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Iwane Matsui

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Japanese general (1878–1948)

Person · Open Library

Born
1878
Died
1948
Works
6

Top works

  • L'armée japonaise et le conflit d'Extrême-Orient
  • Ajia shugi ronshū
  • Ajia Renmei ron
  • Chū-Nanshi shisatsudan
  • La question de la Mandchourie et de son indépendance

via Open Library + Wikidata

Music · MusicBrainz

Type
Person
Active from
1961-07-26

via MusicBrainz · CC0

Quotes

  • There's no solution except to break the power of Chiang Kai-shek by capturing Nanking. That is what I must do.
  • The China Incident [of 1937 onwards] has resulted in massive loss of life through the mutual killing of neighboring friends. This is the greatest tragedy of the last one thousand years. Nevertheless this is a holy war to save the peoples of East Asia.... Invoking the power of Avalokitesvara, I pray for the bright future of East Asia.
  • Prince Asaka had joined the army only about ten days before its entry into Nanking and in view of the short time he was connected with this army I do not think he can be held responsible. I would say that the Division Commanders are the responsible parties.
  • Orderly discipline and morale within an army was the responsibility of the Division Commander.
  • I am confident that the day is not far distant when the light of peace shine again.
  • Japan will not abandon the fight for the Philippines even if Tokyo should be reduced to ashes!

via Wikiquote · CC BY-SA

Key facts

Born
( 1878-07-27 ) July 27, 1878, Nagoya , Aichi, Japan
Died
December 23, 1948 (1948-12-23) (aged 70), Sugamo Prison , Tokyo, Japan
Allegiance
Empire of Japan
Branch
Imperial Japanese Army
Service years
1897–1938
Rank
General
Unit
6th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Division
Commands
11th Division Taiwan Army of Japan Shanghai Expeditionary Army Central China Area Army
Conflicts
Russo-Japanese War Siberian Intervention Second Sino-Japanese War Battle of Shanghai Defense of Sihang Warehouse Battle of Nanking
Awards
Order of the Golden Kite First Class, Order of the Rising Sun First Class Order of the Sacred Treasure First Class, Victory Medal , Military Medal of Honor
Spouse
Fumiko Isobe ​ ( married</span>"}]]}'>m. 1912 ) ​
Other work
President of the Greater Asia Association
Cause of death
Execution by hanging
Criminal status
Executed
Conviction
War crimes
Trial
International Military Tribunal for the Far East
Criminal penalty
Death

via Wikipedia infobox

~39 min read

Encyclopedic overview

Iwane Matsui (松井 石根, Matsui Iwane; July 27, 1878 – December 23, 1948) was a Japanese general in the Imperial Japanese Army and the commander of the expeditionary force sent to China in 1937. He was convicted of war crimes and executed by the Allies for his involvement in the Nanjing Massacre.

Born in Nagoya, Matsui chose a military career and served in combat during the Russo-Japanese War (1904–05). He volunteered for an overseas assignment there shortly after graduating from the Army War College in 1906. As Matsui rose through the ranks, he earned a reputation as the Japanese Army's foremost expert on China, and he was an ardent advocate of pan-Asianism. He played a key role in founding the influential Greater Asia Association.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Iwane Matsui” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.