Otozō Yamada
Otozō Yamada | |
|---|---|
山田 乙三 | |
War crimes | |
| Trial | Khabarovsk war crimes trials |
| Criminal penalty | 25 years imprisonment with hard labor |
| 18th Hirohito | |
| Preceded by | Yoshijirō Umezu |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  General |
| Commands | |
| Battles/wars |
|
Otozō Yamada (山田 乙三, Yamada Otozō, November 6, 1881 – July 18, 1965) was a career officer, convicted war criminal and
general in the Imperial Japanese Army, serving from the Russo-Japanese War to the end of World War II
.
Biography
Early career
Yamada was born in
Yanagawa Heisuke
.
As a
Imperial Japanese Army General Staff
from 1927 to 1930.
Yamada was promoted to major general in August 1930 and appointed commandant of the Army Cavalry School. From 1931–1932, he returned to the field as commander of the IJA 4th Cavalry Brigade, before resuming a number of administrative positions (including that of commandant of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy) to 1937. He was awarded the Order of the Sacred Treasure, 2nd class in February 1934 and promoted to lieutenant general in August 1934.[1]
World War II
With the start of the
IJA 3rd Army in 1938, and that of the Central China Expeditionary Army
from 1938 to 1939.
Yamada was promoted to full
general in August 1940, and was recalled to Japan to assume the post of Inspector-General of Military Training from 1940 to 1944. He also served as a member of the Supreme War Council during this period. In May 1943 he was promoted to the honorific title of Third Court Rank.[2]
In 1944, with the resignation of
infantry divisions and seven new infantry brigades, and to withdraw from border areas to protect the strategic core of the nation. However, when the Soviet Army invaded Manchuria
on 9 August 1945, many of Yamada's makeshift forces were no more than 15% combat ready and were quickly overrun.
At the
bacteriological warfare. Yamada was also found to have presided over and encouraged biochemical weapon experimentation on involuntary human subjects, resulting in the torture and murder of thousands of people.[4] In 1950 he was transferred to NKVD special camp No. 48 where a secret Soviet biological weapons facility was established.[5]
In December 1956, Yamada was released with the
diplomatic relations
between Japan and the Soviet Union, and was repatriated to Japan, where he died in 1965.
Decorations
- 1934 –
Order of the Sacred Treasure, 2nd class [6]
References
- ^ Ammenthorp, The Generals of World War II
- ^ 『官報』第3215号「叙任及辞令」April 21, 1923
- ^ Wendel, Axis History Database
- ISBN 9780199740055.
- ISBN 978-0-19-092885-8.
- ^ 『官報』第2129号「叙任及辞令」February 8, 1934
Books
- Fukagawa, Hideki (1981). (陸海軍将官人事総覧 (陸軍篇)) Army and Navy General Personnel Directory (Army). Tokyo: Fuyo Shobo. ISBN 4829500026.
- Dupuy, Trevor N. (1992). Encyclopedia of Military Biography. I B Tauris & Co Ltd. ISBN 1-85043-569-3.
- Hata, Ikuhiko (2005). (日本陸海軍総合事典) Japanese Army and Navy General Encyclopedia. Tokyo: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 4130301357.
- Wells, Anne Sharp (2009). The A to Z of World War II: The War Against Japan. Scarecrow Press. p. 297-298. ISBN 978-0810868632.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Otozō Yamada.
- Ammenthorp, Steen. "Yamada, Otozo". The Generals of World War II.
- Wendel, Marcus. "List of Commanders of the Kwantung Army". Axis History Factbook.
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