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Tomoyuki Yamashita, nicknamed the Tiger of Malaya, was a Japanese general who fought in World War II. He is most known for his swift conquest of Malaya and his controversial death trial after the war.
Yamashita was born in 1885 CE in Otoyo as the second son of a doctor and the daughter of a wealthy farmer. In his youth he attended military school and graduated in 1905 CE. In 1914 CE he got his first taste of war, fighting as a lieutenant in Shantung, China, when Japan wrestled the area away from German control. His performance in that conflict earned him promotion to captain and admittance to the Military War College. He had trouble passing the entry exam, though graduated with honors. Later he served as a military attaché in Switzerland and the same Germany. On his return to Japan in 1922 CE, promoted to major, he was a member of a group of officers who tried to modernize the Japanese army.
Yamashita was part of the 'Imperial Way' group, traditionalist "bushi" who wanted the emperor back in full power and saw the USSR as Japan's greatest enemy. Throughout his pre-war career Yamashita was an advocate of a smaller and more modern army than the military elite of Japan envisioned. He also wanted to pull out of China and postpone war with the USA or the USSR until Japan was stronger, though he did not object to the war itself. The 'Imperial Way' group clashed with the 'Control Faction', who focused their attention on southeast Asia. The latter group was led by later prime minister Tojo Hideki, who managed to sideline Yamashita into another job as a military attaché in Europe in 1927 CE. However three years later he was back, promoted to colonel and given command of a prestigious infantry regiment. His fortunes kept swinging back and forth. In 1936 CE his tacit support for a failed coup by young officers prompted him to resign, but some of his superiors changed his mind and allowed him a command in Korea. There he studied Zen buddhism, which mellowed his character somewhat, though did not keep him from fighting in the Sino-Japanese crisis of 1937 CE. In the last years before World War II he was promoted to inspector general of aviation and made another tour in Europe.
When Japan jumped fully into World War II by attacking the naval base of Pearl Harbor, Yamashita, now a lieutenant general, was given the task of conquering Malaya. Initially five divisions were assigned to the operation, but Yamashita limited his force to three, to keep his needs for supplies to a minimum. He launched an amphibious assault on the northern coast of the peninsula and managed to gain a foothold. A British naval squadron moved in, trying to cut off the Japanese supply lines, but was sunk by torpedo bombers. Still the British expected to be able to slow and then halt the Japanese advance because of the harsh terrain. However the Japanese troops were more experienced than the British, Indian and Australian defenders. They were supported by good intelligence, light tanks and dominance in the air and at sea. They battled their way south at high speed. Yamashita maintained mobility by confiscating bicycles for the infantry, repairing destroyed bridges by engineers and outflanking defenses by sea and through the jungle. The relentless Blitzkrieg-like advance made it impossible for the defenders to establish strong defenses and they retreated to Singapore island. Yamashita made a faint in the east but then attacked it in the west, on the most inaccessible side, which was also the least well defended. Then he aimed for the island's critical water supplies. After less than two months of fighting, his army nearly out of ammunition and still outnumbered 3:1, he met the British commander for peace talks and bluffed him into full surrender. After the victory, Yamashita's reputation was tarnished by his soldiers, who committed several war crimes that their general failed to prevent, though he had some officers executed for it.
Back in Japan there still was friction between Yamashita and Tojo. The latter sidelined him again to a post in Manchukuo, though he was promoted to full general in 1943 CE. A year later Japan was in dire straits and Tojo fell from power. Yamashita was recalled and tasked to defend the Philippines against the Americans. He concentrated on the defense of Luzon and evacuated the capital Manila, retreating into the northern hills. But the Japanese navy re-occupied the city and fought a costly battle, reducing it to rubble. Meanwhile Yamashita and his army did the only thing they could do: stage a tactical retreat, slowing the American advance. In late August 1945 CE, his army reduced from 260,000 to just 50,000 and in the process of being transformed into a guerrilla force, news of Japan's surrender arrived. A few weeks later, after being surrounded on all sides, the general surrendered his remaining troops to the American army.
Japanese troops had committed several atrocities in the Philippines. In a hasty and controversial trial, the Americans assented that Yamashita had not ordered these, but as commanding officer held him responsible nonetheless. He was sentenced him to death and hanged in 1946 CE.