The Secret Police
Depicted to the left is a Kempeitai Officer, part of the secret police of Japan from the 1880's through 1945. Like the Gestapo of Germany, the Kempeitai were brutal to civilians. The force started out in a successful way to enforce law and other jurisdiction, but from 1935 to 1937, Tojo Hideki made his reputation through Machuria and the Officers. He quickly became a head of the members, and at it's peak, there were over 11,000 Kempeitai in Japan alone.
Torture was one of the Kempeitai's greatest strengths. As a member, you were given a handbook that strongly encouraged new methods of torture. Popular methods at first were burning, drowning, and electric shock-- but grew to deprivation of sleep for long periods while malnourished and in solitary confinement. There were many instances of purposely sabotaging a family by being given a reason to capture and torture. A specific case was a man woken by five plain clothed Kempeitai, in order to search (and eventually find) placed anti-Japanese papers. He was arrested and given inadequate food portions for up to three weeks before release. He was fortunate, however, as he could hear the screams of other victims of torture during his time.
The Kempeitai held a special role during the War. Counter-intelligence throughout the Japanese Empire was a responsibility of the Kemps, such as identifying suspicious radio signals and espionage.
Following VJ-Day, the Kempeitai ruined their records of all acts they have done, most importantly their agents and informers. Their War Crime evidence had to be destroyed, and by the time the invasion happened, Shirokura Yoshie (Kempeitai Commander) had committed suicide.
Torture was one of the Kempeitai's greatest strengths. As a member, you were given a handbook that strongly encouraged new methods of torture. Popular methods at first were burning, drowning, and electric shock-- but grew to deprivation of sleep for long periods while malnourished and in solitary confinement. There were many instances of purposely sabotaging a family by being given a reason to capture and torture. A specific case was a man woken by five plain clothed Kempeitai, in order to search (and eventually find) placed anti-Japanese papers. He was arrested and given inadequate food portions for up to three weeks before release. He was fortunate, however, as he could hear the screams of other victims of torture during his time.
The Kempeitai held a special role during the War. Counter-intelligence throughout the Japanese Empire was a responsibility of the Kemps, such as identifying suspicious radio signals and espionage.
Following VJ-Day, the Kempeitai ruined their records of all acts they have done, most importantly their agents and informers. Their War Crime evidence had to be destroyed, and by the time the invasion happened, Shirokura Yoshie (Kempeitai Commander) had committed suicide.