Hideki Tojo
Early Life
Hideki Tojo was born in Tokyo on December 30, 1884. He was the eldest son in a family of samurai descent. In 1899, Tojo entered military school. Tojo was following the footsteps of his father who was a professional military man. In 1915 he graduated with honors from the army war college and was then sent to Europe to study for three years. When he returned, he served as an instructor in military science at the war college. Tojo would soon become known as "the razor" for his sharp, decisive, impatient that he developed as he moved quickly through the military ranks. Tojo was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general in the year of 1936; he then became chief of staff of the Kwantung Army in Manchuria. There he worked effectively to mobilize Manchuria's economy and strengthen Japan's military readiness just in case a war broke out against the Soviet Union.
Leadership in War
It was thought that Tojo possessed the knowledge of recent developments and an ability to control an army. Tojo was given the command of "wiping the slate clean", review past decisions, and work for peace. But Tojo instead chose war after reconsidering Japanese policy. Tojo released a brief statement after the Pearl Harbor surprise bombing stating that "to annihilate this enemy and to establish a stable new order in East Asia, the nation must necessarily anticipate a long war." At the beginning of the war, Tojo had great power and was well liked by Hitler and Mussolini. Tojo served as premier, general of the army, war minister, and for a short time, home minister. A tightly restricted national election in 1942 revealed a pro- Tojo Diet. Nonetheless, Tojo wielded great power, but was still not the dictator that Hitler and Mussolini were.
Defeat and Dishonor
By early 1944 the tide of the battle had turned against Japan. The fall of Saipan in July of 1944 put American bombers within range of the home-land, and the senior statesmen together with the ministers in Tojo's cabinet forced him into retirement. After the conclusion of the war, Tojo awaited his arrest by occupational forces. On September 11, 1945, Tojo attempted to commit suicide after General MacArthur ordered his arrest. After his recovery he was held in the Sugamo prison until his trail as a suspected war criminal as the begin in May of 1946. After the proceedings which stretched over two years, Tojo willingly accepted his responsibility for much of Japan's wartime policy while declaring it legitimate self-defense. He was eventually found guilty of having "major responsibility for Japan's criminal attacks on her neighbors" and was sentenced to death by hanging. He was hung on December 23, 1948.