Tojo Hideki, General (1884–1948)

Abstract Tojo Hideki served as prime minister of Japan from October 1941 to July 1944 and in that capacity led Japan into the Pacific War. Tojo was born into an army family in Tokyo in 1884 and groomed for a military career from childhood. Graduating from the Military Academy in 1905, Tojo embarked on a career dominated by staff positions, passing out with high honors from the Staff College in 1915. Another characteristic that marked Tojo's career was enthusiastic involvement in service and national politics. In 1929 Tojo helped found the One Evening Society, one of many pressure groups formed by younger officers in the army determined to push Japan along a more imperial path. Tojo was an ultra‐nationalist who believed Japan must rely on its own power to establish itself as the dominant force in Asia. He was also a strong social and political conservative who believed Japan should purge itself of liberal democracy and establish authoritarian government. Rounding off Tojo's personality was sincere devotion to the emperor and his authority.