Kiichiro Higuchi

Infobox Military Person
name=Kiichirō Higuchi
lived= 20 August 1888 – 11 October 1970
placeofbirth=Minamiawaji, Hyōgo, Japan
placeofdeath=


caption= Japanese General Higuchi Kiichiro
nickname=
allegiance=Empire of Japan
branch=
serviceyears=1910 - 1945
rank=Lieutenant General
commands=
unit=
battles= World War II
awards=
family=
laterwork=nihongo|Kiichirō Higuchi|樋口 季一郎|Higuchi Kiichirō|extra= 20 August 1888 – 11 October 1970 was a lieutenant general in the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II.

Biography

Higuchi was born in what is now part of Minamiawaji city on Awaji Island, Hyōgo Prefecture, as the eldest of nine siblings. When he was eleven year old, his parents divorced and he was raised by his mother's family. He was a graduate of the 21st class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy, and the 30th class of the Army Staff College. As a junior officer, he was sent as military attaché to Poland. Due to his fluency in the Russian language, Higuchi was later posted to Manchuria with the Kwantung Army. Higuchi was a close confidant of General Kanji Ishiwara and Korechika Anami.

From 1933-1935, he was commander of the IJA 41th Infantry Regiment, and from 1935-1937 served as Chief of staff of the IJA 3rd Division. He was sent to Germany as part of a military delegation in 1937. [Ammenthorp, The generals of World War II]

As a major general and the commander of the Harbin Special Branch in 1938, he allowed approximately 20,000 Jewish refugees who had fled Nazi Germany to cross the border from the Soviet Union to Manchukuo. One of his subordinates, Colonel Norihiro Yasue, was responsible for feeding the refugees, settling them in Harbin or Shanghai, or arranging for exit visas.

Recalled to Japan in late 1938, Higuchi served briefly on the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff before being assigned as commanding officer of the IJA 9th Division. In 1942, he was promoted to lieutenant general and assigned to the Sapporo-based Japanese Fifth Area Army. He participated in the invasion of the Aleutian islands, including the disastrous campaigns on Attu Island and Kiska Island. Afterwards, as commander of the Northern District Army he organized the defenses of northern Japan against invasion by Allied forces, fortifying Shumshu island in the northern Kurile Islands chain, and Karafuto.

After the surrender of Japan, Stalin demanded that Higuchi be extradited to the Soviet Union to be tried by a military tribunal for war crimes. On receiving word of this, the World Jewish Congress quickly formed a lobby directed at the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers, General Douglas MacArthur, to prevent Higuchi's extradition and trial. Higuchi, along with Yasue, were subsequently invited to the independence ceremonies of the State of Israel.

References

*cite book
last = Glantz
first = David
year = 2003
title = The Soviet Strategic Offensive in Manchuria, 1945: 'August Storm'
publisher = Routledge
id = ISBN 0714652792
*cite book
last = Tokayer
first = Rabbi Marvin
year =2004
title = The Fugu Plan: The Untold Story Of The Japanese And The Jews During World War II
publisher = Gefen Publishing House
id = ISBN 9652293296
*cite book
last = Yamamuro
first = Shinichi
year = 2005
title = Manchuria Under Japanese Domination
publisher = University of Pennsylvania Press
id = ISBN 0812239121

External links

*cite web
last = Ammenthorp
first = Steen
url = http://www.generals.dk/general/Higuchi/Kiichiro/Japan.html
title = Higuchi Kiichiro
work = The Generals of World War II

Notes