Hideki Tojo was a Japanese general who served as prime minister of Japan during World War II. A dedicated militarist, Tojo sought to expand Japan's empire through the waging of war. After the defeat of Japan in 1945, Tojo and 27 other top government officials were prosecuted for war crimes. The proceeding, which is known as the Tokyo Trial, resulted in Tojo's conviction and death sentence.

Tojo was born on December 30, 1884 in Tokyo. He followed the career path of his father, who was a general in the Japanese army. Tojo graduated from the Japanese Military Academy in 1905 and completed his studies at the army war college with honors ten years later. Tojo's military career accelerated while he served in Manchuria during the early 1930s. He quickly rose to the rank of chief of staff in 1937 after serving as chief of police affairs. After proving his worth during combat in China...