Wachi Takaji (1893-1978)

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Wachi Takaji (Wachi Yoji) was born in Hiroshima and graduated from the Military Academy in 1914 and the Army Staff College in 1922. An expert of China, he served as military attaché at Tsinan in 1928-1929 and served with Kwantung Army during the seizure of Manchuria. He unsuccessfully tried to encourage revolts by Li Tsung-jen and Pai Chung-hsi in south China, and was one of the officers responsible for creating the Marco Polo Bridge Incident of 7 July 1937. He commanded 44 Regiment in the landings north of Shanghai in August 1937, leading his troops from the front with his sword, and (according to Harmsen 2013) actually cutting down some Chinese defenders. Wachi attempted unsuccessfully to negotiate an end to the war in China in 1938 by contacting Ho Ying-chin.

Wachi continued to hold staff posts in China until 1941, when he became chief of staff of 10 Area Army in Formosa and simultaneously headed the Research Division, which planned the land warfare side of the Centrifugal Offensive. He was reassigned as chief of staff of 14 Army in the Philippines after Imperial General Headquarters expressed its displeasure with 14 Army by shaking up its staff. He sat to Homma's right during the negotiations for the surrender of Corregidor and served as chief of the military government of the Philippines. He served as vice chief of staff of Southern Area Army from March 1944 to September 1945, with a brief assignment as chief of staff of 35 Army during the second Philippines campaign. He was convicted of war crimes for his actions in the Philippines and was sentenced to six years' hard labor.

Service record

References

ABD-Clio.com (accessed 2012-10-8)

Dupuy et al. (1992)

Generals.dk (accessed 2012-10-8)

Harmsen (2013)

Morton (1952; accessed 2012-10-8)

Pettibone (2007)

The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia © 2007-2008, 2012, 2015 by Kent G. Budge.  Index

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