Kenkichi Ueda | |
|---|---|
植田 謙吉 | |
 General Ueda Kenkichi | |
| Governor-General of Kwantung | |
| In office 6 March 1936 – 7 September 1939 | |
| Monarch | Shōwa |
| Prime Minister | Kōki Hirota |
| Preceded by | Jiro Minami |
| Succeeded by | Yoshijirō Umezu |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1875-03-08)8 March 1875 Osaka prefecture, Japan |
| Died | 11 September 1962(1962-09-11) (aged 87) |
| Alma mater | Army War College |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  Empire of Japan |
| Service |  Imperial Japanese Army |
| Years of service | 1898–1939 |
| Rank |  General |
| Commands | |
| Battles / wars | |
Kenkichi Ueda (植田 謙吉,Ueda Kenkichi, 8 March 1875 – 11 September 1962) was a general in theImperial Japanese Army during theSecond Sino-Japanese War. He played an active role in theSoviet-Japanese Border Wars of the late 1930s.
Born inOsaka prefecture, Ueda attended the predecessor ofHitotsubashi University and subsequently graduated from the 10th classImperial Japanese Army Academy in 1898, and the 21st class of theArmy Staff College in 1908. Although his specialization was infantry, he was assigned to the 9th Cavalry Brigade under theIJA 18th Division, and was later transferred to theIJA 16th Division. He remained in cavalry for the remainder of his career. Serving as a staff officer in theSiberian Expeditionary Army from 1918 to 1919, Ueda was promoted tocolonel in July 1919.
Assigned command of the IJA 1st Cavalry Regiment in 1923, Ueda was promoted tomajor general in 1924 and was assigned as commanding officer of the IJA 3rd Cavalry Brigade.
Promoted tolieutenant general in 1928, Ueda becamecommander-in-chief of theJapanese China Garrison Army from March 1929 to the end of December 1930. As commander of theIJA 9th Division from 1930 to 1932, his division was sent into combat during theFirst Shanghai incident; however, it failed to break the Chinese defenses and Ueda was withdrawn in disgrace and replaced by GeneralYoshinori Shirakawa'sIJA 11th Division.[1] Ueda was subsequently involved in much of the fighting against Chinese forces during theJapanese occupation of Manchuria. He was promoted to the honorific title of Junior FourthCourt Rank.[2]
Ueda lost a leg in the 29 April 1932 terror attack byKorean independence activistYoon Bong-Gil which killed his superior, General Yoshinori Shirakawa in Shanghai'sHongkou Park.
Despite his injury, Ueda remained on active service and returned to Japan to staff postings with theImperial Japanese Army General Staff, rising to the post of Vice Chief from 1933 to 1934. In 1934, Ueda became the commander-in-chief of theChosen Army inKorea. Promoted to full general on November 28, 1934, Ueda returned toManchukuo as commander-in-chief of theKwantung Army from 1936 to 1939. As commander, Ueda supported measures to suppress the illicit narcotics trade in Manchukuo and northern China.[3]
In 1939, he also held the post of ambassador of Japan to Manchukuo and was a member of theSupreme War Council.[4]
A strong believer in the “Strike North” orHokushin-ron policy that Japan's main enemy wascommunism and that Japan's destiny laid in conquest of the natural resources of the sparsely populated north Asian mainland, Ueda supported the unauthorized aggressive actions initiated by staff and field officers on theSoviet border with Manchukuo andMongolia which led to theSoviet–Japanese border conflicts with heavy fighting and high casualties against Soviet forces aroundNomonhan between May and August 1939.[5] Despite the disastrous results of the battles againstSoviet forces, Ueda remained adamant in his support of thehokushin-ron policy and refused to discourage his officers from taking similar actions. He was recalled back to Japan in late-1939 and forced into retirement.
Retiring from public life, Ueda lived quietly throughWorld War II. In the postwar era, he served as honorary chairman of various veterans associations and died in 1962.
Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred Treasure
Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun
Order of the Golden Kite, 3rd class