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Warlord
Traces the life of Japan's wartime prime minister, describes the nature of his war crimes, and discusses his outlook on world affairs
254 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 1991
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About the author
Edwin P. Hoyt
237 books30 followersEdwin P. Hoyt was a prolific American writer who specialized in military history. He was born in Portland, Oregon to the publisher Edwin Palmer Hoyt (1897–1979) and his wife, the former Cecile DeVore (1901–1970). A younger brother, Charles Richard, was born in 1928. Hoyt attended the University of Oregon from 1940 to 1943.
In 1943, Hoyt's father, then the editor and publisher of The Oregonian, was appointed by President Franklin Roosevelt as the director of the Domestic Branch, Office of War Information. The younger Hoyt served with the Office of War Information during World War II, from 1943 to 1945. In 1945 and 1946, he served as a foreign correspondent for The Denver Post (of which his father became editor and publisher in 1946) and the United Press, reporting from locations in China, Thailand, Burma, India, the Middle East, Europe, North Africa, and Korea.
Edwin Hoyt subsequently worked as an ABC broadcaster, covering the 1948 revolution in Czechoslovakia and the Arab-Israeli conflict. From 1949 to 1951, he was the editor of the editorial page at The Denver Post. He was the editor and publisher of the Colorado Springs Free Press from 1951 to 1955, and an associate editor of Collier's Weekly in New York from 1955 to 1956. In 1957 he was a television producer and writer-director at CBS, and in 1958 he was an assistant publisher of American Heritage magazine in New York.
Starting in 1958, Hoyt became a writer full-time, and for a few years (1976 to 1980) served as a part-time lecturer at the University of Hawaii. In the 40 years since his first publication in 1960, he produced nearly 200 published works.
While Hoyt wrote about 20 novels (many published under pseudonyms Christopher Martin and Cabot L. Forbes) the vast majority of his works are biographies and other forms of non-fiction, with a heavy emphasis on World War II military history.
Hoyt died in Tokyo, Japan on July 29, 2005, after a prolonged illness. He was survived by his wife Hiroko, of Tokyo, and three children, Diana, Helga, and Christopher, all residing in the U.S.
In 1943, Hoyt's father, then the editor and publisher of The Oregonian, was appointed by President Franklin Roosevelt as the director of the Domestic Branch, Office of War Information. The younger Hoyt served with the Office of War Information during World War II, from 1943 to 1945. In 1945 and 1946, he served as a foreign correspondent for The Denver Post (of which his father became editor and publisher in 1946) and the United Press, reporting from locations in China, Thailand, Burma, India, the Middle East, Europe, North Africa, and Korea.
Edwin Hoyt subsequently worked as an ABC broadcaster, covering the 1948 revolution in Czechoslovakia and the Arab-Israeli conflict. From 1949 to 1951, he was the editor of the editorial page at The Denver Post. He was the editor and publisher of the Colorado Springs Free Press from 1951 to 1955, and an associate editor of Collier's Weekly in New York from 1955 to 1956. In 1957 he was a television producer and writer-director at CBS, and in 1958 he was an assistant publisher of American Heritage magazine in New York.
Starting in 1958, Hoyt became a writer full-time, and for a few years (1976 to 1980) served as a part-time lecturer at the University of Hawaii. In the 40 years since his first publication in 1960, he produced nearly 200 published works.
While Hoyt wrote about 20 novels (many published under pseudonyms Christopher Martin and Cabot L. Forbes) the vast majority of his works are biographies and other forms of non-fiction, with a heavy emphasis on World War II military history.
Hoyt died in Tokyo, Japan on July 29, 2005, after a prolonged illness. He was survived by his wife Hiroko, of Tokyo, and three children, Diana, Helga, and Christopher, all residing in the U.S.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 8, 2016
A very well-researched and broad assessment of the life and escapades of Japanese Prime Minister (during most of WWII), Hideki Tojo. Not only does it track Tojo's rise from his days as a member of the Kempeitai to War Minister to his short lived year as an effective dictator, but it also views the relevant lateral events in relation to Japan's place in the war and its relations with enemies, allies, and puppet governments. The minutiae of details is sometimes overwhelming as it attempts to draw the history deeper and deeper until occasionally, it reaches the point of frivolousness and triviality.
Though you may be inclined to think otherwise, this book does not set out in hopes of calumniating either Tojo or the cause of Japan in their mythical Greater Eastern Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. For example, Prince Kaya of the Imperial Family (in April, 1944) blamed Tojo for the fall of Guadalcanal, due to Kaya's belief that Tojo refused to send any more supplies to the troops stationed there. As the book correctly points out, the criticism is a facile one as the Americans (by 1942) had achieved air superiority at Guadalcanal and even if supply ships made it to the area, more often than not, the Americans sunk them. Because of this, had Tojo attempted to resupply Guadalcanal, it likely would have been an exercise in futility. In many other instances though, Hoyt (the author) calls Tojo out for his lack of competence in regards to crucial military strategy.
Overall, I found the book to be an important one - telling a tale often forgotten in the wake of all the other monsters and monstrosities involved in WWII. Though it is occasionally overly concerned with the details, there are many among us, I'm sure, who will appreciate the wide breadth of content. The reader will not come out of this book caring for Tojo, sympathizing with his cause, or even hating him - but the reader will come out with a better understanding of how a military such as the morally bankrupt Imperial Japan could commit the atrocities it did and how inaction and ambivalence on the part of the government (both Tojo and Hirohito) facilitated it. It's a must read for historical junkies or those interested in WWII military history.
Though you may be inclined to think otherwise, this book does not set out in hopes of calumniating either Tojo or the cause of Japan in their mythical Greater Eastern Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. For example, Prince Kaya of the Imperial Family (in April, 1944) blamed Tojo for the fall of Guadalcanal, due to Kaya's belief that Tojo refused to send any more supplies to the troops stationed there. As the book correctly points out, the criticism is a facile one as the Americans (by 1942) had achieved air superiority at Guadalcanal and even if supply ships made it to the area, more often than not, the Americans sunk them. Because of this, had Tojo attempted to resupply Guadalcanal, it likely would have been an exercise in futility. In many other instances though, Hoyt (the author) calls Tojo out for his lack of competence in regards to crucial military strategy.
Overall, I found the book to be an important one - telling a tale often forgotten in the wake of all the other monsters and monstrosities involved in WWII. Though it is occasionally overly concerned with the details, there are many among us, I'm sure, who will appreciate the wide breadth of content. The reader will not come out of this book caring for Tojo, sympathizing with his cause, or even hating him - but the reader will come out with a better understanding of how a military such as the morally bankrupt Imperial Japan could commit the atrocities it did and how inaction and ambivalence on the part of the government (both Tojo and Hirohito) facilitated it. It's a must read for historical junkies or those interested in WWII military history.
February 24, 2021
Adolf Hitler. Benito Mussolini. When we think about the Axis dictators of World War II, those two names always come to mind. Yet, when it comes to Japan, we are a little more divided. Some will think of Emperor Shōwa, of course, yet others will think of General Hideki Tojo.
This book, as its name implies, centers on the latter. The reader follows Tojo's rise to power, and we are shown how Japan was quite different from Germany and Italy; power was not concentrated in the hands of one person, and more of a very, very flawed system that was doomed to fail its nation. Imperial Japan is known to have committed a great many human rights abuses in the name of Asian liberation, and we see how an army unwilling to be controlled was so complacent in that. Tojo is hardly blameless as he ignored so many glaring issues, and the reader watches how his lack of action ultimately leads to his downfall, which would change Japan. I really like how Hoyt chronicles the war in Japan as we get to see how the 'Great Japanese Empire' goes from a fearsome, powerful force, to waiting for when the war ends. The reader will feel frustrated with the Imperial Japanese Army on many occasions, but well, this is history. We all know how it ends.
While I'm not taking stars off for this, I will point something out: Hoyt mentions a city in Japan called 'Yatiaska.' Not only does that name not sound Japanese (it would have to be spelled ヤティアスカ, which would never be the name of a native Japanese city), but looking the city up on Google leads to no results (only this book shows up). I'm perplexed as to what Hoyt meant and how no one noticed this.
This book, as its name implies, centers on the latter. The reader follows Tojo's rise to power, and we are shown how Japan was quite different from Germany and Italy; power was not concentrated in the hands of one person, and more of a very, very flawed system that was doomed to fail its nation. Imperial Japan is known to have committed a great many human rights abuses in the name of Asian liberation, and we see how an army unwilling to be controlled was so complacent in that. Tojo is hardly blameless as he ignored so many glaring issues, and the reader watches how his lack of action ultimately leads to his downfall, which would change Japan. I really like how Hoyt chronicles the war in Japan as we get to see how the 'Great Japanese Empire' goes from a fearsome, powerful force, to waiting for when the war ends. The reader will feel frustrated with the Imperial Japanese Army on many occasions, but well, this is history. We all know how it ends.
While I'm not taking stars off for this, I will point something out: Hoyt mentions a city in Japan called 'Yatiaska.' Not only does that name not sound Japanese (it would have to be spelled ヤティアスカ, which would never be the name of a native Japanese city), but looking the city up on Google leads to no results (only this book shows up). I'm perplexed as to what Hoyt meant and how no one noticed this.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews