Lt. General Takeshi Mori (森武, Mori Takeshi 1894-15 August 1945) was the commander of Japan's first Imperial Guards Division, at the end of World War II.

Mori taught at the War College in 1938, and held a number of other military roles before becoming commander of the first Imperial Guards in 1945.

• 1941-1942: Deputy Chief of Staff 6th Army, Manchuria
• 1942-1943: Chief of Staff 6th Army, Manchuria
• 1943-1944: Deputy Commander in Chief Kempeitai
• 1944-1945: Chief of Staff 19th Army

Just after midnight on August 15, 1945, he was visited by Major Kenji Hatanaka and Lt Cols Masataka Ida and Jiro Shiizaki , who attempted to secure his aid in their plot to isolate the Imperial Palace and prevent Japan's surrender. Fully devoted to his duty to protect the Imperial Palace and the Emperor, he would have served the Emperor's wishes even despite contradictory orders from the Minister of War or his other superiors. At around 1:30, Ida and Shiizaki had left the room, and after repeated refusals on Mori's part, Mori was shot and killed by Hatanaka. His seal was then placed on a false set of orders (Strategic Orders No. 584 ).

See Also

• Colonel Kazuo Mizutani - Mori's Chief of Staff
• Lt Col Michinori Shiraishi - Mori's brother-in-law, who died trying to save Mori from the sword of Captain Shigetaro Uehara , just moments before Mori was killed by Major Hatanaka

References

• Ammentorp, Steen. Biography of Takeshi Mori, "Generals of World War II." (Accessed 3 April 2005).
• Brooks, Lester (1968). "Behind Japan's Surrender: The Secret Struggle That Ended an Empire." New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company.