CHIANG KAI-SHEK (1887–1975)
Leader of Chinese nationalists fighting the Japanese after their invasion of China. He was opposed by Mao Zedong, the leader of Communist nationalists who were also fighting the Japanese. Chiang Kai-shek was defeated in the civil war that resumed between the two sides after 1945.
WINSTON SPENCER CHURCHILL (1874–1965)
Prime Minister of Great Britain 1940–45. Churchill had to accept U.S. leadership in the conduct of the Pacific War, especially after the surrender of British land forces to the Japanese in Singapore. Churchill was a strong supporter of the colonialist policies of his country’s empire. He hoped to restore British influence in southeast Asia after the war and maintain the British empire. In this goal, he was not successful.
ADMIRAL WILLIAM HALSEY (1882–1959)
U.S. Commander, Aircraft, Battle Force Pacific. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Halsey’s ability and willingness to take the offensive contributed to the success of the Guadalcanal campaign, which led to his promotion. Admired for his tough approach, he was appointed Commander South Pacific and South Pacific Area by General Nimitz.
HIROHITO (1901–1989)
Emperor of Japan from 1926 until his death. There is controversy regarding Hirohito’s degree of responsibility for bringing Japan into the war. In 1945, many people regarded him as a war leader who ought to be put on trial and punished. The fact that he was not prosecuted after the war is something that still causes dissent. Evidence suggests that he opposed the military leaders in 1941 but could not prevent them from pursuing the aggressive policy that led to the attack on Pearl Harbor. Hirohito played an important role in bringing about the surrender of Japan in 1945.
LIEUTENANT GENERAL MASAHARU HOMMA (1887–1946)
Japanese army officer who captured the Philippines from the forces of Douglas MacArthur. The campaign took longer than had been planned and Homma was recalled to Japan in August 1942. He remained unemployed for the rest of the war but in 1946 he was tried for war crimes committed by his soldiers. Homma claimed that he was unaware of what had happened on the Bataan death march but he was found guilty and executed.
MAJOR GENERAL CURTIS E. LEMAY (1906–1990)
One of the younger U.S. generals, largely responsible for the air offensive against Japan in 1945. He abandoned the tactic of high-level precision air attacks in favor of low-level incendiary bombing, which led to violent fires across entire cities and a masssive number of civilian deaths.
GENERAL DOUGLAS MACARTHUR (1880–1964)
Supreme Allied Commander of the South West Pacific Command during the Pacific War. A controversial leader, MacArthur historians regard him as very fortunate to have escaped blame for the defense of the Philippines that resulted in the U.S. defeat. When ordered to escape to Australia in 1942, he famously declared “I shall return,” refusing the U.S. Office of War Information suggestion that he should change the phrase to “We shall return.” MacArthur, very effective in “island-hopping” to bypass pockets of strong Japanese resistance, recaptured the Philippines in 1944. If a land invasion of Japan had been necessary, MacArthur would have been the ground commander for the operation. In the Korean War, MacArthur successfully led the U.S. forces, but President Truman fired him when he tried to continue the war into China.
MAO ZEDONG (1893–1976)
A founding member of the Chinese Communist Party in 1921, Mao had risen to lead the Party by the time of the Pacific War. He effectively opposed Chiang Kai-shek by dealing with corruption and social issues and gained support as a nationalist by fighting the Japanese. By 1945, Mao and his troops had gained control over most of the Chinese countryside. Four years later, he declared the independence of the People’s Republic of China.
ADMIRAL CHESTER W. NIMITZ (1885–1966)
Commander-in-Chief U.S. Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas during the Pacific War. He was overshadowed to some extent by the more flamboyant MacArthur, though he is regarded as possessing far sounder military judgment. Nimitz planned the Battle of Midway and chose to act on valuable information provided by U.S. intelligence that deciphered Japanese radio messages. Nimitz commanded the landings on Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and signed the Japanese surrender document on behalf of the United States.
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT (1882–1945)
President of the United States at the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Roosevelt died in April 1945 and so did not live to see the surrender of Japan. Roosevelt is credited for his leadership in uniting his country in the war against Nazi Germany and Japan. Historians have recognized Roosevelt’s ability to manage the two separate wars within World War II successfully: one in Europe and one in the Pacific. Roosevelt is also thought to have realized that relations with the USSR would be difficult once the war was over.
GENERAL SIR WILLIAM SLIM (1891–1970)
British commander in charge of the 1944 defense of Imphal, India, and of the campaign that drove the Japanese from Burma in 1945. He once said “I must have been the most defeated general in our history,” but historians have given him great credit for his tactics and his ability to command troops and win the loyalty of soldiers.
ADMIRAL RAYMOND A. SPRUANCE (1886–1969)
A commander at the battle of Midway, Spruance took part in the battle of the Philippine Sea, the Okinawa campaign, and also planned the capture of Tarawa and the Marshall islands. The U.S. Navy’s official historian praised his “power of decision and coolness in action.”
GENERAL JOSEPH STILWELL (1883–1946)
A U.S. army commander in the China-Burma-India theater of war who became well known for his harsh criticisms of Chiang Kaishek. Stilwell, who spoke Chinese fluently, was very successful as a commander of Chinese troops. He gained admiration and promotion for the way he handled his troops and conducted a difficult campaign. Stilwell was also renowned for his inability to get along with British military commanders.
GENERAL HIDEKI TOJO (1884–1948)
Prime Minister of Japan between 1941 and 1944, he ordered the attack on Pearl Harbor. Before 1941, Tojo was known for his hard-line attitude toward the U.S. and his willingness to use military solutions for political problems. Tojo supported Nazi Germany and, after the war, was convicted of war crimes and hanged.
HARRY S. TRUMAN (1884–1972)
Vice President of the United States for 83 days, until the death of Roosevelt in April 1945 made Truman the President. As Vice President, he had not known about the program to build atomic weapons but, guided by Roosevelt’s advisers after Japan refused to surrender, he ordered that atomic bombs be dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
ADMIRAL ISOROKU YAMAMOTO (1884–1943)
Commander of the Japanese Combined Fleet, 1939–43. Yamamoto had lived and studied in the United States and, in the 1930s, was opposed to people like Tojo who favored war with the U. S. When the prospect of war loomed, however, Yamamoto felt that only a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor would give his country hope of success, so he worked out the plan for attacking the U.S. fleet. He also planned the strategy that led to the Battle of Midway. Yamamoto was killed by U.S. forces when his aircraft was shot down.
GENERAL TOMOYUKI YAMASHITA (1885–1946)
Commander of Japanese forces that conquered Malaya and Singapore, and the commander responsible for the defense of Luzon in the Philippines. After the war, he was put on trial for war crimes committed against civilians in Manila. Yamashita was not directly responsible for these crimes but he was found guilty and sentenced to death. MacArthur refused to consider his appeal and Yamashita was hanged.