OUR GENTLEMAN-GENERAL COUNT TÉRAUCHI
By KAN-ICHI YAMAURA
THE successes hitherto attained by Japan in the current Pacific war are, among other factors, due to the able leadership of General Count Hisa-ichi Térauchi, commander-in-chief of the Japanese expeditionary forces in southern regions, and Admiral Isoruku Yamamoto, commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet. The uninterrupted execution of their brilliant strategies have caused the disappearance of Anglo-American influences from greater East Asia. Credit is also due to them for the amazing exploits of the air arm of Army and Navy, for they, as supreme commanders of the Army and Navy air forces, are directing aerial operations. The names of General Térauchi and Admiral Yamamoto have now become synonymous with Japan's accomplishments in various war sectors.
Although General Térauchi is now attracting the attention of international public, he was not a very well-known figure before the outbreak of the Pacific war. It was in February, 1936, that his close-up appeared on Japan's political arena, when the Okada Cabinet collapsed as a sequel to the unfortunate February 26 incident in that year. After the downfall of the Okada Ministry, the Hirota Cabinet was formed with General Térauchi as War Minister. Since then he has gradually made his influence strongly felt in political and military quarters, inasmuch as he is now generally regarded as an eligible candidate for premiership in the future. After the resignation of the Hirota Cabinet, he was appointed Inspector-General of Military Education, and when the China affair started, he
was made the supreme commander of the Japanese expeditionary forces in North China.
The February 26 incident was instigated by a band of young military officers, who rose in opposition against the administration's policy of maintaining the status quo and reliance on the Anglo-American nations. Several statesmen fell victims to this insurgence, including Admiral Count Makoto Saito, then Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal, General Jotaro Watanabé, then Inspector-General of Military Education, and Korékiyo Takahashi, then Minister of Finance. Though the incident was a regrettable affair, there is no gainsaying the fact that it stimulated the national feeling of non-reliance on Britain and the United States on the one hand and purging the activities of the privileged classes on the other. As an immediate aftermath of this short-lived calamity, many generals, who were held responsible for its outbreak, were either placed on reserve list or retired from active service. They included Generals Sadao Araki, Jinzaburo Mazaki, Sénjuro Hayashi and Nobuyuki Abé, who were members of the Supreme War Council, as well as General Jiro Minami, commander of the Kwantung Army, and General Shigéru Honjo, Chief Aide-de-Camp to His Imperial Majesty the Emperor. Lieutenant-Generals Heisuké Yanagawa, Binshiro Obata, Toranosuké Hashimoto, Takéo Hori and Koh-hei Kashii were also retired.
The upshot of this uprising was that the Army was confronted with the difficult task of reorganizing its upper structure. Fortunately, however, it found General Térauchi the right man for the purpose, especially when he was considered an impartial outsider because of his long absence from Tokyo in connection with various provincial assignments. When the Hirota Cabinet was formed, he joined it with the main object of reorganizing the Army and eradicating the influence of liberals from administrative affairs. It may be noted that usually a high-ranking military officer who has served as Director of the Military Administration Bureau in the War Office, or Vice-Minister of War or Divisional Director of the
General Staff, three key posts in the Army headquarters, is selected for the post of War Minister. But in the selection of General Térauchi, consideration of this nature was conspicuously lacking, for he was regarded qualified to assume the responsibility because of his ability as an outside man.
The past military career of General Térauchi discloses that soon after his graduation from the Army Staff College, he was assigned to the General Staff, then to the Army Staff College as instructor and later on, was sent to Germany and Austria as military attaché to the Japanese Embassies there. After his return from Europe, he spent most of his time in fulfilling regimental duties. He was chief of Staff of the Korean Army, commander of the Independent Garrison troops, divisional commander of provincial troops and commander of the Formosan Army. When the February 26 incident broke out, he had just been made the junior member of the Supreme War Council.
The formation of the Hirota Cabinet in the wake of the February turmoil was attended with no small difficulty, particularly when General Térauchi demanded prior agreement regarding reorganization of the Army, replenishing of armaments and reformation of the administration. When a list of the cabinet personnel was drafted by Koki Hirota, Premier-designate, General Térauchi demanded the removal of the names of those persons whom he believed to be liberals. He also persuaded the Premier-designate to incorporate in his platform various demands of the Army. All this involved arduous negotiations, with the result that it took Koki Hirota five days to form his ministry.
As War Minister, General Térauchi not only carried out a thorough reconstruction of the Army, but also accomplished two epochals [sic] results. One was the enforcement of a regulation providing that the selection of War and Navy Ministers shall be from among generals or lieutenant-generals and admirals or vice-admirals in active service respectively. In the past these two ministerial posts had been filled by generals or
lieutenant-generals and admirals or vice-admirals placed on the retired list. By virtue of the new regulation, those high-ranking retired army and navy officers, who were held responsible for the outbreak of the February 26 incident, were automatically deprived of any opportunity to assume the portfolios of War and the Navy. The other was the abolition of témpohsén badge—a fraternity insignia, which used to be worn by the graduates of the Army Staff College. Its name was dervied [sic] from an oval bronze coin called témpohsén of the Témpoh era (1830–1843). Its use was exclusively restricted to the officers who had graduated from the Army Staff College. Even generals who did not graduate from this college were not permitted to wear it. Hence, its wearing denoted the presence of a special group of military officers in the Army, with the consequence that the excluded officers resented the existence of such a fraternity. It is, therefore, no wonder that its abolition was received favourably by other military circles, since it went a long way toward purging the Army.
The Hirota Cabinet remained in office for eleven months. Just as General Térauchi, then lieutenant-general, played an active part in its formation, he was also the primemover of its downfall. On January 21, 1937, when the Diet resumed its session after the New Year recess, the late Kunimatsu Hamada, then a leading liberal member of the now defunct Seiyukai, in an interpellation referred to the so-called "propellent power" of the Army in the conduct of national politics. He considered the organization of Japanese Army in Manchoukuo as a replica of the Army in Japan and inferred that there was a despotic or Fascist idea in the undercurrent of the talks and movements of a certain section of the military. War Minister Térauchi in replying to the interpellation declared that there were some words in the interpellator's query which seemed to cast aspersion on the Army, and that the use of such words would not help the harmonious understanding between the Army and the people in general. The answer enraged Mr. Hamada, who stated that there was no intention on his part to
insult the Army and added: "Let us scrutinize the official short hand record of my interpellation. If there be any insulting words, I will commit harakiri, if not, you do." General Térauchi then requested the Cabinet to seek Imperial sanction for the dissolution of the Diet. Premier Hirota, who was eager for a compromise, petitioned the Throne to prorogue the Diet for two days. As he failed to bring about an understanding between the Army and the Diet within the time, he tendered the resignation of his Ministry.
This episode may give the impression that General Térauchi is a haughty, unyielding man. In fact, the reverse is the case. He is not like his father, the late Marshal Masataké Térauchi, who was noted for his sternness. As an individual, the count is an extremely agreeable person who knows how to relax and converse pleasantly, but dislikes fadaise. His appearance is more like a charming gentleman than a sword-bred general. Being a number of the aristocracy, he frequents the Peers' Club, where he enjoys talks with other members. The consensus of opinion of all those who have been in touch with him is that General Térauchi is a person of refined manners, and that he does not attempt to impose himself à la militaire, but tries to be as congenial as possible in conformity with his bel air.
While he was War Minister, he used to treat his subordinates quite affectionately. He would leave the bulk of his ministerial business to the care of the Chief of Staff and would readily permit himself to be guided by the advise [sic] of the Vice-Minister of War or the Director of the Military Administration Bureau. All those who serve under him find it easy to perform their respective duties. This proves that General Térauchi is a man who believes in co-ordination by allowing each person to feel the responsibility of his position. He is also a man who possesses a strong power of judgment and can think clearly to devise ways and means in order to tide over a difficult situation.
As a sequel to the February 26 incident, when he undertook
the task of reorganizing the Army, he showed no inclination to be swayed by personal friendship or favouritism. He executed his duty so impartially that many of his seniors, colleagues and subordinate officers were retired from active service. None of them exhibited any ill-feeling toward him, because they were quite aware of his selfless motive and his aversion to nepotism. He carried out his programme of military reconstruction quite disinterestedly. If anyone came to praise him, he would modestly reply: "It is nothing. I have put into effect the plan worked out and left by my predecessor, Lieutenant-General Kawashima." This trait of his character is noteworthy, because it shows how human he is. When a certain general, his senior, was imprisoned in connection with the February 26 incident, he from time to time sent him various presents, thereby displaying the humane side of his character.
General Térauchi appears to be endowed with all the qualities of his father, except the latter's sternness as a military man. Whether he is in uniform or in civilian dress, he is always kindly and amiable, but has no apetite [sic] for banalité. He has now become the idol of the Army because of his affectionate understanding of his subordinates in carrying out difficult military operations and projects. There is a partial similarity between his rise as a military leader and that of his father. In appreciation of the part played by General Masataké Térauchi during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–5, when he was War Minister, he was awarded the First Class Order of the Golden Kite and promoted to the rank of field marshal. Subsequently, when a union of Japan and Korea was effected, he was created a count in recognition of his services to the State. He was also honoured with Imperial command to form a cabinet of his own. General Hisa-ichi Térauchi, his son, has been awarded the First Class Order of the Golden Kite for his services in connection with the China affair. If he is promoted to become field marshal in acknowledgment of his distinguished services in the current war in greater East Asia and if he becomes premier in the future as anticipated, he will have attained the two
highest positions held by his illustrious father.
Certain circles ascribe General Térauchi's successes as a military man to his father's influence. They seem to ignore the fact that the former is gifted enough to establish his own position by dint of his personal merits. The late Marshal Masataké Térauchi was one of the organizers of Japan's modern army. He took part in several clashes in connection with the Meiji Restoration of 1868 as an ordinary private. He also served in the expedition against the Satsuma rebellion of 1877 and the Sino-Japanese War of 1894–5. He occupied the post of War Minister for some ten years before and after the Russo-Japanese War. Later on, he was appointed Governor-General of Korea and during his tenure of office the union of Japan and Korea, an issue pending since the days of Prince Hirobumi Ito, who was Resident-General of Korea, was successfully affected [sic]. In 1916, when Marshal Térauchi returned to Tokyo from Korea, he was ordered by His Majesty the Emperor to organize a ministry.
Marshal Térauchi was a straightforward leader; he was not a jingoist statesman. He formed his cabinet in 1916 on a non-party basis, though there was some sort of understanding between him and Takashi Hara, leader of the Seiyukai. Apparently, the latter leaned toward the Térauchi Cabinet to deal a crushing blow to its rival, the Kénseikai, headed by Count Taka-aki Kato. When the Seiyukai gained favourable results in the general election which followed the dissolution of the Diet, it started intriguing for winning power. Then the Térauchi Cabinet collapsed as a result of the deplorable rice riots which occurred in the provinces, and Takashi Hara formed a Seiyukai Ministry, which came to an end with the assassination of Premier Hara on November 4, 1921, by a misguided youth.
General Hisa-ichi Térauchi has evidently inherited his antipathy to political parties from his father. His aversion to jingoism was clearly noticed when he denounced the remarks made against the Army by the late Kunimatsu Hamada in the
Diet. Being a man of action, who is amenable to all just and reasonable proposals, General Térauchi believes in that politics which lives up to the principle of facta non verba. Today as supreme commander of the Japanese military forces in southern regions, he is displaying the sterling quality of Japan's military might on the one hand and its political outlook as envisaged in the construction of a co-prosperity sphere in greater East Asia on the other.
Following the Meiji Restoration, while the organization of Japan's Army came to be monopolized by persons hailing from Nagato Province, the reconstruction of the Navy came under the direct control of officers of Satsuma Province. After the termination of the Russo-Japanese War, a movement was said to be afoot to check the influence of Army and Navy officers hailing from these two provinces. At one time it was said to have become so acute that military officers began to deny their subordinates coming from Nagato Province entrance to the Army Staff College. In spite of all this, young Hisa-ichi Térauchi belonging to the same locality was able to sit for the entrance examination of the Army Staff College and pass it by securing the second position among his colleagues.
The agitation for doing away with the Nagato clannishness in the Army and Satsuma clannishness in the Navy, supposing that it had substance, can be likened to General Térauchi's action in abolishing the témpohsén badge, which used to be worn by those officers who had graduated from the Army Staff College. General Térauchi is himself a graduate of the same college, and furthermore, he is a Nagato man, and yet he does not suffer from any group or fraternity spirit. This is due to his broadmindedness and devotion to the Army as a whole. He sees the Army as one unit and not as a combination of different groups. This is why he was chosen to lead the reorganization of the Army as War Minister in the Hirota Cabinet.
It would be inappropriate to suggest that General Térauchi has been considerably assisted by the influence of his father and his name in building up his career as a distinguished
military leader. Since his father died a long time ago, it is more than obvious that he rose step by step displaying his own qualities, some of which he may have inherited from the late Marshal Térauchi. He was selected to assume the portfolio of War in 1936, because he was recognized as the fit man to take charge of the War Office at a most critical period. Again because of his military abilities, he was chosen as supreme commander of the Japanese forces in North China and now as commander-in-chief of the Japanese expeditionary forces in southern regions, he is proving his superior worth in untrammelled clearness. Therefore, it has to be admitted that it is his indisputable capability which has made him a valuable asset of the Japanese Army.
The ascendancy of military and naval influences over political circles in this country, which had been steadily rising since the Meiji Rrestoration [sic], was brought to an abrupt end with the collpase [sic] of the Térauchi Cabinet in 1918. Then ensued an era of reliance on the Anglo-American nations, which Powers hindered Japan's advancement by imposing on it the discriminatory Washington naval treaty and restricting its commercial activities under the smokescreen of tariff regulations. When the Manchurian affair flared up in September, 1931, Japan parted company with Britain and the United States. Simultaneously, it began to reassert its rights in East Asia, and an armament replenishment programme was adopted to increase the fighting efficiency of the Army, Navy and air force to the highest possible limit. Soon thereafter, occurred the February 26 incident, and General Térauchi joined the Hirota Cabinet as War Minister with a view to gearing up the fighting machinery on a revamped scale. Therefore, the source of the present perfection of the Army, Navy and air force in a way can be traced to the renovation activity of General Térauchi.
As it is evident that the world is heading toward a totalitarian new order, Japan, an Axis partner, is duty bound to contribute its share by effecting mutual prosperity harmony in greater East Asia, which is its legitimate sphere. This being
the immutable national policy, Japan has to concentrate on evolving a single-dimensional politics based on service to the State on the one hand and armed solidarity on a national scale for self-defence on the other. Hence, it is imperative that able military leaders should head the administration to insure national unity and right to live and prosper in collaboration with the countries of greater East Asia.
From the Meiji era to the Taisho era, there had been many generals in active service who formed ministries, including Marshal Yamagata, General Katsura and Marshal Térauchi. But the precedent was held in abeyance from the middle of the Taisho era to the current era of Showa, until General Hidéki Tohjo in active service formed his cabinet in October last year, concurrently holding the portfolio of War. The Tohjo Cabinet has already initiated various reforms in government departments, including the Army. It has also paved the way for the rapid emergence of single-dimensional politics in the country. Consequently, it is reasonable to imagine that premiership for some time in the future will be assumed by either a general or an admiral in active service for the main purpose of effecting co-operation and co-ordination between national politics and the high command of the armed forces.
General Hisa-ichi Térauchi, now sixty-three years old, is at the top of the list of senior generals in active service. He is many years senior to Premier General Tohjo. He has already rendered distinguished services to the State in the current war in greater East Asia, and if in recognition of them he is promoted Field Marshal, he will be in active service for life, because it is a rank to be held for life. Even if he is not given such a promotion, his claim shall have to be taken into account in seeking the next premier, for he is the seniormost general in active service.
General Térauchi, who inherited from his father a large residence in Tokyo, a villa at Oiso and other estates, has now parted with all of them with the exception of the villa at Oiso. He lives in a rented house at Akasaka in Tokyo and is always
willing to extend his assistance to his needy friends and subordinates. His wants are few. He is never affected by details or trifles. He is always able to take a long-range view of any situation. Despite his age, he has a sound constitution and cheerful disposition. Although he is a soldier, there is nothing hard and unrelenting in his appearance, because he is a refined gentleman and humane in every way. When he is conducting a military operation, he is a man of steel, but when it is finished, he is a man of peace, ready to make the life of even the vanquished as easy and pleasant as possible. It is this sense of justice and affection in him which makes him to be adored and revered by his officers and soldiers. He is indeed Japan's gentleman-general.