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AS CEREMONIES GET UNDERWAY COMMEMORATING THE JAPANESE SURRENDER TO ALLIED FORCES FIFTY YEARS AGO, NPR'S NEAL CONAN REPORTS ON THE HATREDS THAT FUEELED THE WAR IN THE PACIFIC. PROFESSOR JOHN W. DOWER, THE HENRY LUCE PROFESSOR OF INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION AT THE MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY SAYS THAT ATROCITIES COMMITTED BY BOTH SIDES CREATED A VICIOUS CYCLE. (PROFESSOR DOWER'S BOOK "WAR WITHOUT MERCY: RACE AND POWER IN THE PACIFIC WAR" IS PUBLISHED BY PANTHEON) WE ALSO HEAR EXERPTS FROM GENERAL DOUGLAS MacARTHUR'S SPEECH AT THE SURRENDER CEREMONY IN TOKYO BAY.

NPR's Elizabeth Arnold reports that commentator Pat Buchanan headed to Iowa today after his surprise win in yesterday's Louisiana caucuses. He beat Texas Sen. Phil Gramm, who had hoped that a strong lead in Louisiana would give him a boost in the Iowa caucuses next week. Both men saw the Louisiana race as a contest for the conservative Republican vote. A strong showing by the Christian right and the anti-abortion wing of the party was credited with Buchanan's victory. Both men, however, have an uphill fight in Iowa, where polls show many voters are leaning toward millionaire Steve Forbes.

NPR's Elizabeth Arnold reports on Texas Senator Phil Gramm, who has been campaigning for the Republican nomination for president for well over a year and the first big test comes Feb. 12 in the Iowa caucuses. That will be his chance to see if he can close the gap between himself and Senator Bob Dole, who is presumed to be well ahead of all the other GOP contenders. Gramm is confident he can show his candidacy gaining strength. With a message designed to win over fiscal and social conservatives, Gramm says he's the candidate best able to carry out the Republican agenda, and that the key to his viability is carrying out the promises his party made in 1994.

NPR's Elaine Korry reports that the Supreme Courts of California and New York are reviewing cases that could change the way courts handle so-called "move away" cases. In many courts, a divorced parent with custody of a child risks losing that custody if he or she moves out of the area where the non-custodial parent lives, even if the move is for important financial reasons. Non-custodial parents say its unfair for them to lose visitation rights just because the ex-spouse decided to move. Custodial parents, usually women, complain this makes it difficult for them to seek better schooling or a new job just when they need it most.

NPR's John Nielsen reports that Secretary of State Warren Christopher today said a U-S carrier group will move closer to Taiwan in the coming days. The announcement comes as China stages missile tests -- as well as live ammunition tests -- off Taiwan's coast. Appearing on N-B-C's "Meet the Press," Christopher said the carrier battle group will be in what he calls a "position to be helpful if they need to be." The missile tests are aimed at discouraging Taiwan's pro-democracy movement in advance of presidential elections on March 23rd. Christopher says China's actions "smack of intimidation and coercion." He also says they're "reckless" and "risky."

2: National Correspondent for U.S. News and World Report SCOTT MINERBROOK. He writes regularly for public radio and his work has apeared in a myriad of publications including The New York Times, and Emerge, where he is a contributing editor. He has received several awards, most recently one from the National Association of Black Journalists. His new book "Divided to the Vein: A Journey into Race and Family" (Harcourt Brace & Co.) discusses the racism he encountered within his own family as the son of a white woman and a black man.

NPR's Tom Gjelten reports on what Assistant Secretary of State Richard Holbrooke is calling new 'rules of the road' for arresting war criminals in Bosnia. Names of suspected war criminals must be sent to the U.N. War Crimes Tribunal in the Hague...only those approved by the tribunal may be detained. NATO meanwhile is laying out its plans for arresting war criminals. NATO has been criticized in recent days for failing to detain indicted bosnian serb officials who've been making very public appearances in NATO controlled areas in recent days.

Closing arguments are presented today in the assisted suicide trial of Dr. Jack Kevorkian. Noah Adams speaks with NPR's Don Gonyea, who has been following the trial at the Oakland County courthouse in Pontiac, Michigan. LIVE 13. ABOUT KEVORKIAN -- Linda talks with Michael Betzold, a reporter on strike from the Detroit Free Press, about Dr. Jack Kevorkian. Betzold says Kevorkian wishes that society will one day accept assisted suicide for those who are emotionally ill as well as for the terminally sick. Betzold also talks about Kevorkian's desire to control death. Betzold has written about Kevorkian since 1991 and wrote a book about him called, "Appointment with Dr. Death."

NPR's Martha Raddatz reports on the arrest today of a former National Security Agency employee charged with spying during the Cold War. The Justice Department alleges that Robert Lipka passed classified documents to the Soviet Union in the 1960's. (5:00) -B- 8. TEXAS FIRES -- Linda talks with Jeff Edwards, fire marshall of Parker County, Texas, about the fires that have been burning out of control just west of Forth Worth. Speaking from Poolville, Texas, Edwards says firefighters have contained one blaze that has destroyed 20,000 acres but worries about two more fire that are still burning.

In part two of our public hospitals series, Frank Browning reports on the debate at the University of San Francisco General Hospital over what changes may be needed in medical education to meet the challenges public hospitals face from managed care. To reduce cost, they're having to shift away from expensive specialty care in the hospital to preventive general care, delivered in an outpatient setting. That's not what they're accustomed to doing, but it's what most poor people who depend on public hospitals need.