Fate of Top Officials of Imperial Japan
4 Episodes
From China to the Philippines, Japan’s expansion was guided by powerful officials who commanded armies and enabled atrocities. Who were the men at the heart of Japan’s empire? This collection uncovers the fate of Imperial Japan’s top officials—generals, princes, and strategists who fueled aggression across Asia and the Pacific. From orchestrating invasions to facing postwar tribunals, their rise and downfall reveal how ambition, ideology, and war crimes shaped history.
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Japanese General Behind the Bataan Death March of U.S. Soldiers: Masaharu Homma
Episode 1
Once known as Japan’s “Poet Shogun,” General Masaharu Homma commanded the Bataan Death March, a 65-mile forced transfer of 75,000 American and Filipino prisoners in 1942. Thousands died from starvation, disease, and brutality. Witness how a man once respected as a diplomat became known as the “Be...
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The Royal Behind the Nanjing Massacre: Japanese Prince Yasuhiko Asaka
Episode 2
Prince Yasuhiko Asaka was no ordinary soldier—he was royalty. In 1937, Prince Asaka commanded Japanese troops during the infamous Nanjing Massacre, where as many as 300,000 civilians and unarmed soldiers were killed. Despite eyewitness accounts of his orders to “kill all captives,” Asaka was neve...
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Japanese General Turned World’s Most Powerful Drug Trafficker: Kenji Doihara
Episode 3
Kenji Doihara, known as Japan’s “Lawrence of Manchuria,” was the mastermind behind Japan’s invasion of Manchuria, which he turned into a vast opium empire. As head of the Japanese secret service in China, he spread addiction, crime, and terror—enslaving millions and creating a sprawling criminal ...
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Japanese General Behind Japan’s WWII Massacres: Akira Mutō
Episode 4
He was educated in Japan’s most prestigious military institutions, but Akira Mutō used his skills to wage a campaign of mass murder. He was one of Japan’s most ruthless WWII generals, responsible for the Nanjing Massacre and the Manila Massacre, where hundreds of thousands were murdered. From his...