So far we have covered active fighting in Europe, Africa, and Asia. With the Axis invasion of the Soviet Union this summer we have already seen the scale of this war increase to an overwhelming new level. As if all of this was not enough, more trouble seems to be brewing in the Far East, and Hideki Tojo plays an important role in escalating the matter. Hope you enjoy this episode, and as always be sure to respect our rules of conduct when commentating: community.timeghost.tv/t/rules-of-conduct/4518
Japan’s leaders and their role during World War II should be highlighted and discussed more thoroughly. I’ve always known who Tojo was but never really knew anything about his life story or the actions he took during the war. I appreciate this channel so much for that reason!
@@dongately2817 Definitely wasn't a military puppet, he was the most powerful military man in the empire. But his power was anything but absolute, in sharp contrast to people like Hitler and Mussolini. He was what he was, a prime minister who concurrently held other important offices to try and streamline the war effort.
@@dongately2817 Not really. A more appropriate analogy would be that Tojo was the conductor while the wartime Japanese government was an orchestra, and a very uncooperative and uncoordinated one, which different sections constantly tried to dominate the song they were playing.
Just dont forget many Japanese war criminals did not get prosecuted at all. Some even served in the government after the war. Something that still puzzles me.
According to The Fleet at Flood Tide he visited his doctor that morning and had him draw an x where to aim. My guess is that survival instincts took over and he fumbled it.
The pistol was a Colt .32 ACP Model 1903. Both the pistol and bullet were presented to FBI head J. Edgar Hoover. Hoover then sent them to the MacArthur Museum in Norfolk, Virginia where they are still kept.
I was watching WW2 cartoons one day and one of them mentioned Tojo. I didn't know who Tojo was at the time so I was intrigued to do research on him. Very interesting leader
@@jeffreydaniel1550 Right, but this was back when cartoons were extremely racist. Observe: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-lvNaJz2Cqak.html
11:25 did I hear that right? its 1944 and Japan tries now to have a combine command-structure? One where the different services are actual comrades in arms instead of mortal enemies? Sure took its time...
It's true they never achieved anything close to a combined command. Thankfully the imperial Japanese army and navy rarely cooperated and worked as a team.
He also received lots of complaints in regards to the domestic situation in Japan as well. Japan was under increasingly strict war rationing even before the war with the USA. The Army was consume huge quantities of resources in their China campaigns and return very little of its supposed riches to the home islands.
Japan: Oh your coming closer? Instead of running away you are coming closer? USA: I can't *nuke* the shit out of you without getting close Japan: Oh ho ho! Then come as close as you wan- *Japan.exe has stopped working.*
@@thelonewanderer2550 The US Public for a long time because the US Government pardoned all the crimes and even paid Shiroo Ishii a decent sum for their results. Justice, fuck yeah?
@@Daniel-kq4bx Doesn't excuse the fact the Japanese weren't taught about any of this in their history class and dismiss them as "anti Japanese propaganda" instead they perceive Hideki Tojo as if he were a lion of japan
Tojo’s Japan certainly was an authoritarian one-party fascist state and you went over the various ways that it was in this episode; the setup was similar to Mussolini’s Italy with the dictator holding prime minister powers under a monarch, however in Tojo’s case he used the pre-existing cult around the emperor that preceded the 1941-44 fascist period as opposed to creating a cult around himself like Mussolini (this likely wouldn’t have been possible for the reasons you mentioned including the stark polarization within the Japanese leadership). Japan’s political repression under Tojo was also more on the Italy level as far as fascist states go, rather than say Germany or Croatia, as you mentioned mostly just overt communists and leftists were repressed. However, like Italy, it was still a totalitarian state, and the IRAA replaced all political parties, while setting up IRAA youth groups and women’s groups. While Tojo did not have absolute control of the bureaucracy nor legislative powers, he did hold numerous posts and was effectively a would-be generalissimo. Remember in fascist Spain, Generalissimo Franco never got absolute control of his (also very polarized) bureaucracy until the war was completely over, even after he had conquered most of mainland Spain.
@@stevewhite3424 many Russians too believe in 1941 as the year in which WW2 started but i guess they and Americans have different reasons to think so...
While at trial Tojo was found to have advanced tooth decay so a new pair of dentures were made for him. The Naval dentist who made them carved 'remember Pearl Harbor' into them in morse code.
@JAPAN ROCK ZONE apparently the dentist did do this but made up a story to be able to get the dentures and grind off the marking. Giving back tojo's dentures without the saying.
In Baton Rouge In about 1948, my father, Major Otis Moreman, talked his way into the prison where Tojo was being held. He got right up to where he could peek in. Tojo was painting with water-colors -- just as my mother was learning how to do in Tokyo.
I wish you’d gone more into how Tojo was encouraged by the Americans and Japanese to vindicate the emperor and claim the emperor never had any say in the matter. He was encouraged by both sides to take total credit for the war. It’s very interesting, these 1445 machinations. I had hoped to see it in the special!
He is going to be prosecuted severely regardless of the blame placed on the emperor. Might as well take full responsibility for the whole war effort and spare the Japanese people (who are loyal to the emperor).
Fun fact: Hideki Tojo's teeth were bad, so for his trial he asked for dentures so he could be heard in court for his defense. The person who made the teeth had 'Remember Pearl Harbor'. inscribed in the top denture.
This is great! I really hope we get more specials regarding WW2 the same way you did it for The Great War. Specials on people, places, methods, military tech, amazing stories, etc.. They feel a bit left out, with all the weekly action going on. Again, thank you for probably the best show on WW2 out there.
Eri Hotta, a Japanese historian, pulls no punches in her book, "Japan 1941: Countdown to Infamy". Rare in terms of candour, critical analysis and evaluation, when contrasted against most of her fellow countrymen. A must-read for those who are interested to find out why and how Japan's top military (beyond Tojo) and civilian decision makers made the fateful decision to launch the Pacific war on 7 Dec 1941.
@@657449 he had much theoretical power but it was customary that the Emperor would just approve the descisions of the government and his advisors. The few times he did comment on things it was vaguely anti-war but he probably could have done more if he actively involved himself in government
Before the end of the war, Japan practiced emperor-system militarism. The emperor was the commander of the land and naval forces (Japan does not have an independent air force). The prime minister, army ministers, and navy ministers have no control over the military. All major foreign military operations and even "final "War" is all out of "sacred judgment." When Tojo learned that he was going to be tried, he wanted to commit suicide. The last Minister of War Shimomura Sadamu came to the door and warned: "Only you can go to court to take the responsibility for your majesty." Tojo refused to listen to dissuasion and shot himself without hitting the heart. The result was rescued by American military doctors. In the Tokyo trial, Hideki Tojo still clamored that "the Great East Asian War is a just war to liberate Asia", but he also told the truth that no one could defy the emperor's will during the war. In the Tokyo Trial, seven Class A war criminals, including Tojo, Matsui, Itagaki, and Doihara, who were sentenced to hang to punish this group of Showa warlord leaders, but this investigation is obviously not thorough. None of the Japanese imperial family members are being held accountable, including the uncle Prince Yasuhiko Asaka, who issued the order to "kill all the prisoners" in Nanjing. This person did not come to testify in court, and later he became the chairman of the Japanese golf club. At the end of the Tokyo trial, Chief Judge Webb publicly stated: "The emperor is responsible for war. The court has incontrovertible evidence in this regard. It is out of the interests of the allies not to prosecute him." "It would be a travesty of justice, seriously reflecting on the United Nations, to hang or shoot the common Japanese soldier or Korean guard while granting immunity to his sovereign perhaps even more guilty than he," Webb had written in September 1945.
To learn the most (and the best) about Japan from the late 1800s to shortly after the war, it’s necessary to read Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan. This fairly recent book is the best account of Japan and Hirohito. It’s amazing that most histories discount Hirohito’s part in the China war, and WWII. In fact, despite the US government whitewashing Hirohito after the war because of the upcoming Cold War, Hirohito is now considered to be the architect of all of it, and highly involved in every action. Indeed, he was involved in the planning of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Tojo gets blamed for a lot of these decisions that Hirohito himself made, or urged. About the war crimes situation. Hirohito came very close to being accused of those war crimes, something that made sense as he knew about, and even directed. Tojo was persuaded to admit, and to be subjected to these war crimes accusations instead of Hirohito, and that’s exactly what happened.
This channel and the entire time ghost project is great. I didn't know any of this nor do I know much about Japan's system of government during this time period and I try to keep informed on world history. Keep up the good work guys!
He faild in comitting seppuku. And using a gun and not the ritual knife (tantō ). He was forsing the bushido code on all people, but faild to live it himself. It`s a reason why they had a friend or agent to cut the head of if they faild in the act. He overestimated himself to the end
Illustrating how relatively unimportant land weapons were the large Japanese armies in China were ordered to make do with whatever they could produce locally. The famous Kwantung Army was basically self-sufficient after 1942, receiving only aircraft and certain "minor" equipment from the Japanese homeland. The different armies in China created an internal barter economy between themselves, securing supplies through trading the raw materials and finished products to which they each access. Beyond the loss of aircraft involved, therefore, the land war in China was not a great drain on Japanese munitions produced in the home islands.
And thousands of Japanese army soldiers in far away islands became farmers to get food. In hierarchy Japanese army really had low priority in Tokyo what ever land warfare fans are suggesting. What mattered was air-sea warfare.
I have to tip my hat tip this channel and it's productions.I think having Indy Neidell as the narrator, the choice of wardrobe and scenery are excellent! Please keep-up the fantastic work!
Please make clear when speaking of Japanese persons which is their given name and which is their family name. It is normal in Japan to place one's family name first. Thus, Tojo Hideki is the subject of this episode. His father was Tojo Hidenori.
I've always been interested in WW2 but as a European it's where most of my knowledge lies in regards to the theatres of war, I still know what happened but the finer details such as major political events and etc are a blank spot, so these videos are great at filling these gaps of knowledge.
true like.. i know little to nothing about what allies were doing in-between 1940 and 1944 besides north Africa. And about Southeast asia or India or Pacific Ocean at all
theres a lot of quality history channels on here, but they are often spoiled by the presenters speech being to fast or to accented but this channel shines like a beacon of reason and eloquence.
When you mention how Tojo was not this absolute dictator compared to Hitler, it makes wonder, just how truly powerful was Mussolini? Especially since Italy still had a king.
Well researched and amazing as always! Personally, I would love to see a part two of WW2 week by week that just focuses on Asia, with an larger prelude covering topics such as the Bakumatsu period and first Sino-Japanese war of context, especially since this is my academic focus field. If I could ever raise the resources and find someone as charismatic on camera as Indy, I would totally do the legwork for it behind the scenes.
It might not hurt to reach out to Time Ghost and offer some research. I've noticed that they have done specials or the likes based on topics that viewers have done good research on.
Interesting sidenote about Kanji Ishiwara: He would later be called to testify against Tojo in far east tribunals. At these trials he would angrily demand that Harry Truman be indicted for the firebombing and killing of hundreds of thousands of Japanese civilians.
Would you consider doing a biography special about Joseph Grew, the American ambassador to Japan from 1932 to 1941? I have a book of his compiled notes, memoranda, and other documents from that time signed by him, and the efforts he went to try to prevent the war between Japan and the US, as well as trying to curtail the Japanese army in China, are really something...
Man I missed you indy I quit watching the series when you seemed to disappear from the show and there was a new guy it just wasn't as engaging you're so good at what you do it really keeps me interested I can tell you love what you do and people really notice. you're really good at history man so I'll be watching again steadily as long as you are the host. I'm so glad you're back!
I often wonder what might have been had Ishiwara, not Tojo become Prime Minister. He held enough influence and reputation that he could be an outspoken critic of Japan's hypocrisy and actions in Asia all throughout the war. He also believed in the creation of strong Asian allies instead of imperial servants. Under him, Imperial Japan could have gone in a drastically different direction.
Ishiwara was a prisoner of his own success: the Gekokujo act of engineering the Mukden Incident, simply inspiring way too many copycats to undone his plan.
@@KanJonathan True, it's somewhat ironic I suppose that he would essentially kick off the exact opposite of what he wanted for the country as the lunatics used it as an excuse to replace his ideals with just a more brutal form of Imperialism than was already there.
Something I find ironic about Hideki Tojo after his fail suicide attempt in 1945: While held in Sugamo Prison, he received a new set of dentures, made by an American dentist, into which the phrase "Remember Pearl Harbor" had been secretly drilled in Morse code. The dentist ground away the message three months later.
You're going to make a biography for Admiral Yonai? The PM that was forced to resign before Hidaki Tojo, also a "dove" faction in the Japanese high command--not everyone at the high command was a warmonger after all.
Will Japanese Crimes against Humanity be brought up in an episode? The treatment of prisoners of war and civilians and race-biology was somewhat similar to the Nazis.
Would be nice if you did a special about the Portuguese colony of Macau during the war, it is a super interesting even if a minor aspect of the conflict.
the japanese interservice rivalry between the army and navy was so silly. always competing for resources and the navy wouldn't tell the army that they lost aircraft carriers after the battle of midway.
They literally had separate sections in factories and didn't share technology. This is a country where the navy designed a tank and the army built submarines (I'm not making this up)
One detail about him was really cool to me. Poland had declared on Japan, in exile of course. Japan straight up didn't accept their declaration of war. Tojo said: "We do not accept the declaration of the Poles. They are fighting for freedom of their country, and only declared war due to pressure from Britain." This is partly to do that Japan was getting a lot of information from Polish spies about both Germany and the USSR. They cooperated throughout the war.
TIL: Thank you Indy and the rest of the Time Ghost Team, I grew up with Tojo as the big bad of the Japanese government in WW2 but it is heartening to see that he suffered the same problems as any other politicition during his time in office. I am not even trying to excuse the excesses that his country went to but it is nice to know that he still suffered those obnoxious minority dissidents.
shout out to support this channel for the youtube algorithm. So much works goes into this. We really love and appreciate everybody who works on this' dedication
