To Americans at war, Hideki Tojo epitomized all that was evil in Japan's ruling military clique. As the commander of the Imperial Army and Prime Minister (1941-43), he personally ordered the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor that provoked U.S. entry into World War II. This week, as Japan prepares to mark the 25th anniversary of its unconditional surrender in that war, the memory of Tojo has all but faded to most Americans and even to many Japanese.
In contrast to Hitler or Mussolini, Tojo's countrymen place no special blame on him for the start of Japan's most catastrophic military adventure....
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