Timeline - A Window into the Early Showa Period




			On April 18, 1943, Isoroku Yamamoto, Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Fleet of Japan, was killed during an inspection tour of the battlefront when the plane in which he was flying was shot down off the coast of the Solomon Islands

			Document 1 is issue No. 274 of Shashin Shuho, which was published on June 2, 1943. This issue pays tribute to the late Admiral of the Navy Isoroku Yamamoto. It features photographs of Isoroku Yamamoto while he was alive and of his funeral. The accompanying article reports that factory workers in many parts of the country chanted the slogan “Follow in the footsteps of Admiral Yamamoto”. Document 2 describes how Isoroku Yamamoto was appointed as a member of the Supreme Military Council after his death and was given the title of Marshal. The Ministry of the Navy requested Prime Minister Hideki Tojo to appoint Yamamoto as a member of Supreme Military Council on April 18 and in response to this request, Tojo accorded Yamamoto the title of Marshal on May 18. Document 3 shows how Isoroku Yamamoto, who had been given the title of Marshal, was accorded the privileged distinction of a state funeral. Document 1 : A06031086900　Shashin Shuho (Weekly Photographical Journal) No. 274 Document 2 : A03023538900　Yamamoto Isoroku appointed as the member of Admiral Office and specially given the title of Admiral Office(image 1 - image 3) Document 3 : A03023539000　The late Admiral of the Navy Yamamoto Isoroku specially receiving the state funeral.(image 1)