Hisao Tani

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Hisao Tani, 谷寿夫 , (1882 – 1947) Lieutenant-General in the Japanese Imperial Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War Two.

At the beginning of his career Hisao Tani was attached to 6th Regiment/IJA 3rd Division from 1922 to 1924. In 1924 he became an instructor at the War College and was attached to the General Staff until 1927 when he took command of the 6th Regiment. In 1928 he was made Chief of Staff of the 3rd Depot Division.

In 1929 to 1930, he held Chief of section posts within the 4th Bureau, of the General Staff, for Military History and Training. In 1930 he was a Member of the Committee on an unified Air Force, for the General Staff then attached to to the General Staff until 1932 when he was made Chairman of Military Investigation, for the Ministry of War.

In 1933 he took command of the 2nd Imperial Guards Brigade, and in 1934, Commandant of the Tokyo Bay Fortress, and in 1935 Command of the 9th Depot Division.

From 1935 - 1937 General Tani was commanding the IJA 6th Division, which was sent to North China and served in the Peiking – Hankow Railway Operation. Shipped south with the Japanese 10th Army, his division landed and took part in the end of the Battle of Shanghai, and the Battle of Nanking. Returning to Japan a the end of 1937 he became Commander in Chief of the Central Defence Army until 1939 when he went into reserve and retired.

In 1945 General Tani was recalled and given command of the Japanese 59th Army and Chugoku Army District. After the war he was condemned to death and executed as war criminal in 1947 for having been convicted of instigating, inspiring and encouraging during the war the men under his command to stage general massacres of prisoners of war and non-combatants and to perpetrate such crimes as rape, plunder and wanton destruction of property, during the Battle of Shanghai, Battle of Nanking and early in its occupation, the Rape of Nanking.

[edit] Sources:

Hsu Long-hsuen and Chang Ming-kai, History of The Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) 2nd Ed. ,1971. Translated by Wen Ha-hsiung , Chung Wu Publishing; 33, 140th Lane, Tung-hwa Street, Taipei, Taiwan Republic of China.