Page 19 - MaterialsTrial-JapaneseArmy-1950

their branches in preparation for bacteriological warfare against the Soviet Union. Accused
Nishi testified on this score:

". . . When I was making a personal report to General Ishii in May 1945, he laid particular
stress on the need to speed up the work of producing bacteriological material, especially
plague germs, since, he said, developments were taking such a turn that the necessity for
bacteriological attack on the enemy might arise any day." (Vol. 7, p. 130.)

In line with these instructions, all the branches of Detachment 731 intensified their work in
the mass trapping and propagation of the rodents (mice and rats) needed for breeding the fleas
which were to be infected with plague. Special squads were formed for this purpose both in
the branches and in combat units. (Vol. 10, pp. 30, 176 and 193; Vol. 2, p. 168.)

Experimental work was also intensified at this period, equipment was replaced with the
object of increasing output capacity, and stocks of bacteriological material were built up.

Interrogated as to the production capacity of the bacteriological units subordinated to him,
General Yamada, formerly Commander-in-Chief of the Japanese Kwantung Army, admitted
that their capacity was so great that Detachment 731 alone "could, if necessary, supply the
Japanese Army with sufficient weapons for bacteriological warfare." (Vol. 2, p. 6.)

The Soviet Union and its Armed Forces foiled the criminal schemes of the ruling clique of
imperialist Japan to start bacteriological warfare.

Entering the territory of Manchuria, the Soviet troops dealt the enemy a swift paralyzing
blow, in a very short period routed Japan's main military force, the Kwantung Army, and
compelled imperialist Japan to surrender unconditionally.

". . . The Soviet Union's entry into the war against Japan, and the swift advance of the
Soviet Army into the heart of Manchuria," testified accused Yamada, "deprived us of the
possibility of employing the bacteriological weapon against the U.S.S.R. and other countries.
..." (Vol. 18, p. 133.)

On the eve of the surrender, the Japanese Army Command, with the object of obliterating
the traces of their villainies, destroyed the buildings, equipment and documents of the
bacteriological detachments and their branches.

It has thus been established by the preliminary investigation that the practical activity of
bacteriological detachments 731 and 100, directed by the Japanese General Staff and the
Commander of the Kwantung Army, consisted in preparing and waging bacteriological
warfare and formed a component part of the general plan of the criminal conspiracy of
imperialist Japan's ruling clique.

It has likewise been established that, in order to accomplish their criminal plans, the
Japanese militarists did not stop at any atrocity, even performing inhuman experiments on
living people and exterminating several thousand prisoners by forcibly infecting them with
lethal bacteria.

19