Suzuki Keiji ( Japanese 鈴木 敬 司 Keiji Suzuki , February 6, 1897 - September 20, 1967 ) - intelligence officer of the Imperial Army of Japan , Major General. He participated in the organization of the pro-Japanese Army of Independence of Burma and advocated the independence of Burma, for which he received the nickname "Lawrence of Arabia from Japan" [1] [2] . Among the Burmese, it is also known as the "Lightning-fast Commander" [3] .
| Suzuki Keiji | |
|---|---|
| jap. 鈴木 敬 司 | |
 | |
| Nickname | Lawrence of Arabia from Japan , Lightning Fast Commander |
| Nickname | Minami Masuyo |
| Date of Birth | February 6, 1897 |
| Place of Birth | Shizuoka , Japan Empire |
| Date of death | September 20, 1967 (aged 70) |
| Affiliation |  Japan empire |
| Type of army | intelligence, infantry |
| Years of service | 1918-1945 |
| Rank | major general |
| Part | Taiwan army |
| Commanded | Southern Spy Network |
| Battles / wars | World War II ( Japanese occupation of Burma ) |
Biography
He graduated from the Military Academy of the Imperial Army in 1918, as an infantry officer. He also studied at the Higher Military Academy , in 1929 began to engage in illegal intelligence in the Philippines , specialized in the actions of the British and American governments [4] . Officially held a position in the transport department of the General Staff, but also trained at the Nakano secret intelligence and sabotage school engaged in subversive activities on the Burmese road [1] [4] .
In the 1930s, Suzuki, while in Bangkok , recruited a group of Burmese underground workers. His network has become the core of the Minami Kikan spy organization ( 南 機関 ). He collaborated closely with a group of nationalist students and workers called Takhins ". In 1940, he secretly made his way to Rangoon with the help of his local liaisons, entering as a journalist named Minami Masuyo [1] [5] . In 1941, the General Staff of the Imperial Army of Japan ordered him to create a Burmese army loyal to the Japanese, for which a group of 30 people was assembled led by Aung San , Wu Ne Win and Bo Let Yo, and thus the Burmese Independence Army appeared [6] . However, in 1942, the commander of the Japanese forces, Lieutenant General Shijiro Iida criticized a similar idea and succeeded not only in sending Suzuki back to Japan, but also transferred the leadership of the Burmese army personally to Aung San , the actual leader of the puppet State of Burma [7] . Upon returning to Tokyo, Suzuki became the head of the transportation department [8] .
In Burma, he bore the name "Bo Mogieu", which meant "Lightning-fast commander" - the Burmese compared it with lightning, which could help people overthrow the British colonial authorities, called contemptuously "umbrella". Among the people, rumors were circulating about him about a connection with Prince Mueing Ming of the Burmese royal family and participation in certain bloodthirsty rituals [6] [9] . However, Wu Ne Win in 1967, after his death, spoke respectfully of Suzuki as a person who contributed to the victory of the Burmese independence movement [4] .
Notes
- ↑ 1 2 3 Bayly, Harper, 2005 , p. 8-9.
- ↑ Maw, 1968 , p. 111.
- ↑ Rettig, Hack, 2005 , p. 205.
- ↑ 1 2 3 Mercado, 2003 , p. 315.
- ↑ Farquharson, 2004 , p. 24.
- ↑ 1 2 Seekins, 2007 , p. 178.
- ↑ Henny, Lehmann, 2013 , p. 233.
- ↑ Man, 2013 , p. 268-272.
- ↑ Lebra, 2010 , p. 47.
Literature
- Christopher Bayly, Timothy Norman Harper. Forgotten Armies: The Fall of British Asia, 1941-1945 . - Harvard University Press, 2005. - ISBN 978-0-674-01748-1 .
- Ba Maw. Breakthrough in Burma . - Yale University Press, 1968.
- Tobias Rettig, Karl Hack. Colonial Armies in Southeast Asia . - Routledge, 2005. - ISBN 978-1-134-31476-8 .
- Stephen C. Mercado. The Shadow Warriors of Nakano: A History of the Imperial Japanese Army's Elite Intelligence School . - Potomac Books, Inc., 2003. - ISBN 978-1-61234-217-7 .
- Robert H. Farquharson. For Your Tomorrow: Canadians and the Burma Campaign, 1941-1945 . - Trafford, 2004 .-- ISBN 978-1-4120-1536-3 .
- Donald M. Seekins. Burma and Japan Since 1940: From 'co-prosperity' to 'quiet Dialogue' . - NIAS Press, 2007 .-- ISBN 978-87-7694-017-1 .
- Sue Henny, Jean-Pierre Lehmann. Themes and Theories in Modern Japanese History: Essays in Memory of Richard Storry . - A&C Black, 2013 .-- ISBN 978-1-78093-971-1 .
- John Man Ninja: 1000 Years of the Shadow Warriors. - Corgi, 2013 .-- ISBN 9780552165341 .
- Joyce Lebra. Japanese-trained Armies in Southeast Asia . - Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, 2010. - ISBN 978-981-4279-44-4 .