Prelude
A group of young officers including Nonaka Shirō, Kōda Kiyosada, Muranaka Takaji, Andō Teruzō, Isobe Asaichi, and Kurihara Yasuhide sympathized with the ideas of “the Shōwa Restoration” and “Revere the Emperor, Expel the Evils" as recorded in "An Outline Plan for the Reorganization of Japan" (日本改造法案大綱, Nihon Kaizō Hōan Taikō, written by Kita Ikki, a nationalistic socialist). They advocated the urge to solve social problems such as political corruption between politicians and big zaibatsu companies, and the effects of the Great Depression. The Army condemned these ideas as dangerous and had kempeitai military policemen monitor the group of officers.
Previous to the February 26 Incident, young activist Naval officers had assassinated Prime Minister Inukai Tsuyoshi in the May 15 Incident of 1932. They were sentenced to a maximum of 15 years in prison, and it is said that the perception of light punishments encouraged soldiers and officers to participate in the February 26 Incident. One difference, nonetheless, between the incidents was that, during the May 15 incident, Sub Lieutenant Koga Kiyoshi and others took direct action but did not involve Imperial soldiers—only cadets, Naval officers, and civilians.
Following this was the Military Academy Incident in 1934, another attempt at a coup. Two officers involved (Isobe and Muranaka) were suspended (and later dismissed) from the Army. This caused some young officers to distrust their superiors, and on August 12, 1935, Lt. Colonel Aizawa Saburō killed Major General Nagata Tetsuzan who was the Bureau Chief of Military Affairs of the Army, in what became known as the Aizawa Incident.
Many of the young officers involved in the February 26 Incident belonged to 1st Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Regiment, and 3rd Infantry Regiment of Imperial Guards, garrisoned in Tokyo. Army leaders decided to send the 1st Infantry Regiment to Manchuria to discourage “the Shōwa Restoration”. The activists in the Regiment decided to take direct action in the early morning on February 26, 1936, before they were to depart for Manchuria.
Cautious officers like Captain Yamaguchi Ichitarō, non Kita Ikki members and Nishida Mitsugi warned that it was too early to carry out the rebellion, but the incident went ahead without their involvement.
Read more about this topic: February 26 Incident
Famous quotes containing the word prelude:
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