The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia: Kimura Heitaro (original) (raw)
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The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia | |
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Kimura Heitaro (1888-1948)
Kimura Heitaro was born in Tokyo and graduated from the Japanesemilitary academy as an artilleryofficer in 1908. He served with the SiberianExpedition in 1918-1919. He was military attaché in Germanyand a delegate to the London treaty conference. Following promotion to major general in 1936, he became the chief of the Ordnance Bureau. He was promoted to lieutenant general in 1938 and took command of 32 Division, then served as chief of staff of Kwantung Army. He was vice minister of war under Tojoat the start of the war.
Kimura assumed command of BurmaArea Army in August 1944, after the disastrous Imphaloffensive. His strategy, which was to counterattack when the Allied supply lines were stretched to their limits, failed to take into account the enormous Allied air transport capability. However, Slim considered Kimura's tactics less inflexible and predictable than those of his predecessor at Burma Area Army, Kawabe Masakazu, and Allen (1984) credits him with "shrewdness, strategical skill and flexibility". In spite of his failure to hold Burma, Kimura was promoted to full general in 1945.
Kimura was tried and hanged as a war criminal in 1948. The most infamous charges against him related to the brutal treatment of prisoners of warand civilian pressed laborers under his command while working on the Burma-Siamrailroad.
Service record
| 1888 | Born at Tokyo | |
|---|---|---|
| 1908 | Second lieutenant | Graduates from Military Academy as an artillery officer |
| 1918 | Siberian Expedition | |
| 1928 | Colonel | Inspectorate of Artillery |
| 1929 | Instructor, Field Artillery School | |
| 1929 | General Staff | |
| 1929 | Japanese delegate to London Disarmament Conference | |
| 1931 | Commander, 22 Artillery Regiment | |
| 1932 | Instructor, Field Artillery School | |
| 1934 | Attached to Coastal Artillery School | |
| 1935 | Chief, Control Section, Economic Mobilization Bureau, Ministry of War | |
| 1936-8-1 | Major general | Director, Army Weapons Bureau, Ministry of War |
| 1939-3-9 | Lieutenant general | Commander, 32 Division |
| 1940-10-22 | Chief of staff, Kwantung Army | |
| 1941-4-10 | Vice-minister of war | |
| 1943-3-11 | Cabinet Planning Board | |
| 1944-3 | Director, Ordnance Bureau | |
| 1944-8-30 | Commander, Burma Area Army | |
| 1945 | General | |
| 1948 | Executed as war criminal |
References
Generals.dk (accessed 2008-4-23)
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