Hiroshi Ōshima
| Hiroshi Ōshima | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Native name | 大島 浩 |
| Born | April 19, 1886 Gifu Prefecture, Japan |
| Died | June 6, 1975 (aged 89) Tokyo, Japan |
| Allegiance | Empire of Japan |
| Service/branch | Imperial Japanese Army |
| Years of service | 1906–1945 |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Order of the German Eagle (1st class) |
| Other work | Japanese ambassador to Nazi Germany |
Baron Hiroshi Ōshima (大島 浩 Ōshima Hiroshi?, April 19, 1886 – June 6, 1975) was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army, Japanese ambassador to Nazi Germany before and during World War II — and unwittingly a major source of communications intelligence for the Allies. His role was perhaps best summed up by General George C. Marshall, who identified Ōshima as "our main basis of information regarding Hitler's intentions in Europe". After World War II, he was convicted of war crimes and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Ōshima was the son of a prominent Japanese family from Gifu Prefecture, his father Oshima Ken'ichi (大島 健一 Ōshima Ken'ichi?) having served as Minister of War from 1916 to 1918. Ōshima graduated from the 18th class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in June 1905 and was promoted to second lieutenant in June 1906 and to lieutenant in June 1908. He graduated from the 27th class of the Army War College in May 1915, and was promoted to captain the following year. From 1918-1919, he served in Siberia with the expeditionary forces, and was appointed assistant military attaché in the Japanese embassy to the Weimar Republic. Promoted to major in January 1922, he served as a military attaché to Budapest and Vienna from 1923-1924. After his return to Japan, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel in August 1926; following a promotion to colonel in August 1930, he served as commander of the 10th Field Artillery Regiment from 1930-1931.
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