Biography of Hideki Tojo,


General Hideki Tojo became the Prime Minister of Japan in October 1941, more as a symbol of the success of the pro-war faction he led, than because of his own political ability. He made the final decision to lead his country into war with the U.S. and Britain, but he was not an absolute dictator like Mussolini or Hitler, and this was largely a matter of taking the last step in the plan that the rest of the government had finally accepted. Tojo was a highly capable bureaucrat, who did not so much lead Japan, as carry out the policies decided by the imperial cabinet.

He was more experienced in the political aspects of army life than in combat. His personal dislike for YAMASHITA, led to this highly talented commander spending most of the war in an isolated training command, but he was not engaged in constant meddling in operations the way Hitler did. Nevertheless, he did accept the "responsibility of command" and resigned after the fall of Saipan (the first pre-war Japanese Territory to be lost) in July 1944. He was replaced by General Umezu and put on the retired list until the end of the war. Tried by the Allies after the war and convicted of responsibility for War Crimes, he was hanged in 1948.

General Tojo, a PACIFIC POLITICAL leader, scores higher for answers to political questions than for military ones. In accordance with the agreed-upon Japanese war plan, which was to seize the territory they needed and then defend it, he will seek to advance whichever front, CHINESE or PACIFIC, is closer to Japan. While reluctant to attack the Soviets, he may do so, if they seem to be about to collapse.