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{{Short description|Japanese general (1886–1965)}}
{{Infobox military person
|name=Masakazu Kawabe
[[ja:|native_name=河辺 正三]]▼
|lived= December 5, 1886 - {{Death date and age|1965|03|02|1886|12|05}}▼
|native_name_lang=jpn
|birth_place=[[Toyama prefecture]], [[Japan]]▼
|birth_date= {{birth date|1886|12|05}}
▲|liveddeath_date= December 5, 1886 - {{Death date and age|1965|03|02|1886|12|05}}
▲|birth_place=[[Toyama prefecturePrefecture]], [[Japan]]
|death_place=
|image=[[ImageFile:Kawabe Masakazu Kawabe.jpg|180px]]
|image_size=
|caption=General Masakazu Kawabe
|nickname=
|allegiance=[[{{flag|Empire of Japan]]}}
|branch={{army|Empire of Japan}}
|branch=[[Image:War flag of the Imperial Japanese Army.svg|22x20px|border]] [[Imperial Japanese Army]]
|serviceyears=1907 -19451907–1945
|rank=[[File:帝國陸軍の階級―襟章―大将.svg|35px]] [[General]]
|commands=
|commands= North China Area Army, Central China Expeditionary Army, Inspector-General of Military Training, IJA 12th Division, Burma Area Army, Central District Army
{{plainlist|
|unit=▼
*[[12th Division (Imperial Japanese Army)|12th Division]]
|battles= [[Second Sino-Japanese War]]<br>[[World War II]]▼
*[[Third Army (Japan)|Third Army]]
*[[Burma Area Army]]
}}▼
▲|unit=
|battles=
{{plainlist|
▲|battles= *[[Second Sino-Japanese War]]<br>[[World War II]]
*[[World War II]]
}}▼
|awards=
|family=
|laterwork=
}}
{{nihongo|''' Masakazu Kawabe'''|河辺 正三| Kawabe Masakazu|extra= 5 December 1886 -– 2 March 1965}} was a general in the [[Imperial Japanese Army]]. He held important commands in the Imperial Japanese Army during the [[Second Sino-Japanese War]], and during [[World War II]] in the [[Burma Campaign]] and defense of the Japanese homeland late in the war. He was also the elder brother of General [[TorashiroTorashirō Kawabe]].▼
{{Japanese name|Kawabe}}
▲{{nihongo|''' Masakazu Kawabe'''|河辺 正三| Kawabe Masakazu|extra= 5 December 1886 - 2 March 1965}} was a general in the [[Imperial Japanese Army]]. He held important commands in the Imperial Japanese Army during the [[Second Sino-Japanese War]], and during [[World War II]] in the [[Burma Campaign]] and defense of the Japanese homeland late in the war. He was also the elder brother of General [[Torashiro Kawabe]].
==Biography==
===Early career===
A native of [[Toyama prefecture]], Kawabe graduated from the 19th class of the [[Imperial Japanese Army Academy]] in 1907 and the 27th class of the [[Army War College (Japan)|Army Staff College]] in 1915. From 1927–19291927 to 1929, he served as an instructor at the War College. He was then assigned as a [[military attaché]] to [[Switzerland]] from 1918–19211918 to 1921 and to [[Berlin]], [[Germany]] from 1929- to 1932. Promoted to [[infantry]] [[colonel]] in 1932, he served in a number of staff assignments on his return to Japan, before being assigned command of the IJA 6th Infantry Regiment from 1932–19331932 to 1933.<ref>Ammenthorp, The Generals of World War II</ref>
Kawabe went on to be Commandant of the Infantry School from 1933–19341933 to 1934, and was Chief of 1st Section within the [[Inspectorate General of Military Training]] from 1934- to 1936. He was promoted to [[major general]] in 1936 as well.
===Second Sino-Japanese War===
At the beginning of the [[Second Sino-Japanese War]] Kawabe was sent to China to take command of the Permanent China Brigade, which had been involved in the [[Marco Polo Bridge Incident]]. As the war expanded he was made Deputy [[Chief of staff (military)|Chief of Staff]] of the [[North China Area Army]] from 26 August 1937 until 14 April 1938 when he became Chief of Staff [[Central China Expeditionary Army]] from 15 February 1938 –to 31 January 1939.
Kawabe was promoted to [[lieutenant general]] in March 1939. During his time in China, he was involved in the [[Battle of Xuzhou]], [[Northern and Eastern Honan 1938|Northern and Eastern Honan]], [[Battle of Wuhan]], [[Canton Operation]], [[Battle of Nanchang]], [[Battle of Suixian-Zaoyang]], [[Battle of Changsha (1939)]], and the [[1939-40 Winter Offensive]]. From 12 September 1939 to 14 October 1940 Kawabe was recalled to Japan, and held the powerful post of [[Inspectorate General of Military Training|Inspector-General of Military Training]]. However, he returned to China as [[commander in chief]] of the [[IJA 12th Division]] in March 1940, serving under the [[Kwantung Army]]. Promoted to commander in chief of the [[Japanese Third Army|IJA 3rd Army]] in March 1941, he subsequently was Chief of Staff of the [[China Expeditionary Army]] from 17 August 1942 to 18 March 1943.
From 12 September 1939 – 14 October 1940 Kawabe was recalled to Japan, and held the powerful post of [[Inspectorate General of Military Training|Inspector-General of Military Training]].
However, he returned to China as [[commander in chief]] of the [[IJA 12th Division]] in March 1940, serving under the [[Kwantung Army]]. Promoted to commander in chief of the [[Japanese Third Army|IJA 3rd Army]] in March 1941, he subsequently was Chief of Staff of the [[China Expeditionary Army]] from 17 August 1942 to 18 March 1943.
===Pacific War===
[[File:General Masakazu Kawabe.png|thumb|left|General Masakazu Kawabe with Burmese leaders during his time as commander of the Japanese Burma Area Army, Rangoon 1943.]]
In March 1943, Kawabe was transferred to the southern front as Commander in Chief of the [[Burma Area Army]]. Arriving in [[Burma]] he was convinced to support [[Renya Mutaguchi]], commander of the [[Japanese Fifteenth Army|15th Army]] and an old comrade-in-arms, in his plans for a [[pre-emptive attack]] against [[United Kingdom|British]] forces at [[Imphal]]. The goal of this offensive was to disrupt the [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] build-up in that area, and perhaps, if all went well, make way for an invasion of [[Assam]] and [[British India]]. This plan was strongly opposed by most of Kawabe’sKawabe's commanders as well as [[Masazumi Inada]], Vice-Chief of Staff of the [[Southern Expeditionary Army]] based in [[Singapore]]. Especially the difficult supply situation was thought to be a major obstacle. However, in October 1943, Inada was removed from his position due to of a diplomatic incident with [[Thailand]] and in December the plan was approved by General [[Hisaichi Terauchi]] and [[Prime Minister of Japan|Prime Minister]] [[Hideki Tōjō]] on the understanding the operation would be a purely defensive one.<ref>Budge, The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia</ref>
Mutaguchi’sMutaguchi's plan was a tremendous disaster for the Japanese army, resulting in the highest casualties of any operation in the entire war, and the loss of Burma. During the later stages of this offensive, Kawabe was bedridden with [[amoebic dysentery]]. Kawabe was relieved by General [[HeitaroHeitarō Kimura]] on 30 August 1944 and returned to Japan.<ref>Hayashi, Kogun The Japanese Army in the Pacific War</ref>
Kawabe served for a short time on the [[Supreme War Council (Japan)|Supreme War Council]]. In the final stages of the war, experienced commanders were needed to organize the defenses of hethe Japanese home islands. Kawabe became Commander in Chief of the [[Central Army District Army]] on 1 December 1944, he also became Commander in Chief of the [[Japanese Fifteenth Area Army|15th Area Army]] from its formation on 1 February 1945 to 7 April 1945. Kawabe was promoted to full [[general]] in March 1945. On 8 April 1945 he took command of [[Air General Army]], consisting of the remaining air units in Japan, [[Korea]] and [[Okinawa Island|Okinawa]], for the final defense of Japan against the anticipated Allied invasion.
After the [[surrender of Japan]], Kawabe was retained by the [[Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers|SCAP occupation authoririesauthorities]] to assist with the [[demobilization]] of the Japanese military, replacing [[Kenji Doihara]] after the latter was arrested and tried for war crimes. Kawabe retired at the end of 1945 and died 20 years later.<ref>Fuller, Shokan Hirohito's Samurai</ref>
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==References==
===Books===
*{{cite book | last = Fuller | first = Richard | coauthors = | year = 1992 | title = Shokan: Hirohito's Samurai | publisher = Arms and Armor | location = London | isbn = 1-85409-151-4 | url-access = registration | url = https://archive.org/details/shokanhirohitoss00full }}
*{{cite book | last = Hayashi | first = Saburo | coauthors author2= Cox, Alvin D | year = 1959 | title = Kogun: The Japanese Army in the Pacific War | publisher = The Marine Corps Association | location = Quantico, VA | id =Virginia }}▼
▲}}
▲*{{cite book | last = Hayashi | first = Saburo | coauthors = Cox, Alvin D | year = 1959 | title = Kogun: The Japanese Army in the Pacific War | publisher = The Marine Corps Association | location = Quantico, VA | id = }}
===External links===
*{{cite web| last = Ammenthorp| first = Steen| url = http://www.generals.dk/general/Kawabe/Masakasu/Japan.html| title = Kawabe Masakazu| work = The Generals of World War II}}
*{{cite webencyclopedia| last = Budge| first = Kent| url = http://pwencycl.kgbudge.com/index.htm| title = Kawabe, Masakazu| workencyclopedia = Pacific War Online Encyclopedia}}
*[http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Myanmar.htm World Statesmen - Myanmar (Burma)]
== Notes ==
{{reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
| NAME = Kawabe, Masakazu
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH = 5 December 1886
| PLACE OF BIRTH = [[Toyama prefecture]], [[Japan]]
| DATE OF DEATH = 2 March 1965
| PLACE OF DEATH =
▲}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kawabe, Masakazu}}
[[Category:Imperial Japanese Army generals of World War II]]
[[Category:Japanese generals]]
[[Category:Japanese military personnel of World War II]]
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[[Category:1886 births]]
[[Category:1965 deaths]]
[[Category:Burma in World War II]]
[[Category:Japanese military attachés]]
[[fr:Masakazu Kawabe]]
▲[[ja:河辺正三]]
[[ru:Кавабэ, Масакадзу]]
[[zh:河边正三]]
| 
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