Doihara Kenji vs Paik Sun-yup

Doihara Kenji, as a senior intelligence officer in the Kwantung Army, played a key role in the Mukden Incident. He orchestrated the staged explosion on the South Manchurian Railway, which Japan used as a pretext to invade Manchuria.

Doihara was instrumental in establishing the puppet state of Manchukuo. He recruited the last Qing emperor, Puyi, to serve as its figurehead ruler, and helped administer the territory as a Japanese colony, exploiting its resources.

Doihara Kenji was tried by the International Military Tribunal for the Far East and found guilty of war crimes, including conspiracy and aggression. He was sentenced to death and executed by hanging on December 23, 1948.

Paik Sun-yup graduated from the Japanese Military Academy and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Manchukuo Imperial Army, a puppet state of Japan. He served in Manchuria during World War II, gaining combat experience.

After Japan's defeat, Paik Sun-yup defected to South Korea and joined the newly formed Republic of Korea Army. He was among the first Korean officers to be trained by the U.S. military, rising quickly through the ranks.

As commander of the ROK 1st Infantry Division, Paik Sun-yup played a key role in the defense of the Pusan Perimeter. His division held the critical Taegu corridor against North Korean attacks, preventing the collapse of the UN forces.

Paik Sun-yup was promoted to the rank of General (four-star) in 1952, becoming the first officer in the Republic of Korea Army to achieve this rank. This reflected his leadership during the Korean War and his role in building the ROK military.

After the Korean War, Paik Sun-yup served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the ROK Armed Forces. He oversaw the modernization and reorganization of the South Korean military during the post-war period.