Friday, June 21, 2019

Enemy Elite Friday: Yi Un (Korea)


 
"Un was the 28th Head of the Korean Imperial House, an Imperial Japanese Army general and the last crown prince of Korea.  In July 1938, the prince was promoted to major general and from December was assigned to the staff of the North China Area Army, which was engaged in combat operations in northern China following the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War.  Throughout the first half of 1939, he made extensive inspection tours of front-line units throughout northern Japan, and reviewed Kwantung Army garrison units in Manchukuo.  In August, he was appointed commander of the Guards 2nd Brigade and in May 1940 was commander of the reserve Fourth Depot Division.  He was promoted to lieutenant general in December. In July 1941, he was appointed commander of the IJA 51st Division.  Under his command, the division relocated to Manchukuo to participate in the Special exercise of the Kwantung Army (actually a mobilization for the possible large-scale conflict with the Soviet Union).  The preparations for the war with the Soviet Union were officially cancelled in August 1941.  In September, the division was transferred to Guangdong under command of IJA 23rd Army.  He returned to a post on the staff of the Inspectorate General of Military Training in November.  From August 1942, the prince was transferred to the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force and became commander of the 1st Air Army from July 1943.  In April 1945, he became a member of the Supreme War Council.  After World War II he was refused entry to Korea, and his Japanese titles were removed by article 14 of the new Constitution of Japan in 1947. " 
 
Another enemy elite,
Brian

No comments:

Post a Comment