Douglas MacArthur TLS regarding General Tomoyuki Yamashita, to Dr. Otto Reik Regarding His Analysis (Included) "The Case of Gen. Yamashita". Dr. Otto Reik (1884-1963) proved to be a key investigator in the prosecution of the Nuremberg War Criminals. He also had a keen understanding of other prosecutions of WWII leaders including Tomoyuki Yamashita, the "Tiger of Malaya" "The Beast of Bataan". Yamashita was in overall command during the Sook Ching massacre, the Rape of Manila to name just two of a number of atrocities under his command with a staggering 350,000 plus killed.
After the war, Yamashita was tried for war crimes committed by troops under his command and whether Yamashita had implicitly ordered these crimes in his orders and whether he knew of the crimes being committed. The court eventually found Yamashita guilty and he was executed in February, 1946. Holding a commander responsible for subordinates' war crimes came to be known as the Yamashita Standard.
In 1949, author Frank Reel published a book, "The Case of General Yamashita" that became quite controversial raising profound questions of "command responsibility" still an issue today. Reel went further to claim the trial was a setup orchestrated by General MacArthur, setting precedents for holding commanders accountable even without direct involvement.
Offered is Otto Reik's personal copy (with grammatical corrections) of his study on Reel's book and he writes "Is this a proof "legalized revenge" has been committed? Undoubtedly this is not so and likewise it is fallacious to carry accusations against the jurisdiction to a lay public unable to form an opinion of its own based on professional experience". It appears this may have been at MacArthur's request.
Douglas MacArthur writes to Otto Reik and thanks him for the assessment and his support for the "validity of the judgment rendered in the Yamashita trial" Dated February 15, 1951 Tokyo, Japan typed on General Headquarters Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers and signed in steel point fountain pen.
Later in 1951 Reik published "A Refutation of Objection" as Office of the Chief of Military History, Department of the Army strongly refuting a publication and public stirring that the US involvement in the Nuremberg War Crime Trials was on many points, illegal.
Estimated Value $800 - 1,200
Wars & Military
