Evening star., 1948-12-22
Feared He Might Fail.


Hitler and Benito Mussolini re-
sponsibility for World War II and
shared also in the retribution that
came to the grim triumvirate in
defeat.
Mussolini died at the hands of
his enraged countrymen in Milan
and Hitler disappeared in the fam
ing ruins of Berlin. TOTO attempted
suicide, but recovered to await trial
and execution for war crimes.
Gen. Macarthur had ordered the
former Premier arrested and
brought to headquarters for ques-
tioning, along with 10 members CT
his cabinet who helped him insti-
gate the Pearl Harbor attack which
started the war in the Pacific.
Toto shot himself with a .32-cal-
iber automatic pistol. He wore his
full uniform of a general with six
rows Of ribbons on the tunic. Ex-
planning why he had not sought
death by the traditional hari-kiri
method, he was quoted by Domel,
the japanese news agency as say
ing:
Il wanted to kill myself at one
stroke. I first thought of using my
sword to kill myself, but instead I
used the revolver for fear I might
fail and survive"
Wounded Near the Heart.
In his first interview after the at
tempt at self-destruction, the
shaven- headed former Premier said
he had planned to kill himself for
g long time and when he saw Amer
ican officers outside his home he
knew the time had come The Of
fcers, hearing a shot, broke down
two doors and found him on the
floor, wounded near the heart.
The medical skill of American
doctors was utilized to save this
most priced prisoner in the Pacific.
TOTO lived because American blood,
donated by a sergeant who was a
veteran Of New Guinea and the
Philippines, flowed in his veins-the
same kind of blood he had caused
to be spilled across the Pacific as
war Premier. The sergeant said he
donated the blood so that TOTO
might get his just dues and suffer
for the II months he made me
spend in New Guinea"
The day after the suicide at
tempt Japanese reporters quoted
him as saying: u did not want to
stand before the victor to be tired
as the vanquished."
Rocket-like Career.
Toio's career was even more
rocket-like than those of his fel-
low dictators in Germany and
Italy, for its phase Of world fame
spanned less than three years.
But for a time he was dictator Of
a warlike nation which dominated
some half billion persons and
stretched from the Aleutians to
the Indian Ocean. Like the others
he lived to see his country utter
ly defeated, Inundated, devas-
tated.
During most Of Americas par
ticipation in the war he was the
personification Of the japanese
enemy, his name forever linked
with Pearl Harbor and the day
that will live in infamy."
Even after japan was beaten TOTO
opposed surrender and was believed
to have used his influence, in vain,
in efforts to keep Japan at war. One
of several conspirators who killed
the general commanding the I'M
perial bodyguards on the day OF
capitulation in an attempt to pre-
vent broadcasting of the news was
Tojo's son-in-law, Maj. Koga.
Choice of Militarists.
Toto, then a lieutenant general
was hardly known outside Japan
when he became Premier october II,
194l, little more than six weeks be-
fore Pearl Harbor. He succeeded
Prince Fuminaro Konoye, who never
could quite make up his vacillating
mind to go the whole way with the
war party. TOTO was the choice OF
the military clique to lead the en-
pire into war.
The scowling, bespectacled Tojo
was the first japanese premier to
retain his active military rank
authorized to do so by special act
of the Emperor-and at the height
of his career he was not only
premier but also. war minister, chief
of the army general staff, foreign
minister and munitions minister. No
other Japanese of modern times has
welded such power.
TOTO served for six months in 1885
as vice minister of war, became
minister of war in july. 1910, and