[Jim O]

This is not a smiple question and I do not know enough about the specific evidence that was presented. However, a commander is responsible for the criminal actions of his men if they are systematic, and if no action is taken to stop them. It seems unlikely that reports of such atrocities as the maccacre of 25,000 civilians would not have reached Yamashita. If his response was to "look the other way" or to wink and say "that's a terrible thing" then he was culpable. If he took action to stop it once he became aware of it (which I doubt he did but again I do not know the facts) then execution seems a harsh punishment.

On the other hand, MacArthur loved the Philippines and the Filipino people, and he was not in any way above politics. Yamashita was a handy scapegoat to hand over to the Filipinos on a silver platter so to speak.

When one considers that Albert Speer's life was spared and that he only received a 20 year prison sentence for using thousands upon thousands of slave laborers, of whom many also died from malnutrition, exposure, and disease, the sentence seems harsh in comparison. But then Speer was European...