The Assassination of Hideki Tojo: Told In Newspaper Headlines

[Chris Oakley]

(OOC: It's been a dog's age since I've started any new threads of my own, and since everybody else around here has done headline-themed ATL threads I figured it was high time I got into the act myself....)

New York Daily News, September 13th, 1941:

TOJO SHOT!
Japanese War Minister's Condition Described As 'Critical'

An Associated Press report out of Tokyo late last night claims that Japanese war minister Hideki Tojo was shot in an apparent assassination attempt. There is as yet no word as to the identity of the would-be assassin; War Minister Tojo's condition is described by a Japanese foreign ministry spokesman as "critical"...

New York Times afternoon extra later that same day:

Japanese War Minister Tojo Dead From Gunshot Wounds; Tokyo Vows 'Relentless' Hunt For His Killer; Hitler Condemns Tojo Assassination As 'Barbaric'

At 2:36 PM Eastern Daylight Time this afternoon it was confirmed that Imperial Japanese War Minister Hideki Tojo has died after being repeatedly shot by an unknown assassin. In a statement released by the Japanese embassy in Washington, the government in Tokyo has pledged to mount a 'relentless' search for his killer, who is presumed to be still at large at this time. In a speech broadcast from the Reichschancellory in Berlin, German chancellor Adolf Hitler called the assassination 'a barbaric act' and said that Germany would do everything possible to assist its chief foreign ally in capturing the assassin...

 

[Chris Oakley]

Times of London, September 15th, 1941:

MARTIAL LAW DECLARED IN JAPAN

In response to the assassination of Imperial War Minister Hideki Tojo two days earlier, the government of Japan has declared martial law nationwide....

 

[Francisco Cojuanco]

Chicago Tribune, September 14th, 1941:

JAP WAR MINISTER DEAD

Japanese War Minister Hideki Tojo was shot dead yesterday, according to Associated Press. Hideki Tojo was as War Minister responsible for various barbarities visited upon innocent Chinese civilian lives. What this may mean for America is not certain, but whatever happens, there is one less Jap murderer on the face of the earth.

 

[Chris Oakley]

Der Angriff, September 16th, 1941:

TOJO'S BARBARIC MURDER MUST BE AVENGED!

Hideki Tojo was a true friend to the German nation and its people and a distinguished servant of his own country. His tragic murder is an incalculable loss not only to Germany and Japan but also to the cause of international peace, and as our Führer so aptly stated in his eulogy for General Tojo yesterday, his murder must be avenged and the coward who perpetrated it made to answer for his crimes. This hideous murder can only serve the interests of our Jewish-Bolshevik enemies...

 

[Chris Oakley]

San Francisco Chronicle, September 17th, 1941:

MUSSOLINI ACCUSES U.S. OF MASTERMINDING TOJO ASSASSINATION

In a speech before 200,000 people in Rome this morning, Italian Fascist leader Benito Mussolini accused the United States of orchestrating the September 13th assassination of Japanese minister of war General Hideki Tojo...

 

[Chris Oakley]

Washington Post, September 18th, 1941:

FDR DENIES MUSSOLINI ACCUSATIONS

In a press conference at the White House last night, President Roosevelt staunchly denito Italian dictator Benito Mussolini's accusations that the US government was responsible for the September 13th assassination of Japanese war minister Hideki Tojo....

 

[Chris Oakley]

Boston Globe, September 20th, 1941:

ITALY, GERMANY EXPEL U.S. DIPLOMATS

Relations between the United States and the Axis powers continue to deteriorate in the wake of Japanese war minister Hideki Tojo's assassination. In a press conference held in Washington yesterday afternoon, Secretary of State Cordell Hull confirmed that a dozen American diplomatic personnel attached to the U.S. embassy in Berlin have been expelled from Germany and six more posted to the U.S. embassy in Rome have been ordered to leave Italy within 48 hours....

 

[Tony]

Oh great, finally someone is doing a Japanese TL
Good luck.

 

[PoorBoy]

Der Angriff, September 21st, 1941:

TREACHERY!

In a great insult to the Aryan race, German diplomats were held in quarantine inside the German Embassy in Tokyo...

In other news:

Japanese diplomats suspected of hiding Jews in their Berlin embassy. Hitler summons Japanese Ambassador demanding answers.

 

[Chris Oakley]

Times Of London, September 22nd, 1941:

JAPAN CLAIMS TOJO ASSASSIN CAPTURED

The Japanese embassy in London has issued a statement declaring that police have arrested the man accused of assassinating the late Hideki Tojo...

QUARANTINE ON GERMAN DIPLOMATS IN TOKYO LIFTED

The brief quarantine of diplomatic personnel at the German embassy in Tokyo has been lifted, according to sources at the Japanese foreign ministry. It has been suggested by officials of the Defence Ministry in London that the quarantine was in fact part of a possible ruse meant to flush out suspected Communist agents among the German embassy staff...

 

[mailinutile2]

Pravda, September 23nd, 1941:
Capitalist Swines jump at each other's throat.

While the peace-loving comrades of the Soviet Unions bravely defend the country against the treacherous fascist aggression, Capitalist warmongers accuse one each other of the murder their bankers plotted together.
"Surely, this is the prove that Dialectic Materialism will prevail", was the comment of Comrade Stalin, which announced the Victory is now within reach ...

 

[mailinutile2]

Il Popolo d'Italia September 24th, 1941:

Perfidious Albion!

The Duce remarked today on the coward treacheries of Anglo-speaking plutocratic nations, rising great cheers from is balcony in Piazza Venezia.
Once again history proved that the Duce was right accusing the english-speaking people of the vile murder of the brave Japanese Minster Tojo, who was inspired by the Duce fulgid example in signing the Tripartite pact ...

 

[jmill]

Der Angriff September 26th, 1941:
TOJO ASSASSIN RECEIVED US FUNDING!
American government helped to fund the assins of our dear ally Tojo

Boston Globe September 26th 1941:
WAR!!!
Japs, Germans and Italians declare war on United States citing false information that the US funded the assassins of blood thirsty Jap War Minister Hedeki Tojo.

 

[Orville_third]

Oh, this can't be good...though at least Pearl Harbor will make it...

 

[LeX]

ASSIN

wasn't it "assassin"?

 

[mailinutile2]

why should germany and italy go to war?

 

[Deathsheadx]

Sigh...

yeah, and the cliches start to pile up. Way to ruin something that could of been fun.

 

[Chris Oakley]

New York Times September 26th, 1941:

Japan joins Axis powers, declares war on the United Kingdom and its allies!

Japan had already been part of the Axis for a full year by the autumn of '41.

Anyhow, to get things back on track....

San Francisco Examiner, September 24th, 1941:

EDITORIAL--The Need For Vigilance

Although it would be comforting to think the death of Hideki Tojo has put an end to Japan's expansionist ambitions, it would also be a grave mistake. The Japanese Empire's quest for domination of the Far East did not start with his appointment as war minister and it has not ended with his assassination. We have a solemn obligation to support our allies in the Pacific and defend our own interests in that region, for if we fall into the trap of becoming complacent about Japan's intentions the same bombs that were falling on Chinese civilians yesterday may strike American cities tomorrow...

Detroit Free Press, September 26th, 1941

JAP ADMIRAL DISAPPEARS

A Swiss newspaper is reporting that Admirial Isoroku Yamamoto, commander-in-chief of the Imperial Navy's Combined Fleet since last year, has not been seen in nearly three days. This comes as rumors are circulating that one of his aides may have ties to the accused assassin of the late Hideki Tojo....

 

[Chris Oakley]

Il Popolo d'Italia, September 29th, 1941:

ADMIRAL YAMAMOTO MURDERED! JAPAN BETRAYED!

The Duce has offered his condolences to the people of Japan and His Imperial Majesty Emperor Hirohito on the shocking and untimely death of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, who was discovered dead yesterday after having been murdered by the same barbaric and cowardly traitors responsible for the death of the late General Hideki Tojo...

 

[Chris Oakley]

Washington Post, September 30th, 1941:

NAVY PUTS ATLANTIC FLEET ON ALERT AFTER U-BOAT SIGHTED OFF NEW YORK HARBOR

Tensions between the United States and Nazi Germany continue to rise as the U.S. Navy has ordered its Atlantic fleet placed on alert after a German U-boat was sighted off New York Harbor early last night. The gulf between Washington and Berlin, already wide to begin with and continuing to expand since the Nazi regime accused the White House of having a hand in the recent assassination of Japanese war minister Hideki Tojo, is only likely to increase further in the wake of this latest incident, in the view of German affairs experts at the State Department....