Shizuichi Tanaka

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Shizuichi Tanaka bigraphy, stories - Japanese general

Shizuichi Tanaka : biography

1 October 1887 – 24 August 1945
was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army, who, at the end of World War II, was commander of the Eastern District Army, which covered the Tokyo-Yokohama area. 

Biography

A native of Hyōgo prefecture, Tanaka graduated from the 19th class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy and 28th class of the Army Staff College. He then went on to earn a degree in English literature at Oxford University where he studied the works of William Shakespeare. He led the Japanese troops in London’s victory parade at the end of World War I.

From 1930-1932, he was commander of the IJA 2nd Infantry Regiment. Tanaka was subsequently posted as a military attaché to Washington D.C., where he met Douglas MacArthur while MacArthur was Chief of Staff of the United States Army. As a result of his long service in the United States and United Kingdom, and his openly pro-western sentiments he was passed over for promotions as Japan militarized. From 1934-1935, Tanaka was Chief of Staff of the IJA 4th Division.Budge, The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia

With the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War, Tanaka was assigned to the IJA 5th Infantry Brigade, and was at the 1938 Battle of Wuhan. He was recalled to Japan shortly thereafter and appointed head of the Kempeitai, in the Kantō region. He returned to China as commander of the IJA 13th Division from 1939-1940.

At the start of the Pacific War, Tanaka was commander in Chief of the Eastern District Army, and was later assigned administrative positions within the General Staff. He was vocal in his opposition to the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Category:1945 deaths Category:People from Hyōgo Prefecture Category:Suicides by firearm in Japan Category:Japanese military personnel who committed suicide Category:Japanese military personnel of World War II Category:Japanese generals Category:Recipients of the Order of the Golden Kite Category:Recipients of the Order of the Rising Sun, 1st class Category:Recipients of the Order of the Sacred Treasure, 1st class