。
Eventual Japanese participation in world trade relations shall be permitted.
日本国ハ、将来、世界貿易関係ヘノ参加ヲ許サルベシ。
12. The occupying forces of the Allies shall be withdrawn from Japan as soon as these objectives have been accomplished and there has been established, in accordance with the freely expressed will of the Japanese people, a peacefully inclined and responsible government.
前記諸目的ガ達成セラレ、且日本国国民ノ自由ニ表明セル意思ニ従ヒ、平和的傾向ヲ有シ、且責任アル政府ガ樹立セラルルニ於テハ、連合国ノ占領軍ハ、直(ただち)ニ日本国ヨリ撤収セラルベシ。
13. We call upon the government of Japan to proclaim now the unconditional surrender of all Japanese armed forces, and to provide proper and adequate assurances of their good faith in such action.
吾等ハ、日本国政府ガ直ニ全日本軍隊ノ無条件降伏ヲ宣言シ、且右行動ニ於ケル同政府ノ誠意ニ付(つき)、適当且充分ナル保障ヲ提供センコトヲ同政府ニ対シ要求ス。
The alternative for Japan is prompt and utter destruction.
右以外ノ日本国ノ選択ハ、迅速且(かつ)完全ナル壊滅アルノミトス。
