My grandfather obtained this picture in the Pacific Theater. He took many photos, but this is not one of them. He traded lots of photos and this is one he got through a trade. The family legend is that this picture shows American soldiers around some high-ranking Japanese military leader who killed himself just as the Americans were about to reach him.
I would like to know if anyone can help nail down more information. Who is he? Where was this? Perhaps a similar picture exists where we know who is shown?
My own investigation of Jappanese military leaders who killed themselves in circumstances where the Americans might quickly find their body makes me think it could be either Isamu Cho or Mitsuru Ushijima. The picture of Cho kind of looks like the picture I have.
My own investigation of Jappanese military leaders who killed themselves in circumstances where the Americans might quickly find their body makes me think it could be either Isamu Cho or Mitsuru Ushijima. The picture of Cho kind of looks like the picture I have.
Right idea, but wrong guy, mainly because this is a suicide attempt, not a successful one! Hideki Tojo was seen as one of the principal war criminals of Japan by the Allies, and when American MPs went to arrest him in early September, he attempted to shoot himself in the heart, but missed and only wounded himself. He was arrested, and successfully treated by American medical personnel so that he could stand trial for war crimes, be found guilty, and finally be executed by hanging a few years later.
Now of course it is possible Im wrong, but based on what I can see of the face, with that trademark mustache, as well as the apparent location of the wound based on the bloodied garments, I feel confident in my deduction here.
Edit: reverse Google search failed, but "Tojo suicide photos" turned up a few that look very similar, although that specific one does not seem to be online (which would make it pretty interesting for a collector!)
