Japan's imperial conspiracy by Bergamini David 1928-

Author:Bergamini, David, 1928-
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Hirohito, Emperor of Japan, 1901-1989, World War, 1939-1945, Guerre mondiale, 1939-1945
Publisher: New York, Pocket Books
Published: 1972-03-14T16:00:00+00:00

650 DISCIPLINING THE LEGIONS

vised and centralized in the planned war with China. "It must be made clear," he explained, "that when we do send our military forces to China some time in the future, we do it for the purpose of punishing the Chinese military clique and not the Chinese people at large.*'

The two princely chiefs of staff dealt sternly with Strike-North partisans who were still in a position to hamper the war preparations. In November Admiral Kato Kanji, the leader of the Navy's Strike-North Faction and a onetime friend of Navy Chief of Staff Prince Fushimi, was retired from active service. Remaining Strike-North admirals and generals were assigned watchdogs from the loyal ranks of Prince Kanin's Control Clique. In both Army and Navy a drastic reshuffle of the top brass was planned for December in order to remove Strike-North advocates from their last positions of power.

Tension at Court

Prophets and supporters of the Strike-North policy were now faced by a loss of face. The "Crisis of 1936" was about to pass in peace. Chamberlains at Court waited tensely for the last day of 1935. The published plans of the Military Academy Plot of the year before made it abundantly clear that young dissidents might try to kill all the statesmen around the Throne. Kido, Harada, Makino, and the rest had been assigned plainclothes guards since First Crow Nagata's murder. But no one felt much reassured when, on October 30, an angry young man looked up organ theorist Minobe's name in the telephone directory and was narrowly apprehended at Minobe's door as he sought to break in with intent to kiU.

Lord Privy Seal Makino, receiving anonymous letters and hearing constant gossip to the effect that he was "the originator of all past incidents," grew haggard with insomnia. His long-time cohort in the palace. Privy Council President Ikki, complained of intestinal bleeding. Even Chief of Staff Prince Kanin, a member of the Emperor's family, was not immune from attack. Prince Higashikuni, up to Tokyo on a visit from his command in Osaka, told Secretary-Spy Harada on October 18, 1935, that there was agitation in the ranks for Prince Kanin to resign because of "his lack of sympathy for Mazaki and Araki." It was a "strange" idea, said Higashikuni with indignation, because "princes never express their sympathies." Harada nodded and then observed sanctimoniously that, of course, the impartiality of princes "should not extend to the distinction between right and wrong."

On November 27, 1935, Lord Privy Seal Count Makino begged leave of the Throne to go into retirement. Privy Council President Ikki followed suit a few hours later. Both

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