Kamio Mitsuomi
Kamio Mitsuomi Thần vĩ quang thần | |
|---|---|
 General Baron Kamio Mitsuomi | |
| Born | 27 February 1856 Okaya,Shinano Province |
| Died | 6 February 1927(aged 70) Tokyo,Japan |
| Allegiance |  Empire of Japan |
| Service/ |  Imperial Japanese Army |
| Years of service | 1874–1925 |
| Rank |  General |
| Commands held | IJA 18th Division |
| Battles/wars | First Sino-Japanese War World War I |
| Awards | Order of the Rising Sun Order of the Sacred Treasure Order of the Golden Kite Order of the Sacred Kite Honorary Knight Grand Cross of theOrder of St Michael and St George(GCMG) |
Kamio Mitsuomi, 1stBaron,GCMG(Thần vĩ quang thần,27 February 1856 – 6 February 1927)was a Japanese general in theImperial Japanese Army,who commanded theAllied land forcesduring theSiege of TsingtaoinWorld War I.[1]
Biography
[edit]
Kamio was the younger son of Kamio Heizaburō, asamurairetainer of theSuwa claninShinano province(present-dayNagano prefecture). He graduated from military academy in 1874, and served as asergeantin the Imperialinfantryduring theSatsuma Rebellionof 1877. He rose rapidly through the ranks, tosergeant-majorand then was commissioned as abrevetsecond lieutenantby the end of the same year. His commission was confirmed as official by the end of the war, and in 1882 was promoted to fulllieutenant.
Kamio served inQing dynastyChinaas amilitary attachéfrom 1885–86,[2]during which time he was promoted tocaptain.On his return to Japan, he was assigned to various staff positions, and became amajorin December 1891.
He returned to China again as a military attaché attached to the Japanese embassy inBeijingfrom 1892–1894. With the outbreak of the 1894–95First Sino-Japanese War,he was a staff officer attached toJapanese Second Army.He was promoted tolieutenant colonelat the end of the war, and then to fullcolonelin 1897 when he assumed command of the3rd Imperial Guard Regiment.
Kamio was sent toEuropefrom February 1899 to April 1900. Subsequently he wasChief of Staffof theIJA 1st Divisionin 1900, and of theIJA 10th Divisionthe following year. In May 1902, he was promoted tomajor general.
During theRusso-Japanese War,Kamio held a series of further divisional commands: with 22nd Brigade,Japanese China Garrison Army,IJA 9th DivisionandIJA 18th Division,but not within front-line combat units.[3]In December 1908, he was further promoted tolieutenant general.He was commander of theIJA 18th Divisionfrom 1912.
After the start ofWorld War I,Kamio, with a reputation for solid caution rather than brilliance, was selected to leadAlliedground forces in theseizure of TsingtaofromGermany.Kamio made lavish use of logistics and overwhelming firepower to spare bloodshed as much as possible.[4]
In Summer 1914, Kamio's 18th Division of 23,000 men backed by 144 guns began a bombardment of the port on 2 September 1914. The port fell a little over two months later, Kamio'ssiege tacticsearning him praise for the skill with which he carefully deployedartillerytactics to aid infantry advances.
Kamio served thereafter as Japanese governor of Qingdao and was promoted to fullgeneralin June 1916. A month later, he was honored with elevation to the rank ofbaron(danshaku) under thekazokupeerage system.
He entered the reserves in August 1917, and retired completely in 1925. He died in 1927 and is buried atZōshigaya cemetery.
Honors
[edit]- Order of the Sacred Treasure(1st class) May 24, 1912
- Order of St Michael and St George(Knight Grand Cross) 1915
- Order of the Rising Sun(1st class) Nov 7 1915
- Order of the Golden Kite(1st class), Nov 1 1920
- Order of the Sacred Kite (2nd class)
- Order of the Sacred Kite (4th class)
References
[edit]- Seagrave, Sterling (1993).Dragon Lady: The Life and Legend of the Last Empress of China.Vintage Press.ISBN0-679-73369-8.
- Tucker, Spencer (1998).The Great War 1914–1918.Indiana University Press.ISBN0-253-21171-9.
