Japanese Military Commander-In-

Chief:

Isoroku Yamamoto

Main Life Accomplishments:

Was a Fleet Admiral (Gensui) and Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Fleet during World War II, graduate of Imperial Japanese Naval Academy and alumnus of the U.S. Naval War College and Harvard University (1919–1921).

Yamamoto held several important posts in the Imperial Japanese Navy, and undertook many of its changes and reorganizations, especially its development of naval aviation. He was the commander-in-chief during the decisive early years of the Pacific War and was so responsible for major battles such as Pearl Harbor and Midway. He died during an inspection tour of forward positions in the Solomon Islands when his transport aircraft was ambushed by American P-38 Lightning fighter planes. His death was a major blow to Japanese military morale during World War II.
 

Basics:

Born:  Born 4 April 1884 in Nagaoka, Niigata, Japan

Died:  Died 18 April 1943 (59 years old) at Solomon Islands

Nationality:   Japanese

Fields:  Military

Main Accomplishments:  Japanese admiral who planned the attack on Pearl Harbor.

 

Chronology of Life Events:

Apr 4, 1884

Birth of Isoroku Yamamoto
 

1904
Yamamoto served on the cruiser Nisshin during the Russo-Japanese War.
 

1914

He returned to the Naval Staff College
 

1916

He became lieutenant commander
 

1923

He was promoted to captain
 

1924

He changed his specialty from gunnery to naval aviation.
 

1928

His first command was the cruiser Isuzu
 

1931

Yamamoto personally opposed the invasion of Manchuria
 

Nov 15, 1940

He was promoted to full admiral
 

Jan 1941

Yamamoto went even farther and proposed a radical revision of Japanese naval strategy
 

Dec 4, 1941

Yamamoto had planned, the First Air Fleet of six carriers armed with about 390 planes
 

Feb 27, 1942

Under Yamamoto's able subordinates, Vice Admirals Ozawa, Kondo and Takahashi, the Japanese swept the inadequate remaining American, British, Dutch and Australian naval assets from the Netherlands East Indies in a series of amphibious landings and surface naval battles that culminated in the Battle of the Java
 

Jun 1942

Yamamoto's plan for the MI was an extension of his efforts to knock the U.S. Pacific Fleet out of action long enough for Japan to fortify her defensive perimeter in the Pacific island chains
 

Apr 18, 1942

Yamamoto, the itinerary revealed, would be flying from Rabaul to Ballalae Airfield, on an island near Bougainville in the Solomon Islands.
Death of Yamamoto
 

Early Life:

Yamamoto was born Isoroku Takano in Nagaoka, Niigata. His father was Sadayoshi Takano, a lower-ranking samurai of Nagaoka-Han. "Isoroku" is an old Japanese term meaning "56"; the name referred to his father's age at Isoroku's birth.

In 1916, Isoroku was adopted into the Yamamoto family and took the Yamamoto name. It was a common practice for Japanese families lacking sons to adopt suitable young men in this fashion to carry on the family name. In 1918, Isoroku married a woman named Reiko with whom he had four children: two sons and two daughters.

After graduating from the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1904, Yamamoto served on the cruiser Nisshin during the Russo-Japanese War. He was wounded at the Battle of Tsushima, losing two fingers (the index and middle fingers) on his left hand. He was later nicknamed “80 sen” by some of his favorite geisha because of this disability. He returned to the Naval Staff College in 1914, emerging as a lieutenant commander in 1916.
 

Wife Background:

Yamamoto realized the time was correct to get married, and on August 31, 1918, Yamamoto and Reiko were married at the Navy Club in Shiba, Tokyo. On April 4, 1919, Yamamoto travelled to America aboard the Suwa Maru. They got married for the purpose of producing sons to keep the family name alive. This is exactly what Isoroku did. In 1918, he got married to Reiko, who, ironically, was from Watkamatsu. They had 4 children together, 2 sons, and 2 daughters. It was the standard Japanese family, the mother in charge of the household and of raising the children. He never really loved her, because he had many extramarital affairs, and 2 of the women he loved. The life and times in Japan right before World War 2 are simply explained.
 

Father Background:

Takano Sadayoshi, was a former member of the Japanese Samurai class.

In 1908, the sublieutenant served aboard the Maezuru, in Manchurian waters. In 1911, Isoroku was promoted to Lieutenant, moving slowly up the chain of experience and promotion in a peacetime navy. Isoroku's father died on February 21, 1912, and around this time, his mother fell gravely ill

 

Mother Background:

His mother fell gravely ill. He received military leave, to tend to his dying mother. He wanted to quit the navy, but his mother would not let him.

In August, 1912, Isoroku's mother died. In 1913, Isoroku's career moved into high gear. He received an appointment to the Naval Staff College at Tsukiji. In 1915, Isoroku was promoted to lieutenant commander.

Executive Search & Management Consulting:

Chalre Associates provides its Executive Search & Management Consulting services throughout the emerging countries of the Asia Pacific region with specific focus on Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Singapore.  Regional Managers use us to help bridge the gap between local environments and the world-class requirements of multinational corporations.