Hisaichi Terauchi

Army officer and Field Marshal. Born in Yamaguchi Prefecture. The eldest son of Army General and Prime Minister Terauchi Masatake. Graduated from the Military Academy in 1899 (Meiji 32) and the Army War College in 1909 (Meiji 42). After serving as the 5th Division Commander and Taiwan Army Commander, he became a candidate for Minister of War in March 1936 (Showa 11) just after the February 26 Incident, and interfered with the formation of the new Hirota Koki cabinet by demanding the removal of those who were considered liberal. Even after assuming the position of Minister of War in the cabinet, he strongly promoted the intervention of the military in politics. In January of the following year, 1937, he engaged in a "harakiri debate" in the House of Representatives with Hamada Kunimatsu, a member of the Seiyukai Party who criticized the military, resulting in a head-on clash with the political parties, which led to the resignation of the Hirota cabinet. He later became commander-in-chief of the Southern Army in 1941 and led the Southern Operation, dying in Saigon after the defeat.

[Yoshida Yutaka]

"Marshal Terauchi Toshikazu" edited by Kamiho Kaito (1978, Fuyo Shobo)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

陸軍軍人、元帥(げんすい)。山口県出身。陸軍大将・首相寺内正毅(まさたけ)の長男。1899年（明治32）陸軍士官学校、1909年（明治42）陸軍大学校卒業。第五師団長、台湾軍司令官などを経て、1936年（昭和11）3月、二・ニ六事件の直後に陸相候補となり、自由主義的と目された入閣予定者の排除を要求して広田弘毅(ひろたこうき)新内閣の組閣に干渉。同内閣の陸相に就任したのちも軍部の政治介入を強力に推進した。翌1937年1月には、衆議院で軍部を批判する政友会の浜田国松(はまだくにまつ)との間に「腹切り問答」を展開して政党と正面衝突し、このため広田内閣は総辞職に追い込まれた。その後、1941年には南方軍総司令官となって南方作戦を指揮し、敗戦後サイゴンで死亡。

［吉田　裕］

『上法快男編『元帥　寺内寿一』（1978・芙蓉書房）』

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