Tomoyuki Yamashita
| Tomoyuki Yamashita | |
|---|---|
| 山下 奉文 | |
 |
|
| Military Governor of Japan to the Philippines | |
|
In office September 26, 1944 – September 2, 1945 |
|
| Monarch | Emperor Hirohito |
| Preceded by | Shizuichi Tanaka |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
November 8, 1885 Ōtoyo, Kōchi, Japan |
| Died | February 23, 1946 (aged 60) Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines |
| Cause of death | Execution by hanging |
| Awards |
Order of the Golden Kite Order of the Rising Sun |
| Military service | |
| Nickname(s) | The Beast of Bataan Tiger of Malaya |
| Allegiance |
 Empire of Japan
|
| Service/branch |
 Imperial Japanese Army
|
| Years of service | 1905–1945 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands |
25th Army 1st Area Army 14th Area Army |
| Battles/wars |
Second Sino-Japanese War Pacific War |
Tomoyuki Yamashita (山下 奉文 Yamashita Tomoyuki?, November 8, 1885 – February 23, 1946) was an Imperial Japanese Army general during World War II. At the forefront of the invasion of Malaya and Singapore, his accomplishment of conquering Malaya and Singapore in 70 days led to the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, calling the ignominious fall of Singapore to the Japanese the "worst disaster" and "largest capitulation" in British military history. The accomplishment earned Yamashita the sobriquet "The Tiger of Malaya". After the war, following a trial in Manila, he was found guilty of war crimes and executed by hanging for his troops' conduct during the Japanese defense of the occupied Philippines in 1944.
Yamashita was the second son of a local doctor in Osugi, a village in what is now part of Ōtoyo, Kōchi Prefecture, Shikoku. He attended military preparatory schools in his youth.
In November 1905 Yamashita graduated from the 18th class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy. He was ranked 16th out of 920 cadets. In December 1908 he was promoted to lieutenant and fought against the German Empire in Shantung, China in 1914. In May 1916 he was promoted to captain. He attended the 28th class of the Army War College, graduating sixth in his class in 1916.
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