Compton Packenham
Introduction
Compton Packenham was an American journalist. He was a former British army officer and served in the American Council on Japan.
Early life
Packenham was born in Kobe, Japan. His father was British and managed a shipyard. He spoke fluent Japanese. He had spent his early childhood in Japan. He served in the Coldstream Guards as an officer.
Career
Packenham worked in the New York Times in the 1920s. He was the Tokyo Correspondent of Newsweek after World War Two. In 1946 he was appointed the bureau chief of Newsweek in Japan. He was part of the American Council on Japan. He helped found the council in late June 1948 in Harvard Club in New York City. Upon the recommendation the Emperor of Japan, Packenham helped John Foster Dulles meet Japanese politicians and businessmen. In 1947 he engaged in bitter criticism of Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers.
He along with others of the American Council on Japan taught Nobusuke Kishi English and helped him improve his image. They helped him become Prime Minister of Japan. In Japan during the occupation period, he helped Japanese government officials communicate with senior US politicians and officials. The Japanese government was able to circumvent MacArthur's communication blockade.