The Round Tablette November 2006 Volume 15 Number 3 Published by WW II History Roundtable a glowing report to his government after Edited by Jim Gerber meeting Oshima, the designated military attaché to Germany, in March 1934. Colonel Welcome to the November meeting of Oshima “belongs to the inner circle of the Dr. Harold C. Deutsch World War Two Japan’s military…and therefore is very well History Roundtable. As is our usual practice, informed about everything connected with tonight is the annual Dr. Deutsch lecture. the militarists and their plans for the Tonight’ guest speaker is author Carl Boyd. future.” Oshima arrived in Berlin in May His topic is: The Relations Between Nazi 1934 to take up his post. Germany and Imperial Japan. Oshima initially started working with The following overview is taken from Wilhelm Canaris, head of the German material provided by Mr. Boyd. central military intelligence service, but soon exceeded his military orders by becoming Relations Between Nazi Germany and secretly engaged in political discussions Imperial Japan. leading to the highest levels in the German government. These discussions included What could possibly enable such two Joachim von Ribbentrop, Hitler’s personal decidedly different societies as Japan and ambassador at large, in the spring of 1935, Germany to come together in an axis alliance and Hitler himself in the autumn of 1935, by and fight on the same side during the Second which point Oshima was a major general. World War? They were, after all, on opposite sides of the globe; furthermore, they The growing military climate in were separated by racial differences, major Japan was eroding the influence of civilian religious differences, vast cultural forces in government. Top Japanese foreign differences, striking linguistic differences as ministry officials learned in detail of well as significant political differences. Oshima’s political negotiations only some 8 However, the chief thing the two societies months after the enterprising military had in common in the 1930’s was an attaché had met privately with Hitler. overwhelming hatred for communism and Foreign Minister Hachiro instructed the Soviet Russians. This became the Japanese Ambassador Kintomo to take over bedrock for relations between the German negotiations in Berlin. Kintomo’s and Japanese governments. Most significant, instructions were ambiguous and there was however, was the catalyst who precipitated now a question of how to proceed in Berlin the German-Japanese alignment, one man, where Oshima had long enjoyed the upper Oshima Hiroshi, first Japanese military hand. Oshima continued as Japan’s key attaché in Berlin since 1934, and then from negotiator while the ambassador’s role was 1938 the ambassador for most of the time largely ceremonial. No mention of Oshima or until the last days of the war in Europe. the negotiations was made during the Oshima impressed the Nazis. His ambassador’s courtesy visit. The ranking father had been war minister for most of Nazis regarded Ambassador Kintomo Japan’s participation in World War One. persona non grata. The German military attaché in Tokyo gave Oshima was clearly a member cryptographers were waiting to intercept of Hitler’s inner circle. In July, Oshima and and decipher his reports. They obtained Hitler personally edited the draft treaty in information that only a member of Hitler’s the Wagner family residence at Bayreuth, inner circle could obtain. Oshima’s work in where every summer the Japanese military Berlin since 1934 uniquely qualified him to attaché, like Hitler, attended the Wagner become probably the most valued Festival. (Oshima sometimes flew from inadvertent “agent” for Allied intelligence. Berlin to Bayreuth in Hitler’s personal airplane.) The so-called Bayreuth draft Further Reading on Tonight’s Topic: “read like a Nazi manifesto,” a high-ranking The Extraordinary Envoy: General Hirsho Japanese foreign ministry official said. Oshima and Diplomacy in the Third Reich By Carl Boyd In 1935, Hitler told Oshima that “it University Press of America was Germany’s intention to split up the Washington, D.C. 1982 Soviet Union into several small states…” Two years later Hitler outlined his plans for Hitler’s Japanese Confidant: General German expansion to key government Oshima and MAGIC Intelligence officials. Hitler’s haste to conquer had the By Carl Boyd result of leaving Oshima behind. The University Press of Kansas Japanese militarists were reluctant to be as Lawrence, KS 1993 aggressive against the Soviet Union as Hitler wanted. Hitler concluded a nonaggression German-Japanese Relations, 1936-1940 pact with the Soviet Union a little over a By Frank William Ikle week before his invasion of Poland, the Bookman Associates country that he divided with Stalin New York, NY 1956 beforehand. Oshima and his plans for a close military alliance with Germany were Japan and Germany in the Modern World weakened and temporarily discredited by By Bernd Martin Hitler’s sudden about face concerning the Berghahn Books Soviet Union. Ambassador Oshima was Providence, RI 1995 recalled from Berlin. A year later the Japanese were immensely impressed by the Hitler and Japan: The Hollow Alliance German victories and sent Oshima back to By Johanna Menzel Meskill Berlin to be part of the Axis powers. Oshima Atherton Press quickly reestablished contact with Hitler in New York, NY 1966 February of 1941. During this time Oshima’s key position became more important to the Civil War Roundtables: Amercians and British. This became Twin Cites Civil War Roundtable especially true after the attack on Pearl November 21 Pamplin Civil War Park Harbor and the German declaration of war Officer’s Club Ft. Snelling 6:00PM on the US. The US Army’s Signal Intelligence Service had succeeded in St. Croix Valley Civil War Roundtable breaking Japan’s most secret codes and November 27 ciphers, including the Japanese diplomatic Ft. Snelling in the Civil War by Steve codes used by Oshima. As Oshima radioed Osman secret messages back to Tokyo with details of Ray J’s Restaurant in Woodbury conversations, high level meetings, German 5:30 PM Dinner 7:00 PM Program troop movements, indeed all aspects of his host warring society. American and British