Kawabe Masakazu (1886-1965)

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Kawabe Masakazu (Kawabe Masakasu) was born in Toyama prefecture and graduated from the Japanese military academy in 1907 and the Army Staff College in 1917. Following the First World War, he traveled extensively abroad, and served in the embassies in Switzerland (1918-1921) and Germany (late 1920s). In the xenophobic atmosphere of the Japanese Army, such extensive experience abroad was unusual and was even regarded as suspect — a source of contaminating Western ideas.

During the 1930s Kawabe served in a number of posts in China, including command of Permanent China Brigade, which was involved in the Marco Polo Bridge Incident. By late 1941 he was a lieutenant general in command of 3 Army in eastern Manchuria.  In the eyes of the Japanese Army, which always regarded Russia as the great enemy, this was an extremely important post. He subsequently became chief of staff of China Expeditionary Army, in August 1942.

On 8 April 1943 Kawabe was reassigned to command the Burma Area Army.  His leadership would be characterized by an enormous disregard for human life, even that of his own troops.  The disastrous U-Go offensive against Imphal took place under his command in March of 1944.  During the later stages of this offensive, he was bedridden with amoebic dysentery and under pressure from his own superior at Southern Army.

In September 1944 he was recalled to Japan, promoted to full general, and given command of Central District Army and 15 Area Army. On 8 April 1945 he took command of General Air Army, consisting of the remaining air units in Japan, Korea, and the Ryukyus, for the final defense against the anticipated Allied invasion. He replaced Dohihara as commander of 1 General Army for demobilization after the latter was arrested for war crimes. Kawabe himself was arrested for his involvement in the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, but was released without standing trial, probably because he was absent when the incident took place.

Boatner describes Kawabe as "An anxious, austere, emaciated little man (small even by Japanese standards) who looked sick most of the time." Slim considered his tactics inflexible and predictable, particularly in comparison with his successor at Burma Area Army, Kimura Heitaro. Kawabe did not get along nearly so well with Ba Maw, the puppet Burmese Prime Minister, as his predecessor, Iida.

Service record

References

Boatner (1996)

Dupuy et.al. (1992)

Fuller (1992)

Generals.dk (accessed 2008-4-17)

Hayashi and Cox (1959)

Lewin (1976)

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