The Life and Death of a Japanese General by John Deane Potter

Author:John Deane Potter
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Tomoyuki Yamashita, WWII, World War II, Biography
Publisher: Signet
Published: 2014-08-31T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 8 - The Battle He Did Not Want

The Japanese High Command continued to plan victory operations, which they named Sho. In the realization that the Americans would invade the Philippines as the next major steppingstone toward Japan, they gave the defense of these islands first priority, naming it Sho One. They had already drawn up their plans, estimating that ten divisions with five independent brigades would be sufficient to hold the Philippines.

However, not all was well in the Japanese-occupied Philippines. General Homma, the man who had chased MacArthur out of the Philippines in 1942, had been recalled to Tokyo shortly afterward. There is little doubt that, as the other victorious Japanese general who had received a great deal of publicity, he like Yamashita was a victim of Tojo’s jealousy.

Homma’s replacement, Lieutenant General Shijenori Kuro-da, who had spent years training in England with the British Army, was a very peculiar person. For instance, he never had much faith that the Japanese would win the war. Before the Tojo Cabinet fell he told the chief of Army intelligence at Imperial Headquarters: “It would be best to sue for immediate peace before the Americans come and destroy our nation by air power.” He also disapproved of the construction of Air Force bases at Tacloban and other places on Leyte Island, ‘ 101 pointing out that because they were not to be used immediately, “It amounts to construction for the use of the enemy.” The fact that only a few months later he was to be proved exactly right did nothing to endear him to the Japanese High Command.

For a long time, Imperial Headquarters had not been happy about Kuroda’s stewardship in the Philippines, but as he was Tojo’s nominee, there was little they could do about it. As soon as Tojo fell, they wasted no time. They flew a special personnel officer from Tokyo to investigate various stories which had been circulating about his behavior. These reports stated that he had been “devoting too much time to golf, reading, and personal matters.” The personal matters, so discreetly mentioned, were the entertainment of geisha and other accommodating girls in his official residence every night. In addition, discipline had been allowed to become lax and Kuroda was on bad terms with many of his senior officers. Headquarters also recognized the fact that the Japanese occupation troops, most of whom had been in the Philippines for more than two years, had grown soft and had little will to fight. When the special investigating officer filed his report in Tokyo after three weeks in the islands, Kuroda was sacked at once. Yamashita was given his job.

Campaign-planning conferences started the day he arrived in Tokyo. From the start, he behaved in the slightly eccentric manner which was known but not always appreciated. While the Chief of War Plans was outlining the defense strategy, Yamashita closed his eyes and began snoring. The Chief said rather coldly: “Perhaps you are tired, General. Would you like to take a rest?”

Yamashita slowly opened his eyes and replied, “Please continue.

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