Isoroku Yamamoto | |
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Isoroku Yamamoto
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Native name | 山本 五十六 |
Born |
Nagaoka, Niigata, Japan |
April 4, 1884
Died | April 18, 1943 Buin, New Guinea |
(aged 59)
Allegiance | Empire of Japan |
Service/branch | Imperial Japanese Navy |
Years of service | 1901–1943 |
Rank | |
Unit | Combined Fleet among others |
Commands held |
Isuzu, Akagi Naval Air Command, Navy Ministry, Naval Air Command, 1st Fleet, Combined Fleet, 1st Battleship Division |
Battles/wars | |
Awards |
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Isoroku Yamamoto (山本 五十六 Yamamoto Isoroku?, April 4, 1884 – April 18, 1943) was a Japanese Marshal Admiral of the Navy and the commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet during World War II until his death.
Yamamoto held several important posts in the Imperial Japanese Navy, and undertook many of its changes and reorganizations, especially its development of naval aviation. He was the commander-in-chief during the decisive early years of the Pacific War, so was responsible for major battles such as Pearl Harbor and Midway. He died when American codebreakers identified his flight plans and his plane was shot down. His death was a major blow to Japanese military morale during World War II.
Yamamoto was born Isoroku Takano (高野 五十六 Takano Isoroku?) in Nagaoka, Niigata. His father was Sadayoshi Takano (高野 貞吉), an intermediate-rank samurai of the Nagaoka Domain. "Isoroku" is an old Japanese term meaning "56"; the name referred to his father's age at Isoroku's birth.