JAPANESE PREPARATIONS
FOR OPERATIONS
IN MANCHURIA
(PRIOR TO 1943)
PREPARED BY
MILITARY HISTORY SECTION
HEADQUARTERS, ARMY FORCES FAR EAST
DISTRIBUTED BY
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF MILITARY HISTORY
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
HEADQUARTERS
ARMY FORCES FAR EAST
MILITARY HISTORY SECTION
JAPANESE RESEARCH DIVISION
JAPANESE
PREPARATIONS FOR OPERATIONS
IN MANCHURIA
(PRIOR TO 1943)
JAPANESE MONOGRAPH
NO. 77
This monograph, written from the viewpoint of the Army General Staff of Japanese Imperial General Headquarters, covers Kwantung Army's preparations for operations in Manchuria prior to 1943. (Information covering the years 1943-1945 may be found in Monographs No. 138, 154, and 155.) Emphasis in this monograph is on Kwantung Army's troop build-up, its subsequent troop reduction resulting from supplying reinforcements to operational areas in the south, followed by efforts at revitalization. Of especial value, the editor feels, is the comprehensive list of unit gains and losses contained in the Appendix; this covers the years 1941-1945, and is the only such compilation of ground units in the series of Japanese monographs.
The original monograph was compiled in 1946 from the scanty information (mostly diaries and personal recollections) then available. At that time no members of the wartime staff of Kwantung Army Headquarters had as yet been returned to Japan. Contributing authors, all former army officers who at one time served with Imperial General Headquarters, were: Lieutenant Colonel Heizo Ishiwatari (formerly Army War History Compilation Section), Lieutenant Colonel Katsushiro Mizumachi (Kwantung Army staff officer prior to 1944), Majors Yasuji Komuratani, Ryuhei Nakamura, Juro Shishikura, and Masataka Iwano. During editing by the Military History Section, Headquarters Army Forces Far East, supplementary information was obtained from the First Demobilization Bureau. Research assistance was provided the editor by ex-Colonel Muraji Yano while a consultant with the Japanese Research Division.
November 1954
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER I |
Kwantung Army Build-up |
Page. |
Acquisition of Kwantung Territory (1895-1919) |
1 |
|
Origin of Kwantung Army (1919) |
2 |
|
The Mukden Incident (1931) |
3 |
|
Kwantung Army Growth from 1937 to 1941 |
9 |
|
Kwantung Army "Special Maneuvers," Mid-1941 |
12 |
|
The Decision to Go South (August 1941) |
13 |
|
Effect of "Special Maneuvers" on USSR |
16 |
|
CHAPTER II |
Build-up of Kwantung Army Ends |
|
Deployment to the South Begins |
19 |
|
Kwantung Army's Role Limited |
23 |
|
Re-appraisal of Manchuria, Early 1942 |
28 |
|
Strengthening of Manchuria |
29 |
|
Withdrawals from Manchuria Resumed, Late 1942 |
32 |
|
Estimate of Soviet Far East Strength |
35 |
Maps
No. 1 |
Manchuria |
iv |
No. 2 |
Southern Area, 1941 |
18 |
No. 3 |
Kwantung Army Deployment in Manchuria 8 December 1941 |
26 |
Charts
No. 1 |
List of Kwantung Army Commanders |
4 |
No. 2 |
Part I Kwantung Army Build-up, 1931-1940 |
6 |
Part II Kwantung Army Build-up, 1941-1945 |
7 |
|
No. 3 |
Organizational Chart, Kwantung Army (Down to Divisions) September 1941 |
10 |
No. 4 |
Southern Army, Major Components (with locations and operational areas) 1 December 1941 |
21 |
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Page |
||
No. 5 |
Organizational Chart, Kwantung Army Air Force 1941-1942 |
27 |
No. 6 |
Organizational Chart. Kwantung Army (Down to Divisions) End of 1942 |
34 |
Appendix
No. 1 Kwantung Army Ground Units Gained and Lost (Mar 1941 to Aug 1945) |
37 |
INDEX |
65 |
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MAP NO. 1
--iv--
CHAPTER I Kwantung Army Build-up
Acquisition of Kwantung Territory (1895-1919)
Under the terms of the Treaty of Shimonoseki (1895) which brought to an end the late 19th Century Chinese-Japanese rivalry in Korea, China ceded to Japan the Liaotung Peninsula, including the naval base at Port Arthur and the commercial port of Dairen. At the time Japan, being primarily interested in the sovereignty of Korea, did not have the "awakened" interest in Manchuria that Russia, for example, had.
Japan's hold on this peninsula was short-lived for within a week, under pressure exerted jointly by Russia, Germany, and France, she was obliged to retrocede it to China. Russia, moreover, in 1898 obtained from China a 25-year lease of the southern part of the peninsula—the area known as Kwantung Territory. (See Map No. 1)
Thereafter, Russia replaced China as Japan's main rival in Korea. Gradually, the field of conflicting interests reached beyond Korea and into Manchuria, and to the Far East in general, leading ultimately to the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05. Under the terms of the Treaty of Portsmouth, which terminated this war, Russia's 25-year lease of Kwantung Territory was transferred to Japan.1 Japan, in addition, acquired ownership of the Russian-built railway between Dairen and
1. Hence, this lease dated from 1898. In 1915 Japan obtained an extension of the lease to 99 years (until 1997) as part of the 21 demands on China.
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Changchun (760 route miles). The transfer of rights was recognized by the Chinese Government in the Sino-Japanese treaty of 1905, and the railway became known as the South Manchuria Railway. Through subsequent treaties with China, Japan gained extraterritorial rights over the narrow strip of land on both sides of the railway. This led to the establishment of the South Manchurian Railway Zone, and the stationing of railway guard units there.
In the year following the Russo-Japanese War, Japan kept the newly-acquired territories under military administration directed by the local commander of Japanese forces. In 1906 the office of the Governor General of Kwantung Territory was created, and although a civilian administration was nominally in effect, the governor general's post was occupied by the Japanese military commander. Holding both posts, he was responsible not only for security and the maintenance of public peace and order, but also for the administration of the territories and the operation of the railroad. The military force at his disposal consisted principally of the railway guard units, which though small initially were gradually enlarged. In his capacity of governor general, he had a substantial police force in Kwantung Territory. This arrangement continued through World War I.
Origin of Kwantung Army. 1919
In 1919 the situation in the Far East was unstable (the Siberian expedition was under way) and on 12 April of that year, the Japanese
--2--
Army General Staff in Tokyo formally created the Kwantung Army. At the same time it established Kwantung Army Headquarters, giving it
control of all military forces in Kwantung Territory and in the Railway Zone.2 Earlier, an infantry division had been sent to Kwantung Territory, with plans for its rotation in two years.3 At the time of its formation, therefore, Kwantung Army consisted of one division, one independent garrison unit (with six battalions), the Port Arthur Fortress Heavy Artillery Battalion, and numerous small railway units. Troops of these units, totaling approximately 10,400, comprised the initial strength of Kwantung Army. Kwantung Army's missions were to defend Kwantung Territory and to protect the South Manchurian Railway and Zone. The initial staff of Kwantung Army Headquarters, organized at Port Arthur, was more administrative than tactical in nature. The first Kwantung Army commander was General Koichiro Tachibana. (A list of Kwantung Army Commanders is given in Chart No. 1) The Mukden Incident (1931)
From 1919 until the outbreak of the Mukden Incident on 18 Sep-
2. In the same year, civilian administration was actually effected with the appointment of a civilian governor general in Kwantung Territory, with greatly diminished authority. To a large extent he was under military influence. This joint military-civilian rule continued from 1919 until 1932, all but the last year of which was a period of civilian ascendancy in Japan.
3. The numerical designation of this division and the year it
was sent to Manchuria are not known. Pertinent records kept by Kwantung Army and IGH were destroyed after World War II.
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Chart No. 1
List of Kwantung Army Commanders
Commanders |
Date Assumed Command |
General Koichiro Tachibana |
April 1919 |
General Misao Kawai |
January 1921 |
General Sanenobu Ono |
May 1922 |
General Yoshinori Shirakawa |
October 1923 |
General Nobuyoshi Muto |
July 1926 |
General Chotaro Muraoka |
August 1927 |
General Eitaro Hata |
July 1929 |
General Takashi Hishikari |
June 1930 |
General Shigeru Honjo |
August 1931 |
General Nobuyoshi Muto |
August 1932 |
General Takashi Hishikari |
July 1933 |
General Jiro Minami |
December 1934 |
General Kenkichi Ueda |
March 1936 |
General Yoshijiro Umezu * |
September 1939 |
General Otozo Yamada * |
July 1944 |
* The title commander-in-chief was inaugurated in June 1942, when Kwantung Army was elevated to the status of a general army.
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tember 1931, the Army General Staff in Tokyo (hereafter referred to simply as AGS) maintained Kwantung Army at substantially its original strength. During and after the Incident. Kwantung Army was gradually reinforced. At least one of the early reinforcements, however, was not authorized by the AGS. The commander of the Korea Army,4 for example, arbitrarily sent an element of the 20th Division to the fighting scene at the first reports of action; this element—the 39th Mixed Brigade—reached Mukden on 21 September.
The reinforcements authorized by the AGS were homeland units and did not arrive until more than a month later. These were the 8th Mixed Brigade which arrived on the scene on 11 November, and the 4th Mixed Brigade which arrived on 7 December. At the end of December, the remainder of the 20th Division joined its brigade in the fighting sons.
Meanwhile. Kwantung Army, which at the outbreak of the Incident had moved its headquarters to Mukden, attempted to localize operations. Guerrilla resistance became so widespread, however, that operations had to be extended throughout all of Manchuria. These developments presaged the proclamation of Manchukuo as an independent state on 18 February 1932. In connection with the formation of the new state, the Kwantung Army commander was given a second title— that of Ambassador Plenipotentiary to Manchukuo, and his headquarters
4. The Korea Army commander, Lieutenant General Senjuro Hayashi, later became Japanese Prime Minister (for a brief period in 1937).
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Chart No. 2
Part I
Kwantung Army Build-up, 1931-1940
Type of Units\Year |
End of 1931 |
End of 1932 |
End of 1933 |
End of 1934 |
End of 1935 |
End of 1936 |
End of 1937 |
End of 1936 |
End of 1939 |
End of 1940 |
Army Headquarters |
2 |
4 |
4 |
|||||||
Infantry Divisions |
2 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
6 |
8 |
9 |
12 |
Cavalry Groups |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|||||
Brigades |
2 MB |
1 MB
|
1MB |
2 MB |
2 MB |
2 MB |
1 TkB |
1 Cav |
1 Cav |
1 Cav |
Border Garrison Units |
8 |
8 |
13 |
|||||||
Independent Garrison Units |
1 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
9 |
9 |
Garrison Units |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|||||||
Air Force Headquarters (Koku-Heidan) |
1 |
1 |
||||||||
Air Group Headquarters (Hiko-Shudan) |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
||||||
Air Regiments (Hiko-Sentai) |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
5 |
5 |
12 |
18 |
27 |
|
Legend: MB - Mixed Brigade |
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Chart No. 2
Part II
Kwantung Army Build-up, 1941-1945
Type of Units\Year |
End of 1941 |
End of 1942 |
End of 1943 |
End of 1944 |
August 1945 |
Area Army Headquarters |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
Army Headquarters1 |
6 |
8 |
6 |
5 |
6 |
Infantry Divisions |
13 |
14 |
15 |
10 |
24 |
Tank Divisions |
2 |
2 |
1 |
||
Brigades |
1 Cav |
1 TkB 1 Cav |
1 TkB 1 Cav |
1 MB, 1 TkB 1 Cav, 1 Mbl |
9 MB, 2 TkB 1 Mbl |
Border Garrison Units |
13 |
13 |
13 |
14 |
1 |
Independent Garrison Units |
9 |
9 |
6 |
4 |
|
Garrison Units |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Air Force Headquarters (Koku-Heidan)2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
Air Group Headquarters (Hiko-Shudan)3 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
||
Air Regiments (Hiko-Sentai) |
19 |
19 |
16 |
1 |
1 |
1: Kwantung Defense Army Headquarters is included (through 1944), Mechanized Army Headquarters (in 1942 only).
2: Air Force Headquarters changed to Air Army Headquarters (Koku-Gun) in 1942
3: Air Group Headquarters changed to Air Division Headquarters (Hiko-Shidan) in 1942
Legends
MB - Mixed Brigade;
Cav - Cavalry;
TkB - Tank Brigade;
Mbl - Mobile
--7--
was moved to Changchun which was renamed Hsinking or "new capital" (of Manchukuo.) In September of that year, furthermore, the title of Governor General of Kwantung Territory was restored to him.
Subsequent reinforcement of Kwantung Army kept pace with national and international developments. Between April and December 1932, the AGS doubled the tactical strength of Kwantung Army. In early April it assigned the 8th and 10th Divisions, and although these gains were partly offset by the return to the homeland and to Korea of the units brought in for the Mukden Incident, other augmentations were authorized shortly thereafter: the 14th Division arrived at the end of April, the 1st Cavalry Brigade during June, and the 4th Cavalry Brigade as well as the 14th Mixed Brigade during September. Also during September, the month in which the Japanese Manchukuo protocol providing for joint defense of Manchuria was announced, the AGS ordered the 2d Division (then the rotation division) back to Japan and sent the 6th Division to replace it. Thus at the end of December 1932 the bulk of Kwantung Army's tactical strength consisted of four divisions (the 6th, 8th, 10th, and 14th), one mixed brigade, and two cavalry brigades. (See Chart No. 2 for unit strength from 1931 to 1940)
In 1933 the AGS withdrew one division (the 6th) from Kwantung Army. Thereafter, and until the outbreak of the China Incident in July 1937, it maintained Kwantung Army's divisional strength at three; in the meantime, however, it substantially increased the number of garrison
--8--
units for guard duty and for the maintenance of public peace and order. (In 1934, the Kwantung Bureau was created under the jurisdiction of the Ambassador to Manchukuo, and a civilian governor of Kwantung territory was appointed under the jurisdiction of the new bureau.)
Kwantung Army Growth from 1937 to 1941
Following the China Incident, and for the first time since the end of the Russo-Japanese War, Imperial General Headquarters (IGH) was re-activated (November 1937) as a superstructure of the Army and Navy General Staffs. It promptly initiated an increase of Empire forces, including an increase of Kwantung Army divisions to six. Thereafter, IGH gradually continued the build-up in Manchuria, so that by the time the Nomonhan Incident broke out in 1939 the Kwantung Army had eight divisions, plus a sizeable number of lesser tactical units. (See Chart No. 2) Shortly afterwards, the arrival of the 24th Division from Hokkaido brought the number to nine. (At that time IGH estimated the Soviets had thirty divisions in the Far East.)
The Nomonhan Incident was concluded late in 1939 by a truce, with a Soviet-imposed boundary established in the disputed area. At this time the direction of Japan's national policy—whether to go "north" or "south"—had not been determined, although there was strong sentiment, particularly in Army circles, to go north. IGH resumed the build-up in Manchuria and by the beginning of 1941 Kwantung Army reached a peak strength of 350,000, including thirteen divisions—the 1st, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 14th, 23d, 24th, 25th, 28th, 29th,
--9--
CHART NO. 3
--10--
and 57th. Four of these divisions were assigned directly to Kwantung Army Headquarters; the remainder were assigned to one of the four subordinate armies (3d, 4th, 5th, and 6th) established in 1938 and 1939. (See Chart No. 3)
IGH's increase of the divisional strength of Kwantung Army over the years was gradual and kept pace more or less with important national or international events. The following tabulation shows the gradual increase during the twenty-two years prior to the beginning of the war in the Pacific:
Year |
Divisional Strength |
Event |
1919 |
1 |
Formation of Kwantung Army |
1931 |
2 |
Mukden Incident |
1932 |
4 |
Manchukuoan Independence and Japanese-Manchukuoan Protocol. |
1937 |
6 |
China Incident |
1939 |
9 |
Nomonhan Incident |
1941 |
13 |
Soviet-German War |
The latter years of this period were marked by intense diplomatic activity, particularly among the Axis powers vis-a-vis the Soviet Union. In November 1936 Japan and Germany, pledging collaboration, signed the first Anti-Comintern Pact. In August 1939. however, while Japan was engaged in "a little war" with the Soviets at Nomonhan, Germany signed a non-aggression pact with the USSR, and a month later precipitated World War II with an attack on Poland. In September 1940 the Tripartite Alliance was formed, and in April 1941 Japan signed a non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union. Finally, on 22 June 1941, German armies invaded Russia along a 2,000 mile front. This invasion opened a new stage in the war. Japan looked
--11--
at her national policy.
Kwantung Army "Special Managers." Mid-1941
To meet changes in the international situation, IGH recommended to the Government that the armed forces be increased. Its recommendation included a specific proposal to strengthen the Kwantung Army in order to gain numerical superiority over Soviet forces in the Far East. This proposal was accepted and during July and August, under the pretext of carrying out "special maneuvers," IGH sent to Manchuria two divisions (the 51st and 57th) along with more than one hundred smaller ground units and an equal number of air units. (See Appendix to this monograph for ground units, and Appendix No. 1 in Monograph No. 151 for air units.)
The net effect of the "special maneuvers," was to double Kwantung Army's troop strength to 700,000, to increase the number of horses to 140,000, and the number of aircraft of various types to 600. (The strength of the Far Eastern Soviet Army prior to the outbreak of the German-Soviet War, although undeterminable in numbers, was estimated by IGH to be 30 divisions, 2,700 tanks, and 2,800 airplanes.) In con-junction with the "special maneuvers" IGH directed Kwantung Army to accelerate training programs and to speed up the construction of fortifications. It also authorized the formation of new divisions in Korea. To strengthen internal defense in Manchuria, Kwantung Army Headquarters on 12 July consolidated five independent garrison units in the south-central part of the country under the newly-formed Kwantung Defense Army
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Headquarters. All these measures were carried out in secrecy so as not to alarm the USSR, lest they be interpreted as war preparations.
The Decision to Go South (August 1941)
In the midst of the "special maneuvers" in Manchuria, IGH held frequent conferences with the Government in Tokyo in an effort to determine the direction of Japan's national policy. Two major currents pervading national life at that time had been gaining almost equal momentum. One of these, favored by the Army and advocated by Foreign Minister Matsuoka, sought a showdown with the USSR "in the north"; the other, favored by the Navy, inclined strongly toward a showdown with the United States and Great Britain "in the south." During a cabinet conference on 15 July concerning an exchange of notes5 between Japan and the U.S. aimed at a peaceful settlement of Far Bast problems, a crisis occurred, and resulted on the following day in the fall of the second Konoye cabinet, including the resignation of Foreign Minister Matsuoka, who despite a life-time of advocating friendship with the U.S. refused to accept the position taken by the U.S.
Meanwhile, in Manchuria, despite Kwantung Army's attempts to conduct the "special maneuvers" in secrecy, the Soviets early detected the build-up, and apparently interpreted it as a preliminary to war.
5. A description (from a Japanese viewpoint) of the events surrounding this exchange; of notes is given in The Complete History of the Greater East Asia War, by Takushiro Hattori, Vol I, p. 154 et seq. of the English translation, a copy of which is on file in OCMH.
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IGH was notified by the Kwantung Army intelligence chief on 2 August that the Soviets had imposed radio silence on all their border units; the intelligence chief added that Kwantung Army interpreted this silence as indicative of Soviet intentions to start hostilities.
As tension mounted in the Far East, IGH continued to keep an opportunistic eye on developments along the Soviet-German battlefront, and saw that things were not progressing as favorably as the German leaders had predicted. This, together with deteriorating relations with the U.S. helped to shape Japan's national policy.6 At a conference held on 9 August, the Army and Navy Departments of IGH decided to abandon hope for a favorable opportunity to exploit the situation in the north against the USSR, and to concentrate all efforts on a southward advance, regardless of any new developments in the German-Soviet war. (Although, later, reconsideration was given from time to time to an advance northward, 9 August marks the date that the first step was taken toward the final decision to go south.) The Army Department, in a policy document drawn up on 9 August 1941 and called "Outline of Operations by the Japanese Army," phrased its intentions as follows:
1. Sixteen divisions, stationed in Manchuria and Korea, will maintain strict guard against the Soviet Union.
6. "During July and August 1941, the whole attitude of the American Government toward Japan was changed." On Active Service in Peace and War, p. 387, Stimson and Bundy.
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2. The present campaign against China will be continued.
3. Preparations shall be made promptly for a war against the United States and Great Britain which will be started about the end of November in the southern area.
This decision was one of the most important steps affecting the fate of Kwantung Army. It was made at a time when Kwantung Army was an effective fighting force at peak strength. It signaled the shift of attention to the south, despite the fact that there had been no lessening of tension in the "north."
The decision was still open to revision, however, and, pending the outcome of negotiations then going on with the United States, did not constitute a decision to go to war, but merely one to prepare for war. As a follow-up of the "special maneuvers," therefore, IGH during September authorised the formation of the Kwantung Army Air Force. At Port Arthur it increased the garrison to a regiment, and added an antiaircraft battalion for air defense. At the same time, furthermore, in view of the continuing tension with the USSR, IGH decided to strengthen the eastern front and authorized the activation of the Twentieth Army to fill a gap on the eastern front between Third and Fifth Armies. The new Army was given commands already on the eastern front. Principally, these were the 8th and 25th Divisions and the 2d, 3d, 10th, and 11th Border Garrison Units. Army headquarters was at Chihsi.
In authorizing this increase, IGH pointed out that its policy
--15--
of continuing to strengthen the eastern front would continue so longas it did not hinder in any way the new national policy of preparing for war in the southern areas.
Effect of "Special Maneuvers" on USSR
Since 1931, the year of the Mukden Incident, the USSR had been increasing its military strength in the Far East, the divisional strength increasing from 6 in 1931 to 30 in 1940.7 Between the outbreak of the German-Soviet war in June 1941 and the end of the year, the USSR transferred almost half of its Far East numerical strength in a steady stream to the German front. It was estimated that fifteen sniper divisions, three cavalry divisions, 1,700 tanks, and 1,500 airplanes were moved to the west. To replace these regular army units it rapidly activated new units, filling them with recruits.
The Kwantung Army "special maneuvers" in Manchuria, undertaken as a temporary measure in response to the abrupt change in German-Soviet relations, had little effect on the action of the troops along the border who continued to maintain the policy in effect before the build-up. However, the maneuvers did cause the USSR to replace its units as rapidly as they were transferred, and also to organize the
7. Using the division as an index to over-all strength, the following tabulation shows the increase:
1931 |
6 divisions |
1937 |
20 divisions |
1933 |
10 divisions |
1938 |
24 divisions |
1934 |
12 divisions |
1939 |
30 divisions |
1935 |
17 divisions |
1940 |
30 divisions |
1936 |
20-24 divisions |
1941 |
23 divisions |
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Twenty-fifth Army, with headquarters at Voroshilov, and the Thirty-fifth Army, with headquarters at Iman, both of which were placed under the Far Eastern Area Army.
Reconciling transfers with replacements, both in units and armaments, IGH estimated at the end of 1941 that the Far Eastern Area Army had 800,000 troops, 23 sniper divisions, 1,000 airplanes, and 1,000 tanks.
Upon the outbreak of war in the Pacific, IGH assumed that the USSR would not take active measures against Japan or Manchuria. Nevertheless, it believed that an alliance between the United States and the USSR might be realized as the situation changed. In this, Kwantung Army Headquarters was equally concerned. During the first few months after the Pacific war began, however, IGH observed no specific changes in the attitude of the Soviet Army in the Far East.
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MAP NO. 2
--18--
CHAPTER II
Build-up of Kwantung Army Ends
Deployment to the South Begins
In the fall of 1941, the strength build-up of the Kwantung Army, begun in 1931 and accelerated in 1939, was brought to a temporary halt, and a reverse trend was begun. In view of the national policy decision to prepare for operations in the south, IGH planned a strategic re-deployment of armed forces, particularly to the south China area (including Hainan), Formosa, and French Indo-China, which were to be used as the principal jumping-off places for operations in the so-called "southern areas."8 Aside from alerting homeland units, IGH alerted Kwantung Army to prepare certain units for movement to these jumping-off bases.
Kwantung Army began preparations at once but expected that the first order for re-deployment would not come until October. On 18 September 1941, however, IGH ordered the prompt re-deployment of numerous units, most of which had been brought to Manchuria only a few weeks earlier as part of the "special maneuvers." The destination of these units, all of which were to be transported from Dairen and Hulutao in ships (except aircraft pilots and their crews), were:
8. The term "southern area" or "southern areas" is not a precise term. Generally, its meaning embraces Malaya, Thailand, Burma, the Philippines, ana the Dutch East Indies. It was used less as a term of direction than as one to define the potential enemies, the U.S. Britain, and the Netherlands, just as the term "north" indicated the USSR rather than geographical direction. (See Lap No. 2)
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To South China Area (including Hainan) - Under China Expeditionary Army
51st division (assigned to Twenty-Third Army)
One line of comm sector unit
Two motor transport companies
One surveying unit
One bridge construction company
One road construction unit
Two line of comm hospitals
One casualty clearing unit
To Formosa - Under the Southern Army
Ground Units:
One tank regiment
One medium arty regt (100-mm cannon)
One antiaircraft battalion
One ind hv arty bn (150-mm cannon)
One field transport command
One motor transport battalion
One bridge construction company
Two line of comm hospitals
One casualty clearing unit
One veterinary quarantine station
Two railroad station commands
Air Units:
One ind air unit headquarters
Two ind air companies (Hq long-range recon planes)
One ind air company (close-range obsn planes)
Two airfield battalions
One airfield company
One air signal regiment (minus)
One element of an air intelligence unit
Two meteorological companies
One antiaircraft battalion
One construction unit
To northern French Indo-China - Under the Southern Army
One ind air unit headquarters
One ind air company (Hq long-range recon planes)
Three airfield battalions
Three airfield companies
Two meteorological companies
Two motor car companies
One construction unit
The Kwantung Army units thus diverted were assigned either to
--20--
CHART NO. 4
--21--
the Southern Army or to the China Expeditionary Army. The Southern Army, whose headquarters was at Saigon and whose elements were deployed mainly in French Indo-China, Hainan, and Formosa,9 was to be responsible for conducting operations in the southern areas, hence its name. It consisted principally of four armies: the 14th which was to attack the Philippines, the 15th which was to take Thailand, the 16th which was slated for operations in Java, and the 25th which was to capture Malaya. (See Chart No. 4)
IGH continued to issue orders transferring troops to southern areas, despite the fact that actual troop movements did not keep pace with orders. On 6 November it issued one of its largest transfer orders, both of ground forces and air units. Kwantung Army air units ordered south on 6 November included the 5th Air Group which was sent to Formosa to prepare for operations against the Philippines, and the 10th and 12th Air Brigades which were assigned to the 3d Air Group then based in French Indo-China and scheduled to participate in operations in Malaya.
On the same day, 6 November, IGH took the significant step of issuing an order of battle to the Southern Army, thus technically placing it on a war footing. (The China Expeditionary Army had been in such a status since 1937). On the 8th, furthermore, IGH transfer-
9. Other elements were in the homeland, for example, 16th Army's 2d Division. One element, the 56th Inf Gp, was on Palau.
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red Kwantung Army's 45th Air Regiment (light bombers) to the China Expeditionary Army, and on the 15th ordered the 24th Air Regiment (fighters) to join the Southern Army. (A complete list of Kwantung Army ground and air units transferred may be found in Appendices No. 1 and 2).
Kwantung Army's Role Limited
The August decision to go south clearly indicated a lessening in Kwantung Army's role. It was not until December, however, when the decision to go south was crystallised into a decision to go to war in the south that Kwantung Army's lesser role was announced. If the earlier decision, followed as it was by the transfer of forces to the south, had the effect of weakening military strength in Manchuria, the latter decision because of its finality signaled the end of the buildup for a major role. Even though most of the transferred units were scheduled to return to Manchuria, their return was dependent upon the uncertain outcome of events in the major drive to the south.
On 3 December, the day after the decision to go to war was made, IGH summoned to Tokyo the deputy chief of staff of Kwantung Army, Major General Tomokatsu Matsumura, to give him a detailed explanation of its policy, to outline the Empire's new objectives, and, in conformance with this policy and these objectives, to clarify the limited role thenceforth to be assigned to Kwantung Army.
Up to this time Kwantung Army's mission in Manchuria, modified annually on the basis of guidance furnished by IGH in the form of
--23--
"outlines,"10 had been one of preparing for hostilities against the USSR. Although basically a defense mission, it nevertheless required Kwantung Army to develop an operational plan for use in the event of a Soviet invasion. In addition to providing against such an eventuality, however, the plan formed the basis for operations to be undertaken to exploit an opportunity in the north when and if such an opportunity was presented. The plan in effect in 1941 when General Matsumura was summoned to Tokyo prescribed a major effort along the eastern front to be carried out in conjunction with holding operations in the northern and western parts of Manchuria.
At the Tokyo conference, IGH gave General Matsumura a copy of Army Department Order No. 578.11 This document stated that Japan had decided to go to war against the United States, Great Britain, and the Netherlands "in order to insure the Empire's self-sustenance and self-defense, and to establish a new order in Greater East Asia." It set down IGH's objectives as 1) to occupy immediately the strategic areas in the south, 2) to end the China Incident, and 3) to avoid as much as possible an outbreak of war with Russia during this period. It will be noted that the second objective reversed the 9 August decision to continue the war in China, and that the third objective in effect
10. See Monograph No. 138, Ch I.
11. The complete text of this order may be found on page 194, Volume I (translated) of Imperial General Headquarters, Army Department Orders (IGH ADO), a copy of which is on file in OCMH.
--24--
defined the limited role Kwantung Army was to play. This was the first directive to avoid hostilities with the USSR issued to Kwantung Army since the outbreak of the German-Soviet war.
The order re-stated the Kwantung Army commander's responsibility for the defense of Manchuria and the Kwantung Territory. "At the same time, in order to meet any changes in the situation," it directed the Kwantung Army commander to make operational preparations against the USSR in accordance with IGH's 1941 "outline" or "guide" for operations in Manchuria (which prescribed the operations on the eastern front.) Superficially this seemed to indicate little change from earlier missions. Significantly, however, it cautioned the commander to avoid incidents with the Soviets in border areas under dispute or difficult to defend.
Upon receiving this order the commander of Kwantung Army, recognizing that the uppermost mission of his army was to support the execution of Japan's national policy, urged all officers and men to exercise prudence in dealing with border disorders, and at the same time notified them that he expected the rapid completion of Manchuria's defenses.
With the opening of the war in the Pacific, Kwantung Army remained the only major overseas command not engaged in hostilities or on a war footing. Its ground organization consisted of five tactical armies (of which the 3d, 5th, and 20th were deployed along the eastern front, the 4th in the northeast, and the 6th in the northwest), one peace
--25--
MAP NO. 3
--26--
CHART NO. 5
--27--
and order army (the Kwantung Defense Army in south-central Manchuria), thirteen infantry divisions, one cavalry brigade, thirteen border garrison units (either regimental or battalion sized), nine independent garrison units, and two area garrison units (one at Arshaan, one at Hunchun) (deployment of ground units is shown in Map No. 3); its air force, commanded by lieutenant General Saburo Ando until December 1941 and thereafter by lieutenant General Ritsudo Suzuki with headquarters at Hsinking, consisted principally of six air brigades. (See Chart No. 5)
Reappraisal of Manchuria, Early 1942
IGH's plans to strengthen Kwantung Army in late 1941, consistent with the policy to go south, could not be fully carried out because of budgetary limitations. Only part of these plans had been realized (for example, the organization of the Twentieth Army), and Kwantung Army's preparations for war were still very inadequate. Early in 1942 IGH made a re-appraisal of the situation in Manchuria.
Budget increases in 1942 led IGH to believe it could afford to resume the strengthening of Manchuria's defenses. The measures decided upon were 1) to increase troop strength, 2) to reorganize units, particularly the large number of miscellaneous units brought in during the "special maneuvers," 3) to increase efficiency in the use of troops, 4) to reorganize the command structure, and 5) to undertake intensive training programs in order to improve the quality of soldiers and thereby compensate to some extent for the shortage of strength.
Although these were concrete measures, they did not constitute a
--28--
full-scale strengthening of Manchuria; IGH realized that they could do little more than improve Kwantung Army's "appearance." Furthermore, although these measures to a great extent were carried out during the first half of 1942 when Japan was victorious in the southern areas, some of them were later to be nullified when withdrawals had to be resumed because of reverses suffered during the latter half of the year.
Strengthening of Manchuria
In any event, a considerable strengthening of Manchuria's defenses was actually effected in early 1942. To carry out the first of these measures, troops had to be brought back from the southern areas; they could not be furnished from the home islands which had supplied sizeable forces for the southern operations and were left principally with homeland defense troops. The units brought to Manchuria from the southern areas were:
From the Philippine Area (14th Army) |
Date Returned |
7th Tank Regiment |
19 May |
1st Artillery Command |
" |
3d Ind Mt Arty Regt |
" |
1st Hv Fld Arty Regt (150-mm How) |
" |
1st Hv Arty Regt (240-mm How) |
" |
2d Ind Hv Arty Btry (240-mm How) |
" |
9th Ind Hv Arty Bn (150-mm Cannon) |
" |
5th Arty Intelligence Regt |
" |
23d Ind Engr Regt |
" |
One Ind engr co |
" |
One motor transport unit |
" |
One bridge constr materials co |
4 July |
One road constr unit |
" |
--29--
From the Malaya Area (25th Army) |
|
3d Tk Brig Hq |
6 April |
6th Tk Regt |
" |
3d Tk Brig Engr Unit |
" |
3d Tk Brig Sig Unit |
" |
3d Tk Brig Maintenance Unit |
" |
3d Tk Brig Ammo Train |
" |
Five antitank gun cos |
" |
One bridge constr materials co |
" |
One road constr unit |
" |
One river fording materials co |
" |
From the Java Area (16th Army) |
" |
One hv fld arty bn, 17th regt (150-mm How) |
4 July |
3d Antitank Gun Bn |
" |
Two wireless telegraph (non-mobile) units |
" |
One bridge constr materials co |
" |
The following air units, after participating in the southern area operations, were sent to Manchuria and arrived between June and August to join Second Air Army:
10th Air Brigade
77th Air Regt (fighters)
27th Air Regt (light bombers)
31st Air Regt (light bombers)
Three airfield battalions.
In the reorganization of units, other commands were brought to
Manchuria. On 16 May, for example, while the 71st Infantry Division
was being organized from the Hunchun Garrison Unit, the 140th Infantry
Regiment arrived from China and became part of the division. The
organization of this division had been planned earlier, but was delayed
by operations in China. The new division took charge of the defense
of the Hunchun front extending from Tumentzu to the Tumen River, and
incorporated within its command the 9th Border Garrison Unit at
Wuchiatsu.
--30--
The reorganization of the command structure, in Manchuria affected almost every command from top to bottom. IGH in June redesignated Kwantung Army Headquarters as General Headquarters, Kwantung Army, and its commander as commander in chief. On 4 July it authorized Kwantung Army to form the First Area Army Headquarters, and to centralize under its command the entire eastern front. It also authorized the formation of Second Area Army Headquarters, Second Army Headquarters, and Mechanized Army Headquarters.
Command of the First Area Army, whose headquarters was at Mutanchiang, was given to Lieutenant General Tomoyuki Yamashita, after his assignment to Manchuria following the completion of operations in Malaya and a brief visit to Germany. The organisation of this headquarters had been originally planned to be accomplished in the homeland upon the outbreak war with the USSR and the headquarters was then to be dispatched to Manchuria. Its organization in Manchuria was directed in order to enable it to coordinate border defense prior to hostilities. Upon being organized it was given command of the Third, Fifth, and Twentieth Armies, as well as the newly-established Second Army.
The Second Area Army, with headquarters at Tsitsihar, was commanded by Lieutenant General Korechika Anami, and consisted of the Fourth and Sixth Armies and the Arshaan Garrison Unit. It was given responsibility for the defense of northern Manchuria. Like the First Area Army Headquarters, this headquarters in original plans was to have been organized
--31--
in the homeland and then sent to Manchuria, but for similar reasons was organized in Manchuria. Its jurisdiction over Heiho Province, Peian Province, Hsingan Tung (East) Hsingan Pei (North), a portion of
Hsingan Nan (South), and the greater part of Lungchiang Province gave lt an extremely large area in comparison with the small number of troops under its command.
The Second Army, with headquarters at Yenchi, was commanded by lieutenant General Yoshio Kozuki. It was to have been organised earlier, but due to plans to go south its formation was delayed.
The Mechanized Army Headquarters was organised at Ssupingchieh, where the tank school was located. Both the Army and the school were placed under the command of Lieutenant General Makoto Yoshida. The Mechanized Army consisted of the 1st Armored Division, stationed at Mutanchiang, and the 2d Armored Division at Poli; two tank regiments brought up from the southern areas in mid-1942 were incorporated into the divisions. The tanks used by this force were of the medium and light class, and most of them were obsolete or obsolescent. They were used primarily for training and for developing tank tactics.
Withdrawals from Manchuria Resumed. Late 1942
The situation in Manchuria in late 1942 offered a sharp contrast to the build-up in the early portion of the year. Japanese forces were suffering reverses on Guadalcanal and IGH decided to reinforce the southeastern area, primarily New Guinea, with troops from China and Manchuria. It was the opinion of both IGH and Kwantung Army
--32--
intelligence officers that this extraction of troops would not seriously weaken the defense of Manchuria, since a large build-up had just taken place. The transfers to the southeastern area, begun in September and lasting through December, involved the following units.
Ground Forces:
Three artillery Regiments
One artillery company
One antiaircraft defense headquarters
Three antiaircraft artillery battalions
Seven antiaircraft artillery battalions
Two Independent mortar companies
One antitank battalion
One engineer headquarters
Two independent engineer companies
One signal regiment
One searchlight battalion
One line of communications hospital
Two casualty clearing units
One road construction units
Five land and sea duty units
Air Forces:
Paichengtzu Air Instruction Brigade Headquarters
208th Air Instruction Regiment (light Bombers)
45th light Bomber Regiment
Two airfield battalions
One air signal regiment
One navigational aid company
One meteorological company
The antiaircraft artillery units diverted were well-trained and experienced. Due to increasing demands for AAA defense in operational areas, IGH transferred numerous AAA units to the Southern Areas during the latter part of 1942. As a result, Kwantung Army's own antiaircraft defenses were weakened.
During the reinforcement of Manchuria in early 1942 and the withdrawals toward the end of the year Kwantung Army continued its
--33--
CHART NO. 6
--34--
preparations for operations. It concentrated particularly upon intensive training and the development of defense-facilities, while complying with the IGH policy of maintaining the status quo along
the borders. In the meantime, it also continued operational planning.13 Its primary accomplishments included the redeployment of numerous units to the Southern Area, the establishment of a stronger command structure, and the maintenance of peace along the borders. (See Chart 6 for organization at end of the year).
Estimate of Soviet Far East Strength
Kwantung Army Intelligence determined that the large-scale transfer of Soviet troops from the Far East to the European front ended late in 1942. It estimated, furthermore, that Soviet strength in the east was boosted by at least two sniper divisions, ten sniper brigades, three tank brigades, and ten air divisions. It also observed changes in the organizational structure of the Soviet Far Eastern Army, for example, the Sixtieth Army in Zabaikal and the Seventeenth Army in Outer Mongolia were combined with the Zabaikal Army District into the Zabaikal Area Army.
Soviet Far Eastern Army strength at the end of 1942 was estimated at:
13. See Monograph No. 138, for operational planning during this period (pp 13-15), as well as efficient employment of manpower (pp 18-19), and training. (pp 22-23)
--35--
Sniper divisions |
20 |
Sniper brigades |
10 |
Aircraft |
1,000 |
Tanks |
1,000 |
750,000 |
--36--
Appendix No. 1
Kwantung Army
Ground Units Gained and Lost
(Mar 1941 to Aug 1945)
Abbreviations: (AAA) Antiaircraft Artillery, (Arty) Artillery, (Aslt) Assault, (Armd) Armored, (Amph) Amphibious, (AT) Antitank, (Bldg) Building, (Bn) Battalion, (Brg) Bridge or Bridging, (Brig) Brigade, (Btry) Battery, (Cann) Cannon, (Cas) Casualty, (Cav) Cavalry, (Chem War) Chemical Warfare, (Clear) Clearing, (Cmd) Command, (Co) Company, (Const) Construction, (Cross) Crossing, (Dep) Depot, (Dept) Department, (Det) Detachment, (Div) Division, (Engr) Engineer, (Est) Established, (Fld) Field, (Fort) Fortifications, (Fortr) Fortress, (Garr) Garrison, (Gp) Group, (Guer) Guerrilla, (Hqs) Headquarters, (Hosp) Hospital, (Hvy) Heavy, (Ind) Independent, (Inf) Infantry, (Insp) Inspectorate, (Intel) Intelligence, (KA) Kwantung Army, (Kemp; Kempeitai or Military Police, (L of C) Line of Communications, (Mach) Machine, (Mat) Materials, (Mbl) Mobile, (Mech) Mechanized, (Med) Medium, (Mong) Mongolian. (Mort) Mortar, (MT) Motor Transport, (Mtn) Mountain, (Mtr) Motor, (Ord) Ordnance (Pur) Purification, (Quar) Quarantine, (Raid) Raiding, (Recon) Reconnaissance, (Regt) Regiment, (RR) Railroad, (Ry) Railway, (Sig) Signal, (Spl) Special or Specially, (Sta) Station, (Sup) Supply, (Surv) Survey, (Terr) Territory, (Tk) Tank, (Trans) Transport, (Vet) Veterinary,
Date |
Units |
Gains (shown in parentheses) and Losses to other commands |
7 Mar 41 |
1st Fld Road Const Unit |
(Third Army) |
5 Apr 41 |
38th Inf Regt |
(Kwantung Army) |
50th Inf Regt |
||
5 May 41 |
Four Inf Bns |
China Expeditionary Army |
11 Jul 41 |
6th Ind Tk Bn |
(Kwantung Army) |
18th Med Arty Regt | ||
14th Fld AAA Defense Unit Hqs | ||
16th Fld AAA Defense Unit Hqs | ||
32d Fld AAA Bn | ||
33d Fld AAA Bn | ||
34th Fld AAA Bn |
--37--
11 Jul 41 |
35th Fld AAA Bn |
(Kwantung Army) |
36th Fld AAA Bn | ||
40th Fld AAA Bn | ||
44th Fld AAA Bn | ||
45th Fld AAA Bn | ||
26th Ind Fld AAA Btry | ||
27th Ind Fld AAA Btry | ||
28th Ind Fld AAA Btry | ||
29th Ind Fld AAA Btry | ||
30th Ind Fld AAA Btry | ||
31st Ind Fld AAA Btry | ||
16th Fld Mach Cann Co | ||
1st Ry Insp | ||
2d Ry Regt | ||
2d Ry Stores Dep | ||
3d Ry Stores Dep | ||
102d Ry Sta Cmd | ||
103d Ry Sta Cmd | ||
104th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
105th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
107th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
111th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
112th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
113th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
115th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
116th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
118th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
119th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
120th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
121st Ry Sta Cmd | ||
122d Ry Sta Cmd | ||
123d Ry Sta Cmd | ||
124th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
126th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
127th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
128th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
129th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
132d Ry Sta Cmd | ||
133d Ry Sta Cmd | ||
134th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
136th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
137th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
138th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
139th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
140th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
141st Ry Sta Cmd |
--38--
11 Jul 41 |
142d Ry Sta Cmd |
(Kwantung Army) |
143d Ry Sta Cmd | ||
146th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
148th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
149th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
152d Ry Sta Cmd | ||
153d Ry Sta Cmd | ||
155th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
156th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
157th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
158th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
159th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
161st Ry Sta Cmd | ||
164th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
4th Sig Regt | ||
3d Ind Sig Co | ||
79th Ind Wire Co | ||
81st Ind Wire Co | ||
34th Fixed Radio Unit | ||
35th Fixed Radio Unit | ||
33d Ind Gas (Chem War) Co | ||
35th Ind Gas (Chem War) Co | ||
1st Fld Trans Cmd | ||
5th Fld Trans Cmd | ||
38th Ind Mtr Trans Bn | ||
53d Ind Mtr Trans Bn | ||
56th Ind Mtr Trans Bn | ||
270th Ind Mtr Trans Bn | ||
271st Ind Mtr Trans Bn | ||
272d Ind Mtr Trans Bn | ||
273d Ind Mtr Trans Bn | ||
52d Ind Trans Bn | ||
53d Ind Trans Bn | ||
57th Ind Trans Bn | ||
58th Ind Trans Bn | ||
64th Ind Trans Bn | ||
58th Ind Trans Co | ||
59th Ind Trans Co | ||
11th Fld Surv Unit | ||
12th Fld Surv Unit | ||
13th Fld Surv Unit | ||
9th Fld Well Const Co | ||
10th Fld Well Const Co | ||
10th Fld Duty Unit Hqs | ||
11th Fld Duty Unit Hqs | ||
77th Land Duty Co |
--39--
11 Jul 41 |
76th Land Duty Co |
(Kwantung Army) |
79th Land Duty Co | ||
38th Sea Duty Co | ||
51st Const Duty Co | ||
52d Const Duty Co | ||
4th Fld Const Unit Hqs | ||
85th L of C Hosp | ||
86th L of C Hosp | ||
11 Jul 41 |
4th Ind AT Bn |
(Third Army) |
8th Med Arty Regt | ||
17th Med Arty Regt | ||
9th Ind Engr Regt | ||
1st Ind Sig Co | ||
2d Ind Sig Co | ||
70th Ind Wire Co | ||
71st Ind Wire Co | ||
75th Ind Wire Co | ||
78th Ind Wire Co | ||
80th Ind Wire Co | ||
33d Fixed Wireless Unit (non-mbl) | ||
32d Fixed Wireless Unit (non-mbl) | ||
49th Ind MT Bn | ||
75th Ind Trans Bn | ||
69th Ind Trans Co | ||
24th Brg Bldg Mat Co | ||
25th Brg Bldg Mat Co | ||
28th Brg Bldg Mat Co | ||
31st Brg Bldg Mat Co | ||
39th Fld Road Const Unit | ||
8th Fld Well Const Co | ||
84th Land Duty Co | ||
31st Const Duty Co | ||
32d Const Duty Co | ||
33d Const Duty Co | ||
84th L of C Hosp | ||
13th Cas Clear Unit Hqs | ||
11 Jul 41 |
5th Arty Cmd |
(Fourth Army) |
8th Ind Hvy Arty Bn | ||
2d Engr Unit Hqs | ||
65th Ind Wire Co | ||
66th Ind Wire Co | ||
69th Ind Wire Co | ||
74th Ind Wire Co | ||
30th Ind Gas (Chem War) Co | ||
2d Fld Trans Cmd | ||
44th Ind MT Bn |
--40--
11 Jul 41 |
57th Ind Trans Co |
(Fourth Army) |
26th Brg Bldg Mat Co | ||
27th Brg Bldg Mat Co | ||
32d Brg Bldg Mat Co | ||
14th River Cross Mat Co | ||
15th River Cross Mat Co | ||
45th Const Duty Co | ||
46th Const Duty Co | ||
89th L of C Hosp | ||
11 Jul 41 |
5th Med Arty Regt |
(Fifth Army) |
9th Ind Hvy Arty Bn | ||
7th Ind Engr Regt | ||
4th Ind Sig Co | ||
5th Ind Sig Co | ||
72d Ind Wire Co | ||
73d Ind Wire Co | ||
34th Ind Gas (Chem War) Co | ||
31st Ind MT Bn | ||
32d Ind MT Bn | ||
70th Ind Trans Co | ||
71st Ind Trans Co | ||
21st Brg Bldg Mat Co | ||
22d Brg Bldg Mat Co | ||
29th Brg Bldg Mat Co | ||
13th River Cros Mat Co | ||
44th Fld Road Const Unit | ||
45th Fld Road Const Unit | ||
85th Land Duty Co | ||
86th Land Duty Co | ||
39th Const Duty Co | ||
86th L of C Hosp | ||
11 Jul 41 |
3d Ind AT Bn |
(Sixth Army) |
7th Ind AT Bn | ||
18th Fld Mech Cann | ||
11th Sig Unit Hqs | ||
62d Ind Wire Co | ||
64th Ind Wire Co | ||
77th Ind Wire Co | ||
47th Ind MT Trans | ||
87th L of C Hosp | ||
12 Jul 41 |
Kwantung Defense Army |
(Activated) |
1 Aug 41 |
51st Div |
(Kwantung Army) |
2d Med Arty Regt |
--41--
1 Aug 41 |
10th Med Arty Regt |
(Kwantung Army) |
8th Ind Sig Co | ||
41st L of C Sector Unit | ||
42d L of C Sector Unit | ||
43d L of C Sector Unit | ||
47th L of C Sector Unit | ||
48th L of C Sector Unit | ||
61st L of C Sector Unit | ||
62d L of C Sector Unit | ||
79th L of C Sector Unit | ||
80th L of C Sector Unit | ||
3d Fld Trans Cmd | ||
4th Fld Const Unit | ||
6th Fld Const Unit | ||
7th Fld Const Unit | ||
11th L of C Medical Unit | ||
14th L of C Medical Unit | ||
15th L of C Medical Unit | ||
9th Cas Clear Unit | ||
11th Cas Clear Unit | ||
1 Aug 41 |
57th Div |
(Third Army) |
7th Arty Regt | ||
4th Ind Mtn Arty Regt | ||
4th Med Arty Regt | ||
9th Med Arty Regt | ||
22d Med Arty Regt | ||
Tung-ning Hvy Arty Regt | ||
11th Mort Bn | ||
12th Mort Bn | ||
13th Mort Bn | ||
2d Hvy Arty Regt | ||
3d Hvy Arty Regt | ||
1st Ind Hvy Arty Bn | ||
2d Ind Hvy Arty Bn | ||
4th Ind Hvy Arty Bn | ||
6th Ind Hvy Arty Bn | ||
7th Ind Hvy Arty Bn | ||
48th Fld AAA Bn | ||
57th L of C Sector Unit | ||
63d L of C Sector Unit | ||
64th L of C Sector Unit | ||
74th L of C Sector Unit | ||
77th L of C Sector Unit | ||
78th L of C Sector Unit | ||
33d Ind Mtr Trans Bn |
--42--
1 Aug 41 |
49th Mtr Trans Bn |
(Third Army) |
251st Ind Mtr Trans Co | ||
252d Ind Mtr Trans Co | ||
253d Ind Mtr Trans Co | ||
51st Ind Trans Co | ||
52d Ind Trans Co | ||
64th Ind Trans Co | ||
65th Ind Trans Co | ||
13th Fld Duty Unit | ||
5th Fld Const Unit | ||
13th L of C Medical Unit | ||
13th Cas Clear Unit | ||
21st Fld Water Sup and Pur Dept | ||
1 Aug A1 |
1st Med Arty Regt |
(Fourth Army) |
18 Sep 41 |
7th Tk Regt |
Formosa Army |
3d Fld Trans Cmd | ||
38th Ind Mtr Trans Bn | ||
96th L of C Hosp | ||
100th L of C Hosp | ||
17th Vet Quar Sta | ||
8th Med Arty Regt | ||
48th Fld AAA Bn | ||
26th Brg Bldg Mat Co | ||
9th Ind Hvy Arty Bn | ||
132d Ry Sta Co | ||
133d Ry Sta Co | ||
51st Div |
Twenty-third Army | |
18 Sep 41 |
41st L of C Sector Unit |
China Expeditionary Army |
11th Fld Surv Unit | ||
93d L of C Hosp | ||
94th L of C Hosp | ||
7th Fld Well Const Co | ||
27th Brg Bldg Mat Co | ||
42d L of C Sector Unit | ||
77th Land Duty Co | ||
78th Land Duty Co | ||
79th Land Duty Co | ||
274th Ind Mtr Trans Co | ||
275th Ind Mtr Trans Co | ||
102d Ry Sta Cmd | ||
115th Hy Sta Cmd | ||
118th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
122d Ry Sta Cmd | ||
217th Ry Sta Cmd |
--43--
16 Sep 41 |
136th Ry Sta Cmd |
China Expeditionary Army |
316th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
140th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
141st Ry Sta Cmd | ||
157th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
156th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
161st Ry Sta Cmd | ||
15 Oct 41 |
23d Tk Regt |
(Kwantung Army) |
1st Ind Hvy Arty Btry |
(Fifth Army) | |
6 Nov 41 |
2d Fld Kemp Hqs |
Southern Army |
23d Fld Water Sup and Pur Dept | ||
4th Tk Regt |
Fourteenth Army | |
45th Fld AAA Bn | ||
1st Med Arty Regt | ||
30th Ind Fld AAA Bn | ||
31st Ind Fld AAA Bn | ||
26th Brg Bldg Mat Co | ||
13th River Cross Mat Co | ||
14th River Cross Mat Co | ||
1st Fld Kemp | ||
61st L of C Unit | ||
63d L of C Unit | ||
51st Ind Trans Co | ||
36th Fld Road Const Unit | ||
39th Fld Road Const Unit | ||
6th Fld Well Const Co | ||
12th Fld Duty Unit Hqs | ||
25th Fld Water Sup and Pur Dept | ||
8th Tk Regt |
Sixteenth Army | |
17th Med Arty Regt | ||
44th Fld AAA Bn | ||
33d Fixed Wireless Unit (non-mbl) | ||
34th Fixed Wireless Unit (non-mbl) | ||
29th Brg Bldg Mat Co | ||
3d Fld Kemp | ||
43d L of C Sector Unit | ||
46th L of C Sector Unit | ||
2d Fld Trans Cmd | ||
42d Fld Road Const Unit | ||
44th Fld Road Const Unit | ||
16th Fld Well Const Co |
--44--
6 Nov 41 |
67th L of C Hosp |
Sixteenth Army |
22d Water Sup and Pur Dept | ||
18th Med Arty Regt |
Twenty-fifth Army | |
51st Fld AAA Bn |
||
33d Fld AAA Bn | ||
34th Fld AAA Bn | ||
35th Fld AAA Bn | ||
26th Ind Fld AAA Bn | ||
21st Brg Bldg Mat Co | ||
22d Brg Bldg Mat Co | ||
15th River Cross Mat Co | ||
2d Fld Kemp | ||
47th L of C Sector Unit | ||
58th L of C Sector Unit | ||
78th L of C Sector Unit | ||
5th Fld Trans Cmd | ||
52d Ind Trans Co | ||
33d Fld Road Const Unit | ||
34th Fld Road Const Unit | ||
10th Fld Well Const Co | ||
15th Fld Well Const Co | ||
85th Land Duty Co | ||
38th Sea Duty Co | ||
47th Const Duty Co | ||
60th Const Duty Co | ||
68th L of C Hosp | ||
24th Fld Water Sup and Pur Dept | ||
13 Dec 41 |
13th Fld Surv Unit |
Southern Army |
29 Jan 42 |
8th Tk Regt |
(Kwantung Army) |
42d Fld Road Const Unit |
(Fifth Army) | |
44th Fld Road Const Unit | ||
16th Fld Well Const Co |
(Twentieth Army) | |
16 Feb 42 |
16th Sig Regt |
(Third Army) |
6th Sig Regt |
(Fourth Army) | |
20 Mar 42 |
2d Engr Unit Hqs |
(Fourth Army) |
54th Ind Engr Bn | ||
55th Ind Engr Bn | ||
56th Ind Engr Bn | ||
57th Ind Engr Bn |
--45--
20 Map 42 |
29th Ind Engr Regt |
(Fourth Army) |
18th Ind Engr Regt |
(Fifth Army) | |
53rd Ind Engr Bn | ||
6 Apr 42 |
3d Tk Gp |
(Kwantung Army) |
1st Ind AT Co | ||
2d Ind AT Co | ||
4th Ind AT Co | ||
7th Ind AT Co | ||
12th Ind AT Co | ||
29th Brg Bldg Mat Co |
(Fifth Army) | |
2 May 42 |
53d Ind Engr Bn |
China Expeditionary Army |
54th Ind Engr Bn | ||
55th Ind Engr Bn | ||
16 May 42 |
71st Div |
Activated (Kwantung Army) |
7th Tk Regt |
(Kwantung Army) | |
3d Ind Engr Co | ||
3d Ind Mtn Arty Regt |
(Third Army) | |
2d Ind Hvy Arty Co | ||
1st Arty Cmd |
(Fourth Army) | |
1st Med Arty Regt | ||
1st Hvy Arty Regt | ||
9th Ind Hvy Arty Bn | ||
5th Arty Intel Regt | ||
23d Ind Engr Regt | ||
3d Tractor Unit | ||
30 May 42 |
71st Inf Gp Hqs |
(71st Division) |
140th Inf Regt | ||
4 Jul 42 |
Element of the 17th Fld Arty Regt |
(Kwantung Army) |
34th Fixed Wireless Unit (non-mbl) | ||
40th Fixed Wireless Unit (non-mbl) |
||
3d Ind AT Bn |
(Fourth Army) | |
27th Brg Const Mat Co | ||
28th Brg Const Mat Co | ||
34th Fld Road Const Unit |
--46--
4 Jul 42 |
21st River Cross Mat Co |
(Fifth Army) |
39th Fld Road Const Unit |
(Twentieth Army) | |
4 Jul 42 |
First Area Army |
Activated (Kwantung Army) |
Second Area Army |
Activated (Kwantung Army) | |
Second Army |
Activated (Kwantung Army) | |
Mech Army |
Activated (Kwantung Army) | |
4 Jul 42 |
6th Tk Regt |
(Mechanized Army) |
7th Tk Regt | ||
1st Ind AT Co | ||
4th Ind AT Co | ||
12th Ind AT Co | ||
3d Ind Engr Co | ||
27th Ind Fld AAA Co | ||
28th Ind Fld AAA Co | ||
29th Ind Fld AAA Co | ||
16th Fld Automatic Cann Co | ||
18th Fld Automatic Cann Co | ||
15th Tk Regt |
(Fourth Army) | |
16th Tk Regt |
(Sixth Army) | |
1st Tk Regt |
(Mechanized Army) | |
26th Ind Fld AAA Co | ||
71st Cav Regt | ||
72d Cav Regt | ||
29th Inf Gp Hqs |
(29th Division) | |
18th Inf Regt | ||
4 Jul 42 |
8th Tk Regt |
North China Area Army |
10 Sep 42 |
171st Ry Sta Co |
Korea |
17 Sep 42 |
6th Ind AT Bn |
Seventeenth Army in Rabaul |
4th Med Arty Regt |
--47--
21 Sep 42 |
KA Sup Dept |
Activated (Kwantung Army) |
20 Oct 42 |
25th Fld Mach Cann Co |
Seventeenth Army |
28th Fld Mach Cann Co | ||
31st Fld Road Const Unit | ||
21st Fld Duty Unit Hqs | ||
7th Fld Const Unit Hqs | ||
51st Const Duty Co | ||
49th Const Duty Co | ||
64th L of C Sector Unit | ||
4th Engr Unit Hqs | ||
96th Land Duty Co | ||
31st Sea Duty Co | ||
49th Sea Duty Co | ||
103d L of C Hosp | ||
21 Apr 43 |
120th Ry Sta Cmd |
Burma Area Army |
121st Ry Sta Cmd | ||
143d Ry Sta Cmd | ||
148th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
152d Ry Sta Cmd | ||
Jul 43 |
27th Div |
(Kwantung Army) from China |
30 Oct 43 |
Second Area Army Hqs |
Southern Army—-Area North of Australia |
Second Army Hqs | ||
Mech Army Hqs |
(Deactivated) | |
Third Area Army Hqs |
Activated (Kwantung Army) | |
16 Nov 43 |
2d South Seas Det |
Activated (Kwantung Army)—to Carolines. |
3d South Seas Det | ||
16 Nov 43 |
1st Amphibious Brig |
Activated (Kwantung Army)—to Marshalls. |
1st Mbl Bn | ||
2d Mbl Bn | ||
3d Mbl Bn | ||
1 Feb 44 |
27th Div |
Eleventh Army in China |
--48--
1 Feb 44 |
59th Ind Engr Bn |
Twelfth Army in China |
60th Ind Engr Bn | ||
2d Engr Unit Hqs |
Eleventh Army | |
91st Ind Engr Bn | ||
55th Ind Trans Bn |
Twenty-third Army in China | |
31st Ind Mtr Trans Bn |
China Expeditionary Army | |
32d Ind Mtr Trans Bn | ||
33d Ind Mtr Trans Bn | ||
49th Ind Mtr Trans Bn | ||
83rd Ind Mtr Trans Bn | ||
54th Ind Trans Bn | ||
7 Feb 44 |
12th Ind Engr Regt |
(Kwantung Army) |
10 Feb A4 |
14th Div |
Second Army in Area North of Australia |
29th Div |
Eastern District Army in Homeland | |
257th Ind Inf Bn |
Twenty-ninth Army in Malaya | |
261st Ind Inf Bn | ||
265th Ind Inf Bn | ||
10 Feb 44 |
KA Fld Ry Cmd | |
KA 1st Ry Unit | ||
KA 3d Ry Unit | ||
KA Fld Ry Unit |
Activated (Kwantung Army) | |
10 Feb 44 |
11th Tk Regt |
Northern Army in Hokkaido |
7th Ind Garr Inf Bn | ||
8th Ind Garr Inf Bn | ||
9th Ind Garr Inf Bn | ||
15 Feb 44 |
16th Mort Bn |
China Expeditionary Army |
101st Ind Wire Comm Co | ||
102d Ind Wire Comm Co | ||
103d Ind Wire Comm Co | ||
55th Fixed Wireless Unit (non-mbl) | ||
56th Fixed Wireless Unit (non-mbl) | ||
57th Fixed Wireless Unit (non-mbl) |
--49--
15 Feb 44 |
58th Fixed Wireless Unit (non-mbl) |
Chins Expeditionary |
15 Feb 44 |
9th Ind Fld Arty Bn |
Eleventh Army |
10th Ind Fld Arty Bn | ||
15th Mort Bn | ||
7th Ind Fld Arty Bn |
Twenty-third Army | |
8th Ind Fld Arty Bn | ||
100th Ind Wire Comm Co | ||
24th Brg Mat Co |
Twelfth Army | |
25th Brg Mat Co | ||
31st Brg Mat Co | ||
Air Defense Unit (AAA Bn), 1st Armd Div |
North China Area Army | |
15 Feb 44 |
55th Fld AAA Bn |
Twenty-third Army |
16 Feb 44 |
2d Bn, 35th Inf Regt |
North China Area Army |
3d Bn, 140th Inf Regt | ||
2d Bn, 3d Ind Mtn Arty Regt | ||
21 Feb 44 |
2d Ind Garr Hqs |
Korea Army |
1st Expeditionary Unit |
Ponape in the Eastern Carolines | |
25th Inf Gp Hqs | ||
3d Bn, 14th Inf Regt | ||
3d Bn, 40th Inf Regt | ||
3d Bn, 10th Inf Regt | ||
3d Bn, 89th Inf Regt | ||
3d Ind Mtn Arty Regt (less 2 battalions) | ||
3d Bn, 10th Fld Arty | ||
3d Co, 25 Engr Regt | ||
2d Expeditionary Unit |
Martlock in the Carolines | |
3d Bn, 7th Inf Regt | ||
3d Bn, 19th Inf Regt | ||
1st Bn, 9th Mtn Arty Regt | ||
3d Co, 9th Engr Regt | ||
3d Expeditionary Unit |
Engebi in the Marshalls | |
8th Inf Gp Hqs | ||
1st Bn, 5th Inf Regt | ||
1st Bn, 17th Inf Regt | ||
3d Bn, 31st Inf Regt |
--50--
21 Feb 44 |
3d 3d Bn, 8th Fld Arty Regt |
Engebi in the Marshalls |
3d Co, 8th Engr Regt | ||
4th Expeditionary Unit |
Yap in the Carolines | |
12th Inf Gp Hqs | ||
2d Bn, 1st Inf Regt | ||
3d Bn, 49th Inf Regt | ||
3d Bn, 57th Inf Regt | ||
3d Bn, 1st Fld Arty Regt | ||
3d Co, 1st Engr Regt | ||
5th Expeditionary Unit |
Pagan in the Marianas | |
71st Inf Gp Hqs | ||
3d Bn, 87th Inf Regt | ||
3d Bn, 88th Inf Regt | ||
1st Bn, 71st Mtn Arty Regt | ||
3d Co, 71st Engr Regt | ||
6th Expeditionary Unit |
Guam in the. Marianas | |
11th Inf Gp Hqs | ||
3 3d Bn, 12th Inf Regt | ||
3d Bn, 24th Inf Regt | ||
3d Bn, 43d Inf Regt | ||
1st Bn, 44th Inf Regt | ||
3d Bn, 46th Inf Regt | ||
3d Bn, 48th Inf Regt | ||
3d Bn, 24th Fld Arty Regt | ||
3d Bn, 11th Mtn Arty Regt | ||
3d Co, 11th Engr Regt | ||
3d Co, 18th Engr Regt | ||
7th Expeditionary Unit |
Woleai in the Carolines | |
1st Bn, 22d Inf Regt | ||
3d Bn, 32d Inf Regt | ||
3d Bn, 42d Fld Arty Regt | ||
3d Co, 24th Engr Regt | ||
8th Expeditionary Unit |
Truk in the Carolines | |
2d Ind Garr Hqs | ||
(from Korea Army) | ||
3d Bn, 3d Inf Regt | ||
3d Bn, 75th Inf Regt | ||
3d Bn, 76th Inf Regt | ||
3d Bn, 25th Mtn Arty Regt | ||
3d Co, 19th Engr Regt | ||
1 Apr 44 |
9th Expeditionary Unit |
Yap in the Carolines |
--51--
1 Apr 44 |
24th Inf Gp Hqs |
Tap in the Carolines |
12th Ind Garr Inf Bn | ||
14th Ind Garr Inf Bn | ||
28th Ind Garr Inf Bn | ||
4 Apr 44 |
10th Expeditionary Unit |
Philippines |
10th Inf Gp Hqs | ||
22d Ind Garr Inf Bn | ||
23d Ind Garr Inf Bn | ||
30th Ind Garr Inf Bn | ||
11th Expeditionary Unit |
Kuriles | |
57th Inf Gp Hqs | ||
2d Ind Garr Inf Bn | ||
4th Ind Garr Inf Bn | ||
29th Ind Garr Inf Bn | ||
11 Apr 44 |
2d Amph Brig |
Southern Army |
29th Inf Gp Hqs | ||
Three amph bn | ||
One unit each of AAA, tk, engr, sig, trans, and med. | ||
5 May 44 |
603d Spl Eat Garr Bn |
Activated (First Area Army) |
604th Spl Est Garr Bn |
Activated (Kwantung Defense Army) | |
605th Spl Est Garr Bn |
Activated (First Area Army) | |
606th Spl Eat Garr Bn |
Activated (Third Area Army) | |
604th Spl Est Garr Co |
Activated (Third Area Army) | |
605th Spl Est Garr Co | ||
606th Spl Est Garr Co |
Activated (Kwantung Defense Army) | |
607th Spl Est Garr Co | ||
19 May 44 |
5th Fld Med Arty Regt |
Burma Area Army |
22 May 44 |
1st Sig Unit |
Activated—to Southern Army |
2d Sig Unit |
--52--
13 Jun 44 |
1st Mbl Brg |
Activated—Kwantung Army) |
1st Raid Unit | ||
KA Comm Intel Dep | ||
KA Spl Intel Unit | ||
107th Div |
Activated—(Third Area Army) | |
Fuchin Garr Unit |
Activated—(10th Division) | |
14th Border Garr Unit | ||
13 Jun 44 |
2d Guer Unit |
Activated (Kwantung Army) |
20 Jun 44 |
2d Mbl Regt |
Korea |
26th Tk Regt | ||
26th Rngr Regt | ||
5th Ind AT Bn | ||
One co, 11th Engr Regt | ||
26 Jun |
68th Brig |
Formosa Army |
16th Ind Mixed Regt | ||
5th Ind Fld Arty Bn | ||
36th Inf Regt |
Fourteenth Army | |
One Co, 27th Sig Regt |
Thirty-second Army in Formosa | |
9th Div (minus 9th Cav Regt, | ||
9th Div Vet Aid Sta, | ||
and 9th Trans Pack Horse Bn) | ||
1st Med Arty Regt | ||
3d Ind AT Bn | ||
4th Ind AT Bn | ||
7th Ind AT Bn | ||
15th Ind Mixed Regt | ||
27th Tk Regt | ||
26 Jun A4 |
13th Ind AT Co |
(Fourth Army) |
14th Ind AT Co | ||
17th Ind AT Co |
(Twentieth Army) | |
18th Ind AT Co |
--53--
26 Jun 44 |
21st Ind AT Co |
(10th Division) |
22d Ind AT Co |
(107th Division) | |
23d Ind AT Co | ||
25th Ind AT Co |
(28th Division) | |
26th Ind AT Co | ||
24th Ind AT Co |
(Fifth Army) | |
27th Ind AT Co | ||
29th Ind AT Co |
(Third Army) | |
30th Ind AT Co | ||
26 Jun 44 |
28th Div (minus 36th Inf Regt) |
Imperial General Headquarters --- to Thirty-second Army on 30 Jun 44. |
30 Jun 44 |
18th Ind Mixed Regt |
Thirty-second Army |
5th Ind AT Bn | ||
5 Jul 44 |
24th Div |
Imperial General Headquarters—later to Thirty-second Army |
12 Jul 44 |
27th Sig Regt (less one company) |
|
22d Hvy Fld Arty Regt | ||
4th Ind Hvy Arty Bn | ||
12th Hvy Fld Arty Regt | ||
13th Ind AT Co |
Twenty-seventh Army | |
14th Ind AT Co | ||
17th Ind AT Co | ||
18th Ind AT Co | ||
22d Ind AT Co | ||
12 Jul 44 |
23d Ind AT Co |
Thirty-second Army |
54th Ind Engr Bn |
Shipping Command | |
15 Jul 44 |
59th Ind Mixed Brig |
Activated—to Thirty-second Army |
60th Ind Mixed Brig |
--54--
17 Jul 44 |
Defense Fort Dept |
General Defense Command—Japan |
18 Jul 44 |
8th Div |
Imperial General Headquarters—to Fourteenth Area Army on 4 Aug 44. |
20 Jul 44 |
25th Ind Mixed Regt |
Formosa Army |
26th Ind Mixed Regt |
Fourteenth Army | |
23d Med Arty Regt |
Thirty-second Army | |
24th Ind AT Co |
Eastern District Army—Japan | |
27th Ind AT Co | ||
35th Const Duty Co |
Thirteenth Army | |
36th Sea Duty Co | ||
87th Land Duty Co | ||
78th L of C Hosp |
Burma Area Army | |
86th L of C Hosp | ||
24 Jul 44 |
1st Div (later to China) |
Imperial General |
10th Div (later to Tenth Army, Formosa) | ||
2d Armd Div (less the 2d Armd Div AAA Unit) (later to Philippines) | ||
29th Ind AT Co |
Formosa Army | |
30th Ind AT Co | ||
31st Ind AT Co | ||
32d Ind AT Co | ||
1st Ind Mort Regt | ||
27 Jul 44 |
Anshan Defense Cmd AAA Bn |
Activated (Kwantung Defense Army) |
55th Ind Fld AAA Btry | ||
56th Ind Fld AAA Btry | ||
57th Ind Fld AAA Btry | ||
68th Fld Mach Cann Co | ||
69th Fld Mach Cann Co | ||
70th Fld Mach Cann Co | ||
5 Aug 44 |
101st Garr Unit |
Activated |
--55--
5 Aug 44 |
102d Garr Unit |
(Kwantung Defense Army) |
103d Garr Unit |
(First Area Army) | |
104th Garr Unit |
(Third Area Army) | |
Kwantung Terr Garr Unit |
(Kwantung Defense Army) | |
Anshan Defense Unit | ||
108th Div | ||
111th Div |
(Twentieth Army) | |
112th Div |
(Third Army) | |
16 Aug 44 |
let Fld Trans Hqs |
Eleventh Army |
13th Fld Trans Hqs | ||
75th Ind Mtr Trans Bn | ||
81st Ind Mtr Trans Bn | ||
69th Ind Mtr Trans Bn | ||
266th Ind Mtr Trans Co | ||
279th Ind Mtr Trans Co | ||
57th Ind Trans Co | ||
58th Ind Trans Co | ||
59th Ind Trans Co | ||
60th Ind Trans Co | ||
61st Ind Trans Co | ||
62d Ind Trans Co | ||
21 Aug 44 |
88th Fld AAA Bn |
Activated—(Kwantung Defense Army) |
22 Aug 44 |
5th Arty Hqs |
Thirty-second Army |
23 Aug 44 |
33d Ind Tk Bn |
Eastern District Army |
26 Aug 44 |
31st Sig Regt |
Activated— (Kwantung Army) |
9 Sep 44 |
3d Raid Unit |
Activated—to Formosa Army |
4th Raid Unit | ||
16 Sep 44 |
601st Spl Garr Engr Unit |
Activated—(Kwantung Defense Army) |
602d Spl Garr Engr Unit | ||
603d Spl Garr Engr Unit | ||
604th Spl Garr Engr Unit | ||
605th Spl Garr Engr Unit | ||
606th Spl Garr Engr Unit |
--56--
16 Sap 44 |
607th Spl Garr Engr Unit |
|
22 Sep 44 |
23d Div |
Alerted—sent to Fourteenth Army in November. |
27 Sep 44 |
Twentieth Army |
Deactivated—Headquarters sent to Sixth Area Army, China |
4 Oct 44 |
6th Fld Trans Hqs |
Southern Army |
11 Oct 44 |
119th Div |
Activated (Sixth Army) |
73d Ind Mixed Brig |
(Fourth Army) | |
1st Ind Armd Brig |
(First Area Army) | |
23d Ind Mort Bn |
(Third Army) | |
17th Mort Bn |
(Third Area Army) | |
13th Ind Fld Arty Bn | ||
14th Ind Fld Arty Bn | ||
Penhsihu Garr Unit Hqs |
(Kwantung Defense Army) | |
Fushun Garr Unit Hqs | ||
Anshan Garr Unit Hqs | ||
90th Fld AAA Bn | ||
91st Fld AAA Bn | ||
92d Fld AAA Bn | ||
71st Fld Mach Cann Co | ||
72d Fld Mach Cann Co | ||
73d Fld Mach Cann Co | ||
74th Fld Mach Cann Co | ||
75th Fld Mach Cann Co | ||
76th Fld Mach Cann Co | ||
77th Fld Mach Cann Co | ||
24 Nov 44 |
120th Div |
Activated—(Third Army) |
11 Dec 44 |
KA Fld Ry Unit |
(Deactivated) |
11 Dec 44 |
Continental Ry Unit |
Activated—(Kwantung Army) |
1st Ind Ry Bn |
Eastern District Army |
--57--
11 Dec 44 |
2d Ind Ry Bn |
Eastern District Army |
3d Ind Ry Bn | ||
4th Ind Ry Bn | ||
22 Dec 44 |
7th Med Arty Regt |
Eighth Area Army |
12th Div |
Tenth Area Army, Formosa | |
Jan 45 |
Three Inf gp |
North China Area Army |
One Mong cav unit | ||
23 Jan 15 |
71st Div |
Tenth Area Army |
25 Jan 45 |
Sixth Army |
(Deactivated) |
Sixth Army Hqs |
China Expeditionary Army | |
1 Feb 45 |
lat Ry Sta Cmd |
Activated (Kwantung Army |
171st Ry Sta Cmd | ||
172d Ry Sta Cmd | ||
173d Ry Sta Cmd | ||
174th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
176th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
180th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
181st Ry Sta Cmd | ||
186th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
194th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
207th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
208th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
209th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
210th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
211th Ry Sta Cmd | ||
9 Fab 45 |
10th Ind Ry Bn |
Activated (Kwantung Army) |
11th Ind Ry Bn | ||
12th Ind Ry Bn | ||
15th Ind Ry Bn | ||
13th Ind Ry Bn |
North China Area Army | |
14th Ind Ry Bn | ||
22 Feb 45 |
31st Sig Regt |
Thirteenth Army in China |
37th Sig Regt |
Activated (Kwantung Army) |
--58--
26 Feb 4 |
121st Div |
Activated (Kwantung Army |
122d Div |
(First Area Army) | |
123d Div |
(Fourth Army) | |
124th Div |
(Third Army) | |
125th Div |
(Fourth Army) | |
126th Div |
(Fifth Army) | |
127th Div |
(Third Army) | |
128th Div |
||
77th Ind Mixed Brig |
(Fifth Army) | |
78th Ind Mixed Brig |
(First Area Army) | |
79th Ind Mixed Brig |
||
80th Ind Mixed Brig |
(Third Area Army) | |
29th Ind AT Bn |
||
30th Ind AT Bn |
(Fourth Army) | |
12th Ind Engr Regt |
(First Area Army) | |
171st Cav Regt |
Kwantung Army | |
15 Mar 45 |
lat Armd Div (leas 3d TK Regt, and 1st Armd Air Defense Unit) |
|
14th Mort Bn | ||
2d Hvy Fld Arty Regt |
Twelfth Area Army | |
9th Hvy Fld Arty Regt | ||
44th Ind Mtr Trans Bn | ||
25th Div |
Sixteenth Area Army | |
84th Ind Mtr Trans Bn | ||
27 Mar 45 |
42d Sig Regt |
Activated (Kwantung Army) |
37th Sig Regt |
Fifteenth Area Army | |
31 Mar 45 |
KA Arsenal |
Activated (Kwantung Army) |
KA Ord Sup Dep |
--59--
31 Mar 45 |
KA Clothing Dep |
Activated (Kwantung Army) |
KA Provisions Dap | ||
KA Mat Dap | ||
KA Medical Sup Dap | ||
KA Vat Sup Dep | ||
31 Mar 45 |
27th Ind Engr Regt |
Twelfth Area Army |
2d Arty Intel Regt | ||
5th Army Intel Regt | ||
11th Ind Hvy Arty Bn | ||
12th Ind Hvy Arty Bn | ||
13th Ind Hvy Arty Bn | ||
8th Arty Hqs | ||
8th Sig Regt | ||
66th Ind Mtr Trans Bn | ||
2d Fld Const Unit Hqs | ||
1st Arty Hqs |
Sixteenth Area Army | |
3d Engr Unit Hqs | ||
4th Fld Const Unit Hqs | ||
7th Fld Trans Hqs | ||
13th Fld Duty Unit Hqs | ||
1st Arty Intel Regt | ||
7th Sig Regt | ||
10th Hvy Fld Arty Regt | ||
9th Ind Hvy Arty Bn | ||
34th Ind Mtr Trans Bn | ||
68th Ind Mtr Trans Bn | ||
99th L of C Hosp | ||
11th Tractor Co | ||
12th Tractor Co | ||
33d Const Duty Co | ||
45th Const Duty Co | ||
111th Div |
Seventeenth Area Army | |
120th Div | ||
121st Div | ||
4th Sig Regt | ||
23d Ind Mort Bn | ||
57th Div (less 57th Inf Gp Hqs and 57th Racon Regt) |
Thirty-sixth Army | |
7th Arty Hqs | ||
22 Apr 45 |
5th Fld Const Unit Hqs |
Twelfth Area Army |
6th Fld Const Unit Hqs | ||
17th Fld Duty Unit Hqs |
--60--
22 Apr 45 |
53d Ind Mtr Trans Bn |
Twelfth Area Army |
67th Ind Mtr Trans Bn | ||
65th L of C Hosp | ||
3d Tractor Unit | ||
13th Tractor Co | ||
14th Tractor Co | ||
39th Const Duty Co | ||
8th Fld Duty Unit Hqs |
Sixteenth Area Army | |
16th Fld Duty Unit Hqs | ||
56th Ind Mtr Trans Bn | ||
46th L of C Sector Unit Hqs |
Seventeenth Area Army | |
64th L of C Hosp | ||
63d Ind Trans Co | ||
64th Ind Trans Co | ||
65th Ind Trans Co | ||
27 Apr 45 |
2d Ry Regt |
Homeland Railway Command—-Japan |
28 Apr 45 |
8th Ind Tk Brig |
Thirteenth Area Army |
30 May 45 |
39th Div |
(Third Area Army) |
59th Div |
(Thirty-fourth Army) | |
63d Div |
(Forty-fourth Army) | |
117th Div | ||
2d Engr Unit Hqs |
(Third Area Army) | |
31st Sig Regt |
(Forty-fourth Army) | |
40th Ind Engr Regt |
(Third Area Army) | |
2d Ind Ry Brg Bn |
(Continental Railway) | |
10th Ind Fld Arty Bn |
(Fourth Army) | |
11th Ind Fld Arty Bn 15th Mtr Bn |
(Kwantung Army) | |
81st Ind Mtr Trans Bn |
(Fourth Army) | |
1st Ind Ry Const and Repair Unit |
(Continental Railway Unit) |
--61--
30 May 45 |
85th Fld Mach Cann Co |
(Third Area Army) |
107th Spl Const Duty Co |
(Kwantung Army) | |
127th Spl Land Duty Co |
(Forty-fourth Army) | |
127th Spl Sea Duty Co |
(Kwantung Army) | |
179th L of C Hosp | ||
30 May 45 |
193d L of C Hosp |
(Kwantung Army) |
79th Div | ||
101st Mixed Regt | ||
Eiko Bay Fortress Garr Unit | ||
Rashin Fortress Garr Unit | ||
5 Jun 45 |
Kwantung Defense Army |
(Redesignated Forty-Fourth Army Headquarters) |
16 Jun 45 |
Thirty-fourth Army Hqs |
(Kwantung Army) |
18 Jun 45 |
10th Fld Duty Unit Hqs |
Seventeenth Area Army |
62d L of C Sector Unit Hqs | ||
12th Fld Trans Co | ||
65th Ind Mtr Trans Bn | ||
70th Ind Mtr Trans Bn | ||
82d Ind Mtr Trans Bn | ||
41st Const Duty Co | ||
59th Const Duty Co | ||
72d Ind Trans Co | ||
74th Ind Trans Co | ||
16th Vet Quar Sta | ||
71st L of C Hosp |
Activated | |
5 Jul 45 |
134th Div |
(First Area Army) |
135th Div |
(Fifth Army) | |
136th Div |
(Third Area Army) | |
137th Div |
(Thirty-fourth Army) | |
138th Div |
(Thirtieth Army) | |
139th Div |
(First Area Army) | |
148th Div |
(Thirtieth Army) |
--62--
5 Jul 45 |
149th Div |
(Fourth Army) Activated |
130th Ind Mixed Brig |
(Third Area Army) | |
13lst Ind Mixed Brig |
(Fourth Army) | |
132d Ind Mixed Brig |
(Third Army) | |
133d Ind Mixed Brig |
(Thirty-fourth Army) | |
134th Ind Mixed Brig |
(Third Area Army) | |
135th Ind Mixed Brig |
(Fourth Army) | |
136th Ind Mixed Brig | ||
9th Guer Unit |
(Fifth Army) | |
11th Guer Unit |
(Fourth Army) | |
lat Spl Garr Unit |
(Third Area Army) | |
2d Spl Garr Unit |
(First Area Army) | |
3d Spl Garr Unit |
(Fourth Army) | |
15th Border Garr Unit |
(Fifth Army) | |
Five Arty Reg |
(One each to 124th through 128th Divisions) | |
Twenty-six Aslt Units (Bn size) |
(One each to 107th, 108th, 112th, 119th, 122d to 128th, 134th to 139th, 148th and 149th Divisions, and to the 130th to 136th Independent Mixed Brigades.) | |
19th Hvy Arty Regt |
(Thirtieth Army) | |
30th Hvy Fld Arty Regt |
(Forty-fourth Army) | |
54th Sig Regt |
(Kwantung Army) | |
57th Sig Regt |
--63--
5 Jul 45 |
21st Ind Hvy Fld Arty Bn |
(Thirtieth Army) |
22d Ind Ry Bn |
(Kwantung Army) | |
23d Ind Ry Bn | ||
27th Ind Hvy Mort Bn |
(Thirtieth Army) | |
112th Ind Mtr Trans Bn |
(Kwantung Army) | |
113th Ind Mtr Trans Bn | ||
114th Ind Mtr Trans Bn | ||
115th Ind Mtr Trans Bn | ||
116th Ind Mtr Trans Bn | ||
1st Ind Hvy Mort Co |
(Third Army) | |
6th Ind Hvy Arty Btry |
(Forty-fourth Army) | |
31 Jul 45 |
Thirtieth Army Hqs |
Activated (Kwantung Army) |
--64--
INDEX
AAA defense: 25
Air Army: 2d; 22
Air Force: 11, 16, Organization:
Chart No. 5; 20
Air Brigades: 10th and 12th; 16,
22: Paichengtzu; 25
Air Groups: 3d and 5th; 16
Air Regiments: 24th and 45th; 17
Anami, Lt Gen, Korechika, Cmdr of 2d Area Army: 23
Ando, Lt Gen, Saburo, Cmdr of Air Force: 20
Area Armies: 1st and 2d; 23
Army General Staff, Japanese (AGS): 3-5
Armies, General
China Expeditionary Army: 15-17
Kwantung Army: 23
Southern Army: 15-17
Armies
2d: 23-24 3rd 7, 11, 19, 23
4th: 7, 19, 23
5th: 7, 1, 19, 23
6th: 7, 19, 23
14th: 16, 21
15th: 16
16th: 16, 22
20th: 11, 19-20, 23
23d: 15
25th: 16, 22
Korea: 4
Kwantung (see Kwantung Army)
Mechanized: 23-24
Armored Divisions: 1st and 2d; 24
Arshaan: 20
Artillery Battalions
9th Ind Heavy: 21
Port Arthur Fortress: 3
Artillery Battery: 2d Ind Hv; 21
Artillery Command: 1st; 21
Artillery Regiments
1st Heavy: 21
1st Heavy Field: 21
3d Ind Mountain: 21
5th Intelligence: 21
27th, 31st and 77th: 22
45th and 208th: 25
Axis powers: 7
Border Garrison Units
2d, 3d, 10th and 11th: 11
Brigades
lat and 4th Cavalry: 5
3d Tank: 22
4th, 8th and 39th Mixed: 4
14th Mixed: 5
Britain: 9, 11, 14, 18
Bundy, author of On Active Service in Peace and War: 10n
Burma: 14n
Cavalry brigade (see Brigades)
Changchun (Hsinking): 2, 5, 20
China: 1-2, 11, 14-15, 18, 22, 24
China Incident (see Incidents)
China Expeditionary Army (see Armies, General)
Chinese Government: 2
Chihsi: 11
Dairen: 1, 14
Division (see Infantry, Armored Divisions)
Dutch East Indies: 14n
European front: 26
Far East: 1-2, 6, 8-10, 12
Formosa: 14, 16
France: 1
French Indo-China: 14-16
Garrison Units
9th Border: 22
Hunchun: 22
Arshaan: 23
Germany: 1, 7, 23
Greater East Asia: 18
Guadalcanal: 24
Hainan: 14-16
Hattori, Col, Takushiro: 9n
Hayashi, Lt Gen, Senjuro, Cmdr of
Korea Army: 4n
--65--
Heiho Province: 24
Hsinking (see Changchun)
Hsingan Provinces Nan, Pei and Tung: 24
Hokkaido: 6
Hulutao: 14
Hunchun: 20, 22
Iman: 13
Imperial General Headquarters
(IGH): ii, 3n, 6-14, 16-18, 20-21, 23-26
Incidents
China: 5-7, 18
Mukden: 3-5, 7
Nomonhan: 6-7
Ishiwatari, Lt Col, Heizo: 11
Iwano, Maj, Masataka: 11
Japan: 1-2, 5, 7, 13
Decision to go south:
Decision to go to War: 18
National policy: 6, 10, 14, 19
Japanese-Manchukuoan Protocol: 5, 7
Japanese Prime Minister: 4n
Java: 16
Komuratani, Maj, Yasuji: ii
Konoye, Prime Minister, Fumimaro: 9
Korea: 1, 5, 8, 10
Kozuki, Lt Gen, Yoshio, Cmdr of 2d Army: 24
Kwantung Army: ii, 3-11, 13-14, 17-20, 24-25
Deployment to the south begins: 14
Headquarters established: 3
List of Commanders of: Chart No. 1; 3
Organization, 1941: Chart No. 3; 7
Organization, 1942: Chart No. 6; 26
Origin of: 2
Special Maneuvers: 8-9, 11-12, 14
Strength of (1931-1945): Chart No. 2; 5-6
Strengthening of Manchuria in 1942: 21
Withdrawals from Manchuria in late 1942: 24
Kwantung Bureau: 6
Kwantung Defense Army (see Armies)
Kwantung Territory: 1-3, 19
Civilian governor of: 6
Governor General of: 2, 3n, 5
Liaotung Peninsula: 1
Lungchiang Province: 24
Malaya: 14n, 16, 23
Manchukuo
Ambassador Plenipotentiary to: 4, 6
Joint defense of: 5
New capital of: 5
Proclamation of independence: 4
Manchuria: ii, 3n, 4, 6, 8-10, 12-14, 17-20, 22-25
Matsumura, Maj Gen, Tomokatsu, Deputy C of S of Kwantung Army: 17-18
Matsuoka, Foreign Minister, Yosuke: 9
Mizumachi, Lt Col, Katsushiro: ii
Mukden Incident (see Incidents)
Mutanchiang: 23-24
Nakamura, Maj, Ryuhei: ii
National policies, Japan (see Japan)
Navy, Japanese: 9
Netherlands: 14n, 18
New Guinea: 24
Nomonhan: 7
Nomonhan Incident (see Incidents)
OCMH: 9n, 18n
Outer Mongolia: 26
Pacific, war in: 13
Palau: 16n
Peian Province: 24
Philippines: 14n, 16
Port Arthur: 1, 3, 11
Poland: 7
Poli: 24
--66--
23d Ind Engr: 21
Shishikura, Maj, Juro: ii
Siberian expedition: 2
Southern Areas: 14n, 25-26
Southern Army (see Armies, General)
South Manchurian Railway: 2-3
South Manchurian Railway Zone: 2-3
Soviet (Soviet Union): 6, 13-14, 18-19, 23
Soviet Armies
16th Army: 26
17th Army: 26
25th Army: 33
35th Army: 13
Estimate of strength in 1942: 26
Far Eastern: 8
Far Eastern Area Army: 13
Strength in Far East (1931-1941): 12n
Transfer to European front: 26
Zabaikal Area Army: 26
Zabaikal Army District: 26
Special Maneuvers (see Kwantung Army)
Ssupingchieh: 24
Stimson, author of On Active
Service in Peace and War: 10n
Suzuki, Lt Gen, Ritsudo, Cmdr of Air Army: 20 Tachibana, Gen, Koichiro, Cmdr of Kwantung Army: 3
Thailand: 14n, 16
Tokyo: 3-4, 9, 17-18
Treaties
Portsmouth: 1
Shimonoseki: 1
Sino-Japanese: 2
Tripartite Alliance: 7
Tsitsihar: 23
Tumen River: 22
Tumentzu: 22
U.S.: 9-11, 13-14, 18
USSR (see Soviet)
Voroshilov: 13
Pacific: 13, 19
Russo-Japanese: 1-2, 6
Soviet-German: 7-8, 10, 12, 19
World War I: 2
World War II: 3n, 7
Wuchiatzu: 22
Yamashita, Lt Gen, Tomoyuki, Cmdr of 1st Area Army: 23
Yano, Col, Muraji: ii
Yenchi: 24
Yoshida, Lt Gen, Makoto, Cmdr of Mechanized Army: 24
Zabaikal: 26
--67--