Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Hideki Tojo symbolizes Japanese militarism and the attack on Pearl Harbor like no one else. Both his name and face were well familiar to the average American, he was the face of the enemy, much as Hitler and Mussolini were the faces of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, respectively.
But this “fame” has led to an often-repeated misconception, namely that Tojo was simply the Japanese equivalent of Hitler, ruling his country from start to finish.
But did you know that Tojo was actually ousted as Prime Minister of Japan in July 1944? In this video, I want to look at a very unknown and often forgotten figure in history:
General Kuniaki Koiso, the Japanese Prime Minister between July 1944 and April 1945. Who was the man that led Japan at a critical hour in the war? Where he did he come from, what did he try to achieve? How did the Japanese Army and the Americans reacted to his appointment?
This video will provide a comprehensive answer and an overview over the tenure of Kuniaki Koiso as Japanese PM during a critical hour for Japan in the war.
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Start of the Video
0:15 Introduction: Tojo, the Japanese Hitler?
02:14 Chapter 1: Tojo’s Resignation
04:50 Chapter 2: Kuniaki Koiso
07:19 Chapter 3: Following Tojo’s Footsteps
09:51 Chapter 4: Prime Minister Koiso- The Most Powerless Man in Japan
13:50 Chapter 5: “A prime minister who knows nothing of modern warfare shouldn’t speak up”- Humiliated by his own Army
17:03 Chapter 6: Who is that guy? - The Allies’ Indifference Towards Koiso
20:33 Chapter 7: Legacy- What remains of Koiso?
22:57 Post Scriptum: Cut Content and Koiso T-Shirts
SOURCES: As mentioned in the video, the majority of sources are in Japanese, with no English translation avaliable. The English-speaking sources I've used are:
-The Rising Sun: The Decline and Fall of the Japanese Empire, 1936–1945 by John Toland
-Downfall: The End of the Imperial Japanese Empire by Richard B. Frank
-Everlasting Flower: A History of Korea. by Keith Pratt
-ww2db.com/person_bio.php?person_id=255
-https://generals.dk/general/Koiso/Kuniaki/Japan.html
Hideki Tojo symbolizes Japanese militarism and the attack on Pearl Harbor like no one else. Both his name and face were well familiar to the average American, he was the face of the enemy, much as Hitler and Mussolini were the faces of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, respectively.
But this “fame” has led to an often-repeated misconception, namely that Tojo was simply the Japanese equivalent of Hitler, ruling his country from start to finish.
But did you know that Tojo was actually ousted as Prime Minister of Japan in July 1944? In this video, I want to look at a very unknown and often forgotten figure in history:
General Kuniaki Koiso, the Japanese Prime Minister between July 1944 and April 1945. Who was the man that led Japan at a critical hour in the war? Where he did he come from, what did he try to achieve? How did the Japanese Army and the Americans reacted to his appointment?
This video will provide a comprehensive answer and an overview over the tenure of Kuniaki Koiso as Japanese PM during a critical hour for Japan in the war.
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Start of the Video
0:15 Introduction: Tojo, the Japanese Hitler?
02:14 Chapter 1: Tojo’s Resignation
04:50 Chapter 2: Kuniaki Koiso
07:19 Chapter 3: Following Tojo’s Footsteps
09:51 Chapter 4: Prime Minister Koiso- The Most Powerless Man in Japan
13:50 Chapter 5: “A prime minister who knows nothing of modern warfare shouldn’t speak up”- Humiliated by his own Army
17:03 Chapter 6: Who is that guy? - The Allies’ Indifference Towards Koiso
20:33 Chapter 7: Legacy- What remains of Koiso?
22:57 Post Scriptum: Cut Content and Koiso T-Shirts
SOURCES: As mentioned in the video, the majority of sources are in Japanese, with no English translation avaliable. The English-speaking sources I've used are:
-The Rising Sun: The Decline and Fall of the Japanese Empire, 1936–1945 by John Toland
-Downfall: The End of the Imperial Japanese Empire by Richard B. Frank
-Everlasting Flower: A History of Korea. by Keith Pratt
-ww2db.com/person_bio.php?person_id=255
-https://generals.dk/general/Koiso/Kuniaki/Japan.html
![German Newsweek No. 606-16 April 1942 [Full HD] (Panzer III Production, Combat Footage North Africa)](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/r-0wCIqd4xA/mqdefault.jpg "German Newsweek No. 606-16 April 1942 [Full HD] (Panzer III Production, Combat Footage North Africa)
The German Newsweek (Die Deutsche Wochenschau) was the unified newsreel of Germany from 1940-1945. The concept of a weekly newsreel was much older, dating back to WWI, and in the 1930s, there were several different weekly newsreels in Germany.
With the outbreak of WWII, these were unified and from June 1940 shown under the title of The German Newsweek.
It was one of the most important aspects of German propaganda. Each week, over 2000 copies were sent to theaters and movie houses throughout Germany and shown to the general public, as private TV ownership was extremly rare during WWII.
These newsreels were, of course, not a neutral news source, but would rather spread Nazi propaganda, trying to create the impression that Germany was winning the war and that Germany was fighting a just war, without mentioning the countless war crimes and crimes against humanity commited by German forces.
285 wartime issues were produced, from September 1939 (No. 470) to March 1945 (No. 755).
This is issue No. 606, from mid-April 1942.
It starts by showing a concert from the Berlin Philharmonic in a German armament factory, and then Panzer III and StuG III production in that same factory. Other scenes include awarding of successful German fighter pilots, aerial combat footage from the Eastern Front, German and Romanian soldiers fighting in Crimea, and a visit of Grand Admiral Raeder on a German battleship.
The next scenes show German navy units in Italian harbors, and finally scenes of supply convoys on their way to Africa, and combat footage from German and Italian troops in North Africa.
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Subtitles made by me.")
![Capture of Hong Kong- Japanese Propaganda Reel- 6 January 1942 [Full HD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/rTlpRKIS8M8/mqdefault.jpg "Capture of Hong Kong- Japanese Propaganda Reel- 6 January 1942 [Full HD]
Hong Kong was the first British colony in Asia to be attacked by Japanese Forces. On December 8th, 1941, on 10 am local time, just a few hours after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese forces began their attack on Hong Kong.
Japanese Forces of the 23rd Army under the command of Lieutenant General Sakai, supported by a small Navy Detachment (one cruiser, three destroyers, four torpedo boats and a number of smaller vessels) under the command of Vice Admiral Niimi, in total around 27,000 men, attacked the colony, which was defended by around 12,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers under the command of British Indian Army Major General Christopher Maltby.
The British put up fierce resistance, but underestimation of the Japanese forces and the overall strategical situation made it impossible to hold Hong Kong, and British troops had to surrender on December 25th, 1941.
Around 1,800 British and 700 Japanese troops were killed; several British ships and boats were sunk, and one British destroyer (HMS Thracian) which was scuttled by the British was salvaged by the Japanese and later put into service.
This video is a short propaganda clip about the Japanese invasion of the city, showing aerial and naval bombardment, Japanese soldiers landing at Hong Kong with boats, and footage of the victory parade after the city was taken.
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Subtitles made by me.")
![German Newsweek No. 662- 15 May 1943 [Full HD] (Japanese Invasion of Burma, Funeral Viktor Lutze)](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/rjxgQRNP9Tc/mqdefault.jpg "German Newsweek No. 662- 15 May 1943 [Full HD] (Japanese Invasion of Burma, Funeral Viktor Lutze)
The German Newsweek (Die Deutsche Wochenschau) was the unified newsreel of Germany from 1940-1945. The concept of a weekly newsreel was much older, dating back to WWI, and in the 1930s, there were several different weekly newsreels in Germany.
With the outbreak of WWII, these were unified and from June 1940 shown under the title of The German Newsweek.
It was one of the most important aspects of German propaganda. Each week, over 2000 copies were sent to theaters and movie houses throughout Germany and shown to the general public, as private TV ownership was extremly rare during WWII.
These newsreels were, of course, not a neutral news source, but would rather spread Nazi propaganda, trying to create the impression that Germany was winning the war and that Germany was fighting a just war, without mentioning the countless war crimes and crimes against humanity commited by German forces.
285 wartime issues were produced, from September 1939 (No. 470) to March 1945 (No. 755).
This is issue No. 662, from mid-May 1943.
It shows footage from the Japanese invasion in Burma and Japanese air raids, including the sinking of the British carrier Hermes and the American carrier Hornet.
Other scenes include footage of the state funeral of SA-chief Viktor Lutze, production of wartime locomotives, and footage from the Eastern Front, including a visit of SS-chief Heinrich Himmler to the frontlines, and various combat footage.
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Subtitles made by me.")
![Panorama Color Monthly Newsreel No. 3- January 1945 [Full HD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/sS78yJzQSgs/mqdefault.jpg "Panorama Color Monthly Newsreel No. 3- January 1945 [Full HD]
The Panorama Color Monthly Newsreel (Panorama-Farbmonatsschau) was a German propaganda newsreel produced during WWII.
Color film was already invented in the mid 1930s and was commercially avaliable, although color cameras and film were extremly expensive.
Nevertheless, during WWII, more and more German propaganda footage was shot in color, and by 1944, the Propaganda Ministry wanted to create a newsreel completly in color.
The Panorama Color Newsreel was only produced in four episodes, from November 1944 to January/February 1945.
The newsreel was more focused on cultural events, civlian footage, footage from workplaces etc. and contained few military footage/footage from frontlines.
This video shows issue No. 3 from January 1945. It shows footage from from wine harvest at the Rhine, cattle being moved in Bavaria from the hills to the valley for winter, including decorations being put on them.
Also shows German troops leaving Finland and reaching Norway, where they meet with local Lapps people, footage of German AA-positions in Norway,
footage of German reconnaissance seaplanes starting for mission andAA-guns fighting off a Soviet air raid.
Another section shows the history of the Red Cross and the work of Red Cross nurses packing packages for German POWs abroad, footage from the German hospital ship Tübingen and from a German field hospital at Lake Garda, and footage from German pilot recruits during gliding flight.
There are also some annotations from the German Federal Archive before the episode.
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Subtitles made by me.")
