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Chu Kudo

Surname Kudo Given Name Chu Born 10 Dec 1882 Died 18 Dec 1965 Country Japan Category Government Gender Male

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseTetsusaburo Kudo was born in Itayanagi, Kitatsugaru, Aomori, Japan to a wealthy farmer. After graduating from the Kinjo Gakuen High School, he left Japan to travel China. He participated in the Chinese revolution and was involved in several incidents during the subsequent warlords period. In 1932, he was recruited by Kenji Doihara and Yoshiko Kawashima of Japanese military intelligence to serve in the newly established puppet state of Manchukuo in northeastern China. He was given the very high rank of lieutenant general and served as Chamberlain and Aide-de-camp to Chief Executive Puyi, who later became Emperor Kangde. In 1942, he held secret meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Fumimaro Konoe and other high ranking Japanese officials in attempt to bring a diplomatic end to the Second Sino-Japanese War. The Kangde Emperor trusted Kudo greatly, and when Kudo approached Kangde Emperor with the idea that Kudo should adopt a Sinicized name, Kangde Emperor took the chance to reward him for his loyalty. Kangde Emperor noted the following his his autobiography about this episode.

He would always speak at my side. He even expressed to me secret discontent with the Kwantung Army. One time when the color of my tea seemed odd, I was about to have it tested thinking that someone had poisoned it. Kudo took the tea cup and drank it all at once. After I had become emperor, he was the only Japanese to call me "His Majesty the Emperor", and when he was displeased with the tyrannical Kwantung Army, he told me that he believed that I could restore the name of the Qing dynasty. The loyalty that he displayed would certainly not have paled even to the most model retainers, so gave him the name Chu [Chinese word for loyalty] and treated him like family. He wept with great emotion, and swore to always be loyal until his death.

ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia.

Last Major Revision: May 2009

Chu Kudo Timeline

10 Dec 1882 Chu Kudo was born. 18 Dec 1965 Chu Kudo passed away.

Photographs

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