Masaki Honda

Masaki Honda (本多政材, Masaki Honda, May 17, 1889 July 17, 1964) was a lieutenant general in the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II.

Masaki Honda
Masaki Honda (right) in British captivity
BornMay 17 1889
Nagano Prefecture, Japan
DiedJuly 17, 1964(1964-07-17) (aged 75)
Allegiance Empire of Japan
Service/branch Imperial Japanese Army
Years of service1910–1945
RankLieutenant General
Commands held8th Division
20th Army
33rd Army
Battles/warsSecond Sino-Japanese War
World War II

Biography

Masaki Honda was born in Nagano prefecture and graduated from the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1910 and the Army War College in 1917. He was an instructor and in 1939 Commandant of the Army Infantry School.

After his promotion to Lieutenant-General in October 1939, he became deputy chief of staff of the China Expeditionary Army until October 1940, when he received command of the IJA 8th Division which was active in Manchuria. In June 1942, he was recalled to Japan to become Head of Army Armor Headquarters, until March 1943 when he returned to Manchuria to lead the 20th Army.

On April 7, 1944 a new 33rd Army was raised in Burma in anticipation of Allied attempts to retake northern Burma, and Masaki Honda became its commander. With this outnumbered and ill-equipped Army he fought in the Burma Campaign 1944–45, where he performed very creditable defensive actions against the enemy, including a brilliant evacuation of the IJA 56th Division from under the noses of the advancing Chinese on 4 February 1945. But finally, his scattered and broken army had to withdraw to Southern Burma, where he surrendered in August 1945.

Honda retired from the Army in 1947 and died in 1964.

References

  • Ammenthorp, Steen. "Honda, Masaki". The Generals of World War II.
  • Budge, Kent. "Hondo Masaki (1889-1964)". Pacific War Online Encyclopedia.


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