私が張作霖を殺したI Killed Zhang Zuolin

About this text

A Japanese officer recounts the political circumstances leading to the assassination of Chinese warlord Zhang Zuolin.

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Source

This text comes from Aozora Bunko (青空文庫), the volunteer-run library of Japanese writing that is out of copyright. See this work on Aozora Bunko

Base edition (底本): 「「文藝春秋」にみる昭和史　第一巻」文藝春秋
1988（昭和63）年1月10日第1刷
1988（昭和63）年3月15日第7刷

Typed in by sogo. Proofread by 染川隆俊.

Yomimaru has not changed the spelling or the wording.

The furigana are Yomimaru's.

What you'll learn

The narrator describes his transfer to the Kwantung Army in 1926 and the dire situation in Manchuria, where Japanese interests are threatened by Zhang Zuolin's regime and widespread anti-Japanese sentiment. He conducts a survey of the region and becomes convinced of the need for drastic action.

The Eastern Conference decides on military action. The narrator devises a plan to assassinate Zhang Zuolin using explosives at a railway crossing. After careful planning and setbacks, the bombing is successfully executed in June 1928.

After Zhang's death, his son Zhang Xueliang returns to power but shifts toward anti-Japanese policies. The narrator is disciplined and reflects on his actions, remaining convinced that the Manchurian problem required forceful resolution.

Key vocabulary

聯隊れんたい	regiment
排日はいにち	anti-Japanese sentiment/action
謀略ぼうりゃく	stratagem; plot
抹殺まっさつ	elimination; obliteration

Grammar points you'll meet

• ～ごとき N1Means 'like; such as', used to belittle or express disdain.

  松井まつい七なな夫おっと中将ちゅうじょうを始はじめ、町野まちの武たけし馬ば中佐ちゅうさなどがあって、在ざい満まん同胞どうほう二に十じゅう万まんが、日ひに日ひに蝕むしばまれていくのを冷然れいぜんと眺ながめているばかりか、「みんな、日本人にっぽんじんが悪わるいのだ」とさえ放言ほうげんして顧かえりみない。

• ～にあって N1Means 'in the situation of; being in'.

  関東軍かんとうぐんは、万一まんいちのことがあれば、腹背ふくはいに敵てきを受うけねばならない。

• ～をめぐって N2Means 'surrounding; over; concerning'.

  日にち支二に十じゅう一いちカ条じょう問題もんだいをめぐって、排日はいにちは到いたる処しょに行おこなわれている。

• ～に至る N2Means 'lead to; result in; to the extent of'.

  その忘恩ぼうおん的てき行動こうどうは枚挙まいきょにいとまがない。

• ～つつある N2Means 'is in the process of; is gradually'.

  在ざい満まん同胞どうほう二に十じゅう万まんが、日ひに日ひに蝕むしばまれていくのを冷然れいぜんと眺ながめているばかりか、「みんな、日本人にっぽんじんが悪わるいのだ」とさえ放言ほうげんして顧かえりみない。

Cultural notes

• Zhang Zuolin and the Warlord EraZhang Zuolin was a powerful Chinese warlord who controlled Manchuria in the early 20th century. His assassination in 1928 by the Japanese Kwantung Army was a pivotal event that led to increased Japanese intervention and eventually the Mukden Incident of 1931.
• The Kwantung Army and Japanese ImperialismThe Kwantung Army was a powerful Japanese military force stationed in the Kwantung Leased Territory and along the South Manchuria Railway. It often acted independently from the Japanese government, pursuing aggressive expansionist policies in China.
• The Twenty-One DemandsIn 1915, Japan presented China with the Twenty-One Demands, aiming to expand Japanese control over China. This caused widespread anti-Japanese sentiment in China, which is referenced in the text as a source of conflict.

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