Shimada achieved little as naval chief, and his failure ultimately weakened the Tojo government that had promoted him. Koshirō Oikawa later returned to senior command as one of the best people Japan had placed in that office for years. He belonged firmly to the Treaty Faction, had opposed war with the United States, and later tried to find a path toward peace. The contrast shows how political loyalty displaced stronger professional alternatives during the critical middle of the war.
Notable Point · 3:00:51-3:01:55
Oikawa restored a treaty-faction voice too late
Shimada's failure weakened Tojo and eventually returned the more capable, antiwar Koshirō Oikawa to the top of the Japanese naval staff.