Misplaced Pages

Shirō Ishii: Difference between revisions

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
Browse history interactively← Previous editNext edit →Content deleted Content addedVisualWikitext
Revision as of 15:18, 5 October 2007 editCydebot (talk | contribs)6,812,251 editsm Robot - Moving category Japanese war criminals to Japanese people convicted of war crimes per CFD at Misplaced Pages:Categories for discussion/Log/2007 September 29.← Previous edit Revision as of 05:06, 10 November 2007 edit undoMChew (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers62,650 edits infobox, new photo, references, expand, clean-upNext edit →
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Infobox Military Person
]
|name=Shirō Ishii
⚫ Microbiologist '''Shiro Ishii''' (石井四郎 ''Ishii Shirō'', ], ]-]) was the ] of ], a ] unit of the ] during the ].
|lived= ] ] – ] ]
|placeofbirth=], ]
|placeofdeath= ], ]
|image=]
|caption=General Shirō Ishii
|nickname=
|allegiance=]
|branch=] ]
|serviceyears=1921 -1945
|rank=]
|commands=Unit 731, Kwantung Army
|unit=
|battles= ]<br>]
|awards=
|family=
|laterwork=
}}
{{Japanese name|Ishii}}
⚫ {{nihongo|'''Shirō Ishii'''|石井四郎|Ishii Shirō|extra= ] ] – ] ]}} was a ] and the ] of ], a ] unit of the ] during the ].


==Biography== ==Biography==
Ishii was born in the former Chiyoda village of ] in the ], and studied ] at ]. Although he was considered a selfish, pushy, and sometimes disturbed individual, he excelled in his studies, and in ] was assigned to the 1st Army Hospital and Army Medical School in ]. There his work impressed his superiors enough to gain him, two years later, post-graduate medical schooling back at the ]. Ishii was born in the former ] of ] in ], and studied ] at ]. Although he was considered a selfish, pushy, and sometimes disturbed individual, he excelled in his studies,{{Fact|date=November 2007}} and in 1922 was assigned to the 1st Army Hospital and Army Medical School in ]. There his work impressed his superiors enough to gain him, two years later, post-graduate medical schooling back at the ].


Beginning in ], Ishii took a two-year tour of the West. In his travels, he did extensive research on the effects of ] and ] developments from ] onwards. It was a highly successful mission and helped win him the patronage of ], Minister of the Army. Beginning in 1928, Ishii took a two-year tour of the West. In his travels, he did extensive research on the effects of ] and ] developments from ] onwards. It was a highly successful mission and helped win him the patronage of ], ].


⚫ In 1932, he began his preliminary experiments in biological warfare as a secret project for the Japanese military. In 1936, ] was formed. Ishii built a huge compound -- more than 150 buildings over six square kilometers -- outside the city of ], ]. The research was secret, and the cover story was that Unit 731 was engaged in ] work.
In ] he began his preliminary experiments.


From 1940, Ishii was appointed Chief of the Biological Warfare Section of the ], holding the post simultaneously with that of the Bacteriological Department of the Army Medical Academy. <ref>Ammenthorp, The Generals of World War II</ref>
⚫ In ], ] was formed. Ishii built a huge compound -- more than 150 buildings over six square kilometers -- outside the city of ], ]. The research was secret, and the cover story was that Unit 731 was engaged in ] work.


In ], Ishii began field tests of germ warfare and weapons (firearms, bombs etc.) on ] soldiers and ]s. Tens of thousands died of ], ], ] and other diseases. His unit also conducted physiological experiments such as ]s, forced ], and simulated ] and ]. In 1942, Ishii began field tests of germ warfare agents developed, and various methods of dispersion (i.e. via firearms, bombs etc.) both on ] ] and operationally on battlefields and against ]s in Chinese cities. Some historians {{Fact|date=November 2007}} estimate that tens of thousands died as a result of the bio-weapons (including ], ], ] and others) deployed. His unit also conducted physiological experiments on human subjects, including ]s, forced ], and simulated ] and ].


From 1942-1945, Ishii was Chief of the Medical Section of the ] <ref>Ammenthorp, The Generals of World War II</ref>
⚫ In ], in the final days of the ] and in the face of imminent defeat, Japanese troops blew up the headquarters of Unit 731 in order to destroy evidence of the research done there. As part of the cover-up, Ishii ordered 150 remaining subjects killed. Between 3,000 and 10,000 test subjects, which Ishii and his peers called '''''maruta''''' (丸太; "logs," a reference to their view of subjects being inert, expendable entities) eventually died at the hands of Unit 731.
⚫
⚫ In ], the U.S. began negotiating a secret deal with Ishii and Unit 731 leaders: ] from ]s prosecution would be offered in exchange for germ warfare data based on ]. The deal was concluded two years later.<ref> "http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0510-24.htm An Ethical Blank Cheque: British and US mythology about the second world war ignores our own crimes and legitimises Anglo-American war making- the Guardian, May 10, 2005, by Richard Drayton </ref>


⚫ In 1945, in the final days of the ] and in the face of imminent defeat, Japanese troops blew up the headquarters of Unit 731 in order to destroy evidence of the research done there. As part of the cover-up, Ishii ordered 150 remaining subjects killed. Between 3,000 and 10,000 test subjects　{{Fact|date=November 2007}}, which Ishii and his peers called '''''maruta''''' (丸太; "logs," a reference to their view of subjects being inert, expendable entities) eventually died at the hands of Unit 731.
⚫ Ishii was never prosecuted and died of throat cancer at the age of 67.<ref></ref>


⚫ Arrested by the ] at the end of ], Ishii and Unit 731 leaders received ] in 1946 from ]s prosecution in exchange for germ warfare data based on ]. The deal was concluded two years later.<ref> "http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0510-24.htm An Ethical Blank Cheque: British and US mythology about the second world war ignores our own crimes and legitimises Anglo-American war making- the Guardian, May 10, 2005, by Richard Drayton </ref>
The following statements were recorded from an interview recorded by Nicholas D. Kristof<ref>Nicholas D. Kristof, New York Times: </ref> with a former assistant working on one of Ishii's research teams.
⚫
⚫ Ishii was never prosecuted of any ], and died of ] at the age of 67. <ref></ref>


==See also==
*Asked why he had not anesthetized the prisoner before dissecting him, he replied:''Vivisection should be done under normal circumstances. If we'd used anesthesia, that might have affected the body organs and blood vessels that we were examining. So we couldn't have used anesthetic.''"
⚫ * ]


==References==
*When experiments on children were discussed, the farmer offered another justification: "''Of course there were experiments on children. But probably their fathers were spies.''"
===Books===
* Barenblatt, Daniel. ''A Plague Upon Humanity: the Secret Genocide of Axis Japan's Germ Warfare Operation'', HarperCollins, 2004. ISBN 0-06-018625-9
* Gold, Hal. ''Unit 731 Testimony'', Charles E Tuttle Co., 1996. ISBN 4-900737-39-9
* Williams, Peter. ''Unit 731: Japan's Secret Biological Warfare in World War II'', Free Press, 1989. ISBN 0-02-935301-7
* Harris, Sheldon H. ''Factories of Death: Japanese Biological Warfare 1932-45 and the American Cover-Up'', Routledge, 1994. ISBN 0-415-09105-5 ISBN 0-415-93214-9
* Endicott, Stephen and Hagerman, Edward. ''The United States and Biological Warfare: Secrets from the Early Cold War and Korea'', Indiana University Press, 1999. ISBN 0-253-33472-1
* Handelman, Stephen and Alibek, Ken. ''Biohazard: The Chilling True Story of the Largest Covert Biological Weapons Program in the World--Told from Inside by the Man Who Ran It'', Random House, 1999. ISBN 0-375-50231-9 ISBN 0-385-33496-6
* Harris, Robert and Paxman, Jeremy. ''A Higher Form of Killing : The Secret History of Chemical and Biological Warfare'', Random House, 2002. ISBN 0-8129-6653-8
* Barnaby, Wendy. ''The Plague Makers: The Secret World of Biological Warfare'', Frog Ltd, 1999. ISBN 1-883319-85-4 ISBN 0-7567-5698-7 ISBN 0-8264-1258-0 ISBN 0-8264-1415-X


⚫ === External links ===
*He also explained in genial smile: "''There's a possibility this could happen again. Because in a war, you have to win.''"
*{{cite web

| last = Ammenthorp
==Notes==
| first = Steen
⚫ <references/>
| url = http://www.generals.dk/general/Ishii/Shiro/Japan.html

| title = Ishii, Shiro
⚫ == External links ==
| work = The Generals of World War II
}}
*. 2001-01-21. *. 2001-01-21.
*. No date. *. No date.
Line 36: Line 67:
*. Doctors of Depravity *. Doctors of Depravity


==See also== ==Notes==
⚫ <references/>
⚫ * ]


{{DEFAULTSORT:Ishii, Shiro}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Ishii, Shiro}}

] ]
] ]
]
] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]


] ]

Revision as of 05:06, 10 November 2007

Shirō Ishii
General Shirō Ishii
AllegianceEmpire of Japan
Service / branch Imperial Japanese Army
Years of service1921 -1945
RankLieutenant General
CommandsUnit 731, Kwantung Army
Battles / warsSecond Sino-Japanese War
World War II

Template:Japanese name Shirō Ishii (石井四郎, Ishii Shirō, 25 June 1892 – 9 October 1959) was a microbiologist and the lieutenant general of Unit 731, a biological warfare unit of the Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War.

Biography

Ishii was born in the former Shibayama Village of Sanbu District in Chiba Prefecture, and studied medicine at Kyoto Imperial University. Although he was considered a selfish, pushy, and sometimes disturbed individual, he excelled in his studies, and in 1922 was assigned to the 1st Army Hospital and Army Medical School in Tokyo. There his work impressed his superiors enough to gain him, two years later, post-graduate medical schooling back at the Kyoto Imperial University.

Beginning in 1928, Ishii took a two-year tour of the West. In his travels, he did extensive research on the effects of biological warfare and chemical warfare developments from World War I onwards. It was a highly successful mission and helped win him the patronage of Sadao Araki, Minister of the Army.

In 1932, he began his preliminary experiments in biological warfare as a secret project for the Japanese military. In 1936, Unit 731 was formed. Ishii built a huge compound -- more than 150 buildings over six square kilometers -- outside the city of Harbin, China. The research was secret, and the cover story was that Unit 731 was engaged in water-purification work.

From 1940, Ishii was appointed Chief of the Biological Warfare Section of the Kwangtung Army, holding the post simultaneously with that of the Bacteriological Department of the Army Medical Academy.

In 1942, Ishii began field tests of germ warfare agents developed, and various methods of dispersion (i.e. via firearms, bombs etc.) both on Chinese prisoners of war and operationally on battlefields and against civilians in Chinese cities. Some historians estimate that tens of thousands died as a result of the bio-weapons (including bubonic plague, cholera, anthrax and others) deployed. His unit also conducted physiological experiments on human subjects, including vivisections, forced abortions, and simulated strokes and heart attacks.

From 1942-1945, Ishii was Chief of the Medical Section of the Japanese First Army

In 1945, in the final days of the Pacific War and in the face of imminent defeat, Japanese troops blew up the headquarters of Unit 731 in order to destroy evidence of the research done there. As part of the cover-up, Ishii ordered 150 remaining subjects killed. Between 3,000 and 10,000 test subjects　, which Ishii and his peers called maruta (丸太; "logs," a reference to their view of subjects being inert, expendable entities) eventually died at the hands of Unit 731.

Arrested by the American occupation authorities at the end of World War II, Ishii and Unit 731 leaders received immunity in 1946 from war-crimes prosecution in exchange for germ warfare data based on human experimentation. The deal was concluded two years later.

Ishii was never prosecuted of any war crimes, and died of throat cancer at the age of 67.

See also

References

Books

  • Barenblatt, Daniel. A Plague Upon Humanity: the Secret Genocide of Axis Japan's Germ Warfare Operation, HarperCollins, 2004. ISBN 0-06-018625-9
  • Gold, Hal. Unit 731 Testimony, Charles E Tuttle Co., 1996. ISBN 4-900737-39-9
  • Williams, Peter. Unit 731: Japan's Secret Biological Warfare in World War II, Free Press, 1989. ISBN 0-02-935301-7
  • Harris, Sheldon H. Factories of Death: Japanese Biological Warfare 1932-45 and the American Cover-Up, Routledge, 1994. ISBN 0-415-09105-5 ISBN 0-415-93214-9
  • Endicott, Stephen and Hagerman, Edward. The United States and Biological Warfare: Secrets from the Early Cold War and Korea, Indiana University Press, 1999. ISBN 0-253-33472-1
  • Handelman, Stephen and Alibek, Ken. Biohazard: The Chilling True Story of the Largest Covert Biological Weapons Program in the World--Told from Inside by the Man Who Ran It, Random House, 1999. ISBN 0-375-50231-9 ISBN 0-385-33496-6
  • Harris, Robert and Paxman, Jeremy. A Higher Form of Killing : The Secret History of Chemical and Biological Warfare, Random House, 2002. ISBN 0-8129-6653-8
  • Barnaby, Wendy. The Plague Makers: The Secret World of Biological Warfare, Frog Ltd, 1999. ISBN 1-883319-85-4 ISBN 0-7567-5698-7 ISBN 0-8264-1258-0 ISBN 0-8264-1415-X

External links

Notes

  1. Ammenthorp, The Generals of World War II
  2. Ammenthorp, The Generals of World War II
  3. "http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0510-24.htm An Ethical Blank Cheque: British and US mythology about the second world war ignores our own crimes and legitimises Anglo-American war making- the Guardian, May 10, 2005, by Richard Drayton
  4. Doctors of Depravity
Categories: