YOSHIJIRO UMEZU

Umezu was one of several members of the Japanese War Council, that did not want to surrender even after the second atomic bomb destroyed Nagasaki. He and the other hard liners were convinced that the Japanese could inflict such heavy casualties on an invading force of the mainland that the Allies would not insist on unconditional surrender and Japan could negotiate favorable terms. These hard liners had already lived through the firebombing of Tokyo which in casualties was as bad as the atom bomb attacks, and felt that they could maintain a defensive force even if all the major cities of Japan were destroyed. Fortunately for all parties, the Emperor overruled Umezu and the hardliners. Umezu and the other hard liners had personal reasons to want to negotiate terms. They had committed war crimes and did not want to be brought to account. He was tried after the surrender and sentenced to life in prison where he died of cancer after 4 years.

The Japanese had developed and tested a very sophisticated set of biologial weapons on the Chinses mirdering many However, there was great disagreement within the Japaanese Sureme War Counci as to whether or not to use the biologica weapons against the US and the allies. There were two fears. One that the U. S, also had biologica weapons and with their control over the skies of the densley populated Japan could easily retaliate and do much ore damage to Japn. The second was that letting pathogns lose might not be controllable and deadly disease could spread around the entire world as with the Back Plgue. Umezu opposed the use. This may have saved his life when he was convicted of other war crimes, he was not executed and received a life sentence.

The Japanese had developed and tested a very sophisticated set of biologial weapons on the Chinses mirdering many However, there was great disagreement within the Japaanese Sureme War Counci as to whether or not to use the biologica weapons against the US and the allies. There were two fears. One that the U. S, also had biologica weapons and with their control over the skies of the densley populated Japan could easily retaliate and do much ore damage to Japn. The second was that letting pathogns lose might not be controllable and deadly disease could spread around the entire world as with the Back Plgue. Umezu opposed the use. This may have saved his life when he was convicted of other war crimes, he was not executed and received a life sentence.

Umezu was one of several members of the Japanese War Council, that did not want to surrender even after the second atomic bomb destroyed Nagasaki. He and the other hard liners were convinced that the Japanese could inflict such heavy casualties on an invading force of the mainland that the Allies would not insist on unconditional surrender and Japan could negotiate favorable terms. These hard liners had already lived through the firebombing of Tokyo which in casualties was as bad as the atom bomb attacks, and felt that they could maintain a defensive force even if all the major cities of Japan were destroyed. Fortunately for all parties, the Emperor overruled Umezu and the hardliners. Umezu and the other hard liners had personal reasons to want to negotiate terms. They had committed war crimes and did not want to be brought to account. He was tried after the surrender and sentenced to life in prison where he died of cancer after 4 years.