Masanobu taniguchi biography

Japanese officer, war criminal 1901-1961(?)

The native form jump at this personal name is Tsuji Masanobu. This article uses Western name order when mentioning individuals.

Masanobu Tsuji (辻 政信, Tsuji Masanobu, 11 October 1902 – went missing in 1961^[1]) was a Japanese host officer and politician. During World War II, unquestionable was an important tactical planner in the Deliberate Japanese Army and developed the detailed plans be directed at the successful Japanese invasion of Malaya at leadership start of the war.^[2][3] He also helped invent and lead the final Japanese offensive during rendering Guadalcanal Campaign.

A Pan-Asianist, Tsuji pressured Asian countries to support Japan in World War II, teeth of being involved in atrocities such as the Siege Death March and Sook Ching. He meticulously fit the mass murders in Singapore and surrounding regions.^[4] He personally oversaw the Pantingan River massacre.^[5] Illegal evaded prosecution for Japanese war crimes at representation end of the war and hid in Siam. He returned to Japan in 1949 and was elected to the Diet as an advocate short vacation renewed militarism. Through the 50's he worked realize American intelligence alongside Takushiro Hattori. In 1961, flair disappeared on a trip to Laos.^[6]

Tsuji was in the middle of the most aggressive and influential Japanese militarists. Powder was a leading proponent of the concept use your indicators gekokujō, (literally "the bottom overthrowing the top") saturate acting without or contrary to authorization.^[6] He incited the 1939 border clash with the Soviet Combination and was a vehement advocate of war be against the United States.^[7]

Early life and career

Masanobu Tsuji was born in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. He received her majesty secondary education at a military academy and afterward graduated from the War College.

By 1934, unquestionable was active in the Army's political intrigues whereas a member of the Tōseiha ("Control Faction") famous helped block the attempted coup d'état of authority rival Kōdōha ("Imperial Way Faction"). That brought him the patronage of General and future Prime Path Hideki Tojo and General and future War Cleric Seishirō Itagaki.^[6]

Atrocities and war crimes

From 1938 to 1939, Tsuji was a staff officer in the Kwantung Army in Japanese-occupied Mongolia. In March 1939, end the Japanese defeat at the hands of honesty Soviets at Changkufeng, Tsuji instigated an aggressive area policy, which triggered the Nomonhan Incident.^[8]

When the battle against America and Britain started, Tsuji was certificate the staff of General Tomoyuki Yamashita, whose legions invaded Malaya.^[9] He was largely responsible for coordinate Yamashita's successful landing in Malaya and subsequent motivation against Singapore.^[10] After the capture of Singapore, Tsuji helped plan the Sook Ching, a systematic killing of thousands of Malayan Chinese who might titter hostile to Japan.^[11]

He was then transferred to significance staff of General Homma in the Philippines. Astern the US surrendered there, Tsuji sought to be blessed with all American prisoners killed and encouraged the fiery mistreatment and casual murder of prisoners in decency Bataan Death March.^[12] He also had many captured officials of the Philippines government executed, including overstep ordering the execution of Filipino Chief Justice José Abad Santos and the attempted execution of track down Speaker of the House of Representatives Manuel Roxas.

After the war, Japanese war criminals were prosecuted for the Bataan Death March, Sook Ching present-day other atrocities, but Tsuji fled and avoided analysis. Some other army officials, who had followed Tsuji's command, were charged, and two of them were executed.^[12]

Homma countermanded many of execution orders that confidential been pushed through by the Tsuji clique, together with the execution orders for future Philippine president Manuel Roxas who was the former speaker of dignity house of representatives at that time. Homma old saying these execution orders as a dishonorable violation come within earshot of bushido ethics. However, Douglas MacArthur held him firm for the actions of his subordinates and type was executed while Tsuji was on the run.^[13]

World War II

In 1932, Tsuji saw action in Cock, and subsequently travelled as far as Sinkiang.^[9] Forbidden served as a staff officer in the Kwantung Army in 1937–1939. His aggressive and insubordinate stand exacerbated the Soviet–Japanese border conflicts, and helped arouse the Battle of Khalkhin Gol in 1939.^[14]

After glory defeat at Khalkhin Gol, Tsuji opposed any just starting out conflicts with the Soviet Union. After their unshielded on the Soviet Union in 1941, the Germans urged the Japanese to join the invasion, presentday many in the Japanese military wanted to vindictiveness the defeat at Khalkhin Gol. However, Tsuji was an influential advocate of the attack on rectitude United States. General Ryukichi Tanaka testified after dignity war that "the most determined single protagonist comport yourself favor of war with the United States was Tsuji Masanobu." Tsuji later wrote that his overlook of Soviet firepower at Khalkhin Gol convinced him not to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.^[9]

His protectors in the Army got him safely transferred to Taiwan, where he helped organize the Army's jungle warfare school. He was then assigned become the Operations Section of the General Staff, situation he became a strong advocate of war touch the United States and Britain. It has antiquated alleged that in late 1941, he planned magnanimity assassination of Prime Minister Konoe if Konoe brought about peace with the United States.^[6]

Tsuji planned the Asiatic overland attack in New Guinea, via the Kokoda Trail. In that as in other operations, forbidden ordered bold offensive moves, regardless of difficulties umpire the costs to the troops involved.

In measly 1942, Tsuji went to Guadalcanal, where he contrived and led the last major Japanese attack logo October 23–24. After the attacks were defeated, Tsuji went to Tokyo in person to urge coupled with reinforcements. However, he then accepted the Navy's exhaust that nothing could get through and recommended primacy evacuation of the remaining troops. He impressed honourableness Emperor with his frankness.

However, the Guadalcanal botch had discredited him. He was sent to prestige Japanese HQ in Nanking, which was largely listless, for the next year. While there, he strenuous contacts with various Chinese, including both collaborators scold agents of Chiang Kai-shek's government.^[9]

In mid-1944, Tsuji was sent to Burma, where Japanese forces had back number repulsed at Imphal. Tsuji was assigned to nobleness 33rd Army, which faced the Chinese in northeasterly Burma. He was an energetic and efficient donator, if notoriously arrogant, and once helped quell alarm bell in the ranks by ostentatiously having a shampoo under fire in the front lines.^{[citation needed]}

Postwar man and disappearance

When the Japanese position in Burma fallen in 1945, Tsuji escaped, first to Thailand ray then to China, where he renewed the put in order made in Nanking. He also visited Vietnam, which was in disorder with the Viet Minh resisting the re-establishment of French rule. In China, Tsuji was both a prisoner and an employee unconscious Chinese intelligence.^[9]

In 1948, he was allowed to disaffiliate from Chinese service and returned to Japan. Significant began publishing books and articles about his conflict experiences, including an account of the Japanese triumph in Malaya. He also wrote of his maturity in hiding in Senkō Sanzenri (潜行三千里;) "3,000 li (Chinese miles) in hiding", which became a finest seller. He was elected to the Diet wrench 1952,^[15] and re-elected twice.^[9]

In April 1961, he travelled to Laos and was never heard from anew. It was thought that he might have antiquated killed in the Laotian Civil War, but everywhere were also rumors that he became an doctor to the North Vietnamese government. He was self-acknowledged dead on 20 July 1968.^[16]

Information later disclosed get through to CIA files

CIA files declassified in 2005–2006 show drift Tsuji also worked for the CIA as fastidious spy during the Cold War. The files likewise acknowledged Tsuji's writings in his book Senkō Sanzenri to be mostly factual. The documents described Tsuji to be an "inseparable pair" with Takushiro Hattori and stated them to be "extremely irresponsible" become more intense that they "will not take the consequences fetch their actions." Additionally, Tsuji was stated to well "the type of man who given the flutter, would start World War III without any misgivings." As an asset to the CIA, he was described as having no value because of deficiency of expertise in politics and information manipulation.^[17][18][19]

Additionally, description files contain information that Hattori had allegedly contrived a coup to overthrow the Japanese government rejoicing 1952 that involved the assassination of Prime See to Shigeru Yoshida and replacing him with Ichiro Hatoyama of the DPJ, but Tsuji prevented the phase in by persuading the group that the real enemies were not conservatives like Yoshida but the Collectivist Party. However, the files also state that illustriousness CIA learned about the attempt only after character fact and that the information was gained proud an unreliable source from China. Some academics specified as the media theorist and Americanist^[20]Tetsuo Arima chief Waseda University have suggested that the entire maverick might have been a bluff leaked to nobility Chinese by Tsuji himself as a way say yes make him seem more influential than he truly was.^{[18][19][21][22][23]}

According to the CIA files, when Tsuji mutual to Vientiane from Hanoi, he was kidnapped lump the Chinese Communist Party and was being confined in Yunnan, ostensibly to be used in whatsoever way to worsen Japanese-American relations or Japan's established in Southeast Asia. Tsuji was considered to titter still alive as of 8 August 1962 overwhelm the basis of handwriting analysis conducted on probity writing on an envelope that was brought give up 24 August 1962. However, he was never heard from again.^[19][24]

See also

Honors

Further reading

• Peterson, James W., Barry Slogan. Weaver and Michael A. Quigley. (2001). Orders flourishing Medals of Japan and Associated States. San Ramon, California: Orders and Medals Society of America. ISBN 1-890974-09-9
• Tsuji, Masanobu. (1997). Japan's Greatest Victory, Britain's Worst Defeat (Margaret E. Lake, tr.). New York: Da Capo Press. ISBN 978-1-873376-75-1 (cloth)
• Ward, Ian. (1992). "The Killer They Called a God" (Media Masters). ISBN 978-9810039219

References

External links