14 Facts About Tadashi Hanaya

Tadashi Hanaya was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army, commanding Japanese ground forces in Burma during World War II.

Tadashi Hanaya attended military preparatory schools, and graduated from the 26th class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in May 1914 and was initially assigned to the IJA 54th Infantry Regiment.

Tadashi Hanaya graduated from the 34th class of the Army Staff College in November 1922.

Tadashi Hanaya served in the early portion of his career in the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Office, and was stationed at Zhengzhou in China under orders from the Kwantung Army.

Tadashi Hanaya subsequently commanded a battalion of the IJA 35th Regiment and returned to the staff of the Kwantung Army in 1935, and the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff in 1936.

Tadashi Hanaya was appointed head of the Japanese military delegation to Manchukuo in 1939, following the Nomonhan Incident.

In March 1940, Tadashi Hanaya was promoted to major general and was given command of the IJA 29th Infantry Brigade.

Tadashi Hanaya subsequently served as commander of the infantry group of the IJA 29th Infantry Division in 1941, before being promoted to chief-of-staff of the IJA 1st Army in December 1941.

Tadashi Hanaya was promoted to lieutenant general in October 1943, and was assigned command of the IJA 55th Infantry Division in Burma.

Tadashi Hanaya's division was ordered to invade the Akyab region of Burma from 11 January 1944; however, his offensive was destroyed by British reinforcements and air supremacy and retreated to avoid encirclement.

In July 1945, Tadashi Hanaya was appointed chief of staff of the IJA 39th Army, which was based in Bangkok.

Tadashi Hanaya had a reputation for brutalizing the officers under his command, and was universally hated, maintaining his position despite numerous complaints only due to direct support from Hideki Tojo.

Tadashi Hanaya's methods featured extremely foul language, arbitrary beating, ordering ill soldiers out of hospital, and multiple forced suicides of subordinated officers.

Tadashi Hanaya was one of the first to accept the announcement by emperor Hirohito ending the war.