Yamashita Gentarō
Yonezawa, Dewa Province, Japan | |
|---|---|
| Died | February 18, 1931 (aged 67) Japan |
| Allegiance |  Empire of Japan |
| Service/ |  Imperial Japanese Navy |
| Years of service | 1879–1928 |
| Rank |  Admiral |
| Commands held |
|
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Order of the Golden Kite (3rd class) |
Baron Yamashita Gentarō (山下 源太郎, 30 July 1863 – 18 February 1931) was an admiral in the early Imperial Japanese Navy.
Biography
Early career
Yamashita was the second son of a
His
During the First Sino-Japanese War, Yamashita served as the chief gunnery officer on the corvette Kongō, followed by the cruiser Akitsushima
In 1896, Yamashita was sent to the United Kingdom to oversee warship construction and to study then latest designs of the Royal Navy.[1] While based in London, he was promoted to lieutenant commander in 1897 and then to commander in 1898. On his return to Japan in 1899, he was appointed executive officer, first on the cruiser Izumi, then on Kasuga.
In July 1900, Yamashita was assigned command of Japanese marines during the Boxer Rebellion at Tientsin[1] and, after performing special duty in Hong Kong and Chefoo, he was promoted to captain in 1903.
During the
As admiral
Yamashita was promoted to rear admiral in 1908 and subsequently served as chief-of-staff of the Combined Fleet for October to December, when he was assigned to command the Sasebo Naval District. In March 1909 he returned to the Navy General Staff as chief of the First Bureau (Operations) and in December of the same year became commandant of the Naval Academy. Yamashita was promoted to vice admiral in December 1912. While commanding the Navy Academy, he was known for being honest and strict in temperament, but on holidays he often invited the cadets to his office and served them with rice. He was also a great matchmaker who arranged for the marriages of 24 of his cadets. Many of the cadets of the academy during this period went on to play major roles in World War II.
Following Japan's entry into
Yamashita served as Chief of the
Decorations
- 1895 –
Order of the Rising Sun, 6th class [3] - 1901 –
Order of the Rising Sun, 4th class [4] - 1901 –
Order of the Golden Kite, 4th class [4] - 1901 –
Order of the Rising Sun, 3rd class [5] - 1901 –
Order of the Golden Kite, 3rd class [4] - 1895 –
Order of the Sacred Treasure, 6th class [4] - 1914 -
Order of the Sacred Treasure, 2nd class [6] - 1915 –
Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun[7] - 1928 –
Order of the Rising Sun with Paulownia Flowers[8]
Foreign
- 1924 – Legion of Honor, Commandeur [9]
References
- Agawa, Hiroyuki (2000). The Reluctant Admiral: Yamamoto and the Imperial Navy. Kodansha International. ISBN 4-7700-2539-4.
- Dupuy, Trevor N. (1992). Encyclopedia of Military Biography. I B Tauris & Co Ltd. ISBN 1-85043-569-3.
- ISBN 0-8108-4927-5.
- 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.
- 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.
Footnotes
- ^ a b c Kowner, Historical Dictionary of the Russo-Japanese War, p. 429.
- ^ 『官報』号外「授爵・叙任及辞令」November 10, 1928
- ^ 『官報』第3727号「叙任及辞令」November 29, 1895
- ^ a b c d 『官報』第5508号「叙任及辞令」November 11, 1901
- ^ 『官報』第7005号「叙任及辞令」November 2, 1906
- ^ 『官報』第700号「叙任及辞令」December 1, 1914
- ^ 『官報』第1194号「叙任及辞令」July 24, 1916
- ^ 『官報』第409号「叙任及辞令」May 11, 1928
- ^ 『官報』第3641号「叙任及辞令」October 10, 1924
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