With 1.05 Million Troops at His Command, What Was Ningji Okamura’s First Reaction Upon Hearing of Japan’s Surrender?

In 1966, Ningji Okamura Died Suddenly of a Heart Attack at the Age of 82

In 1945, following Japan’s surrender, Ningji Okamura experienced a rollercoaster of emotions.

For Okamura, perhaps the most disheartened by Japan’s surrender, the timing was cruel. He was poised to make significant military achievements in China to earn accolades from the Emperor, boasting a formidable force of 1.05 million troops under his command. Unexpectedly, Japan surrendered without prior indication.

Later, when Okamura, infamous for his notorious deeds, heard of his exoneration, he was incredulous yet visibly overjoyed. This prompted him not to waste his 1.05 million troops and spurred a new idea.

1. Diverting Disaster Eastward

Okamura had foreseen Japan’s surrender. Advised by his peers not to push too hard since surrender was inevitable, he remained undeterred.

“Continue the fight!” he commanded his soldiers.

As the commander of the Japanese North China Area Army, Okamura would never choose to surrender if he had any say. But neither he nor Japan had a choice. By the eve of the surrender, Japan was…