Toyoda Soemu (1885-1957)

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Toyoda Soemu was born in Oita prefecture and graduated from the Naval Academy in 1905 and the Naval Staff College. He became a specialist in gunnery and served as naval attaché in London from 1919 to 1922. He commanded a cruiser and a battleship and held a number of important staff posts, reaching the rank of vice admiral by 1935.

Toyoda had a reputation as a brilliant staff officer who had a habit of driving subordinates to nervous breakdowns. He was also famous for his sarcastic manner. He shared Yamamoto's attitudes towards war with the United States and despised the Army clique that ruled Japan. He made these views public in 1943. However, Toyoda was also an extreme nationalist and xenophobe, which may have influenced his behavior in the final days of the war.

Commander of 2 Naval District at Kure when war broke out, Toyoda became the penultimate commander of Combined Fleet on 3 May 1944, shortly before the Battle of the Philippine Sea, which he hoped could reverse the course of the war. When this battle was lost, it was clear to many Japanese leaders that the war was lost as well.

Shortly after the battle, Navy minister Yonai asked Toyoda whether the fleet could hold out through the end of the year. Toyoda, understanding that this was a veiled request for support in ending the war, replied that it would be extremely difficult to do so. However, Yonai failed to persuade the other Japanese cabinet members. Toyoda therefore resigned himself to the probable destruction of the Japanese fleet in attempting to defend the Philippines, which was essentially the outcome of the Leyte campaign. Toyoda himself was caught on Formosa during Halsey's preparatory air strikes, and the early stages of the campaign were largely directed by his chief of staff, Kusaka. Toyoda believed the reports of huge American warship losses off Formosa were greatly exaggerated, but apparently felt obligated to launch Sho-go anyway.

In May 1945, Toyoda relieved Oikawa as chief of the Navy General Staff and served in this post to the end of the war. To the disappointment of Yonai, Toyoda joined the two most powerful officers in the Army, Army Minister Anami and Chief of Staff Umezu, in their stand against any surrender. This split the Navy and deadlocked the Cabinet, leading to the Emperor's intervention to force the decision to capitulate.

Toyoda was cleared of war crimes charges after the war and had his sword returned to him by U.S. Fleet Admiral Nimitz in 1952.

Service record

References

Craig (1967)

Dupuy et al. (1992)

Fuller (1992)

Kotani (2009)

Materials of IJN (accessed 2008-4-2)

Tillman (2005)

The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia © 2007-2008, 2010, 2014 by Kent G. Budge. Index

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