Yoshijiro Umezu Quotes


I can say with confidence that we will be able to destroy the major part of an invading force.


Context

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.


Citations

Yoshijiro Umezu 1882–1949, Japanese Chief the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff, Member of the Japanese Supreme War Council, Quoted in "A-Bombs Left Top Councils Of Japan Split" - Washington Post, July 17, 1995

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Yoshijiro Umezu
Yoshijiro Umezu
  • Born: January 4, 1882
  • Died: January 8, 1949
  • Nationality:
  • Profession:

Yoshijirō Umezu (梅津 美治郎, Umezu Yoshijirō) was a Japanese general in World War II and Chief of the Army General Staff during the final years of the conflict. He was convicted of war crimes and sentenced to life imprisonment.