1. Early Life and Education
Rikichi Tsukada was born in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, on December 15, 1892. He pursued a military education, a common path for young men in the era of Imperial Japan. In May 1916, he graduated from the 28th class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy, an institution fundamental for training officers for the army. Following his graduation, he was commissioned as an infantry second lieutenant in December of the same year. He continued his advanced military studies at the prestigious Army Staff College, graduating from its 36th class in November 1924.
2. Military Career
Rikichi Tsukada's military career was characterized by a progression through various roles, from infantry to the emerging air service, culminating in high command during significant wartime operations.
2.1. Early Service and Branch Transfer
Upon graduating from the Army Staff College, Tsukada was assigned to administrative work within the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Office, specifically in the military requirements section. This early experience in a central command body provided him with insights into military planning and logistics. Later in his career, he underwent a significant change in his military specialization, transferring to the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service. This move reflected the growing importance of air power in modern warfare. In March 1933, he was appointed as an instructor at the Hamamatsu Army Flight School, a key institution for developing Japan's air capabilities.
2.2. Sino-Japanese War and Pacific War Eras
Tsukada's career gained prominence with the onset of large-scale conflicts, leading to his involvement in both the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Pacific War.
2.2.1. Sino-Japanese War Participation and Key Appointments
Tsukada's involvement in the Second Sino-Japanese War began early. In May 1936, he was attached to the staff of the Japanese China Garrison Army, which was the primary Japanese military force stationed in northern China. With the outbreak of the war, he served as the chief intelligence officer for the Japanese Northern China Area Army, playing a crucial role in information gathering and strategic analysis in the expanding conflict. His contributions led to his promotion to colonel in the air service in March 1938. By June of the same year, he was appointed commander of the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service 7th Air Regiment. In December 1939, he was transferred to become the chief-of-staff of the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service First Air Brigade. In August 1941, he was promoted to major general, marking his entry into the Pacific War as a high-ranking officer.
2.2.2. Pacific War Major Activities and Philippines Campaign
As the Pacific War intensified, Tsukada continued to assume critical roles. In April 1942, he became the commander of the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service 3rd Air Division. His responsibilities expanded further in February 1944 when he was appointed chief-of-staff of the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service Third Air Force. Demonstrating his expertise in airborne operations, he later served as the head of airborne training, contributing to the development of Japan's paratrooper forces.
In November 1944, Tsukada was appointed commander of the 1st Teishin Shudan, which was Japan's elite airborne group. Subsequently, in January 1945, he was given command of the 30,000-man Kenbu force, a key Japanese defensive unit during the Philippines campaign. His primary mission was to defend central Luzon and Clark Field against the advancing American forces. During this fierce campaign, a specialized component of his command, the 750-man 2nd Raiding Brigade, operated as an elite commando force. This brigade was tasked with attacking American air bases on Luzon and Leyte, inflicting numerous casualties before being almost entirely annihilated. In March 1945, Tsukada was promoted to lieutenant general. However, by early April, his command had been largely annihilated, and he subsequently issued orders for his remaining men to continue fighting as independent guerrilla units in the mountains west of Clark Field. The Alamo Scouts of the Sixth United States Army were assigned the task of capturing him, but he managed to evade them. He eventually surrendered to the Allied forces after the capitulation of Japan.
3. Post-War Life and Death
Following the end of World War II, Rikichi Tsukada's life took a different turn, marked by the accountability processes of the post-war era and his eventual death.
3.1. Surrender and Post-War Status
After Japan's capitulation in August 1945, Rikichi Tsukada, having evaded capture by the Alamo Scouts during the final stages of the Philippines campaign, eventually surrendered to the Allied forces. In the aftermath of the war, efforts were made to identify and address individuals who had held significant positions within the wartime Japanese government and military. On November 28, 1947, Tsukada was provisionally designated for a public office purge. This designation aimed to remove individuals deemed responsible for wartime actions or maintaining the militaristic regime from holding any public office, reflecting a broader societal effort to dismantle the structures of the former Imperial system.
3.2. Death
Rikichi Tsukada died on May 19, 1958, at the age of 65.
4. Assessment and Legacy
Rikichi Tsukada's legacy is viewed through the dual lenses of his military contributions and the broader historical context of the Imperial Japanese Army's actions during a period of aggressive expansion.
4.1. Military Leadership and Contributions
As a military officer, Tsukada demonstrated competence in various command and staff roles throughout his career. His early transition to the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service and subsequent appointments as an instructor and commander within air units suggest his recognition of and contribution to the burgeoning field of military aviation. His leadership during the Philippines campaign, particularly as the commander of the 30,000-man Kenbu force, highlights his role in significant defensive operations under challenging circumstances. The fact that he ordered his remaining men to fight as independent guerrilla units in the mountains after his command was largely annihilated underscores his commitment to continuing resistance, even in a losing effort.
4.2. Criticism and Controversies
Despite his military service, Tsukada's career is inevitably scrutinized within the context of the Imperial Japanese Army's role in a war of aggression. His involvement as a high-ranking officer in the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Pacific War places him directly within the military apparatus responsible for widespread conflict and its devastating human cost. The provisional designation for a public office purge that he received in the post-war period serves as a formal acknowledgment of his role within a system deemed problematic by the Allied powers and the post-war Japanese government. This designation reflected a societal attempt to hold accountable those who held significant power and contributed to the wartime regime. The severe casualties inflicted by units under his command, such as the 2nd Raiding Brigade in the Philippines campaign which was ultimately annihilated, also underscore the high human cost and often devastating outcomes of the military strategies employed by the Imperial Japanese Army during this era.