Tojo Hideki

Tojo Hideki lived from 1884-1948 and he was a Japanese political and military leader. The premier who ordered the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, he personified Japanese militarism.

Tojo Eiku (his name before he became premier) was born in Tokyo on Dec. 30 1884. The son of an army general, he graduated from the Japanese Military Academy in 1905, and 10 years later completed with honors his studies at the army war college. After World War I, he became an exponent of the theory of total war. As head of the mobilization section of the war ministry, he played an important role in drafting the first general mobilization plans of the imperial army. Committed to the principle that Japan's military strength must be rooted in a developed industrial economy, Tojo urged in the early 1930's the reorganization of the army and, at the same time, the combination of the resources of Manchuria with the economy of Japan. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tojo_Hideki)

His remarkable abilities as a staff officer led to quick promotion. After serving as chief of police affairs of the Kwantung army (the Japanese army in China), he became its chief of staff in 1937. He was appointed vice minister of war in May 1938 and director of military aviation in December. In July 1940, as minister of war, he drafted new mobilization plans that strained diplomatic relations with the United States.

.In October 1941 he became premier and took the portfolios of war, education, and commerce and industry. Tojo was a virtual dictator from the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on

Dec 7, 1941, until his resignation from the government on July 19, 1944, as a result of the

American victory at Saipan on July 9. Japan surrendered on Sept. 2, 1945, and nine days later Tojo attempted suicide by shooting himself in the chest, but he survived and was treated in the hospital. Condemned by the International Military Tribunal for crimes against humanity. He was found guilty of count 1 (waging wars of aggression, and war or wars in violation of international law), count 27 (waging unprovoked war against China), count 29 (waging aggressive war against the United States) count 31 (waging aggressive war against the British Commonwealth), count 32 (waging aggressive war against the Netherlands), count 33 (waging aggressive war against France (Indochina)), and count 54 (ordering, authorizing, and permitting inhumane treatment of Prisoners of War (POWs) and others). He was hanged in Tokyo on Dec. 23, 1948.

He joined the Japanese Army and his military service included periods in Switzerland and Germany.

Promoted to major general in 1933 be became head of the Kwantung Army's military police in September 1935. After becoming a lieutenant general he became chief of staff to the Kwantung Army (March 1937-May 1938). In May 1938 Fumimaro Kondoye appointed Tojo as his vice minister of war. However, after six months in this post he returned to the armed services and took command of the army's aviation. Tojo held extreme right-wing views and was a supporter of Nazi Germany. He also feared the long-term plans of Joseph Stalin and in 1938 he advocated pre-emptive air strikes on both China and the Soviet

Union.(http://www.vho.org/GB/Journals/JHR/12/1/Tojo31-85.html)

In July 1941 Tojo was appointed by Fumimaro Kondoye as minister of war. He advocated

an aggressive foreign policy and strongly opposed plans by Shigenori to remove Japanese troops from China and Korea.

Tojo became prime minister on 16th October 1941. He initially backed the foreign office's efforts to reach agreement with the United States. However, when convinced that a negotiated deal was possible, ordered the attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December, 1941. As well as prime minister Tojo also held the posts of minister of war, home minister and foreign minister. From February 1944 he was also Commander in Chief of the General Staff.(Hoyte)

This is a letter to President Roosevelt on how they felt about the war and Hideki's actions.

"It has now been eleven days since the mandate of Prime Minister Tojo: either meet his demands for hegemony in Asia or prepare for war. Keep