18th Division (Imperial Japanese Army)
Encyclopedia
was an infantry division in the Imperial Japanese Army
. Its call sign was the .
on 13 November 1907, together with the 17th Division, as part of the post Russo-Japanese War
expansion of the standing Japanese military. In World War I
it was strengthened by an additional infantry regiment (the 29th) and given an independent command in the siege of the German
colony of Tsingtao in the Shandong peninsula, China
. Abolished at the end of World War I
, it was revived for participation in the Siberian Intervention
.
However, in 1925, it was again dissolved as one of the four divisions cancelled by Minister of War Ugaki Kazushige as part of a cost saving measure during the Kato Takaaki
administration.
The 18th Division was resurrected in September 1937, and assigned to the 10th Army with the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War
. It took part in the Battle of Shanghai
. As part of the China Expeditionary Army, it participated in the Battle of Nanjing
(and subsequent Nanjing Massacre), and various campaigns throughout China, cumulating in the Canton Operation
of 1938.
In 1941 the division was under the command of Lieutenant-General Renya Mutaguchi
. It was re-assigned to the 25th Army (which was under the command of General Yamashita Tomoyuki). It participated in the invasion of Malaya
and Singapore
. Afterwards, it was transferred to the Japanese Fifteenth Army and the Burma
front, where it suffered over 3000 casualties from food poisoning and malaria
.
Late in 1943, Mutaguchi was promoted, and replaced in command of the division by Lieutenant-General Shinichi Tanaka. Transferred to the Japanese Thirty-Third Army, and operations in northern Burma, 18th Division fought against the American-led Chinese divisions advancing on Mogaung
and Myitkyina
, and against the British Chindits
operating behind their lines. Although sufferering heavy losses, the division nevertheless inflicted many casualties and imposed severe delays on the Allies.
In the aftermath of the disastrous invasion of India in 1944, Lieutenant-General Tanaka exchanged appointments with Lieutenant-General Eitaro Naka, formerly Chief of Staff at Burma Area Army. In the 1945 campaigning season, the division once again lost many thousands of men in the Battle of Central Burma, particularly at the Battle of Meiktila south of Mandalay
. It ended the war in southern Burma.
Of the 31,444 men sent to Burma, more than 20,000 did not make it home to Japan.
of the 18th Division included:
Reorganized as a square division
in World War I
, at the time of the Siege of Tsingtao, in 1914 it had a strength of 23,000 men. It was commanded by Lieutenant-General Mitsuomi Kamio, its 23rd Infantry Brigade by Major General Yamada and its 24th Infantry Brigade by Major General Horinehi.
18th Division
It was reformed in 1937 as a square division for the Second Sino-Japanese War
.
18th Division
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
. Its call sign was the .
History
The 18th Division was formed in Kurume, KyūshūKyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
on 13 November 1907, together with the 17th Division, as part of the post Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
expansion of the standing Japanese military. In World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
it was strengthened by an additional infantry regiment (the 29th) and given an independent command in the siege of the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
colony of Tsingtao in the Shandong peninsula, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. Abolished at the end of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, it was revived for participation in the Siberian Intervention
Siberian Intervention
The ', or the Siberian Expedition, of 1918–1922 was the dispatch of troops of the Entente powers to the Russian Maritime Provinces as part of a larger effort by the western powers and Japan to support White Russian forces against the Bolshevik Red Army during the Russian Civil War...
.
However, in 1925, it was again dissolved as one of the four divisions cancelled by Minister of War Ugaki Kazushige as part of a cost saving measure during the Kato Takaaki
Kato Takaaki
Count was a Japanese politician and the 24th Prime Minister of Japan from 11 June 1924 to 28 January 1926. He was also known as Katō Kōmei.- Early life :...
administration.
The 18th Division was resurrected in September 1937, and assigned to the 10th Army with the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
. It took part in the Battle of Shanghai
Battle of Shanghai
The Battle of Shanghai, known in Chinese as Battle of Songhu, was the first of the twenty-two major engagements fought between the National Revolutionary Army of the Republic of China and the Imperial Japanese Army of the Empire of Japan during the Second Sino-Japanese War...
. As part of the China Expeditionary Army, it participated in the Battle of Nanjing
Battle of Nanjing
The Battle of Nanking began after the fall of Shanghai on October 9, 1937, and ended with the fall of the capital city of Nanking on December 13, 1937 to Japanese troops, a few days after the Republic of China Government had evacuated the city and relocated to Wuhan...
(and subsequent Nanjing Massacre), and various campaigns throughout China, cumulating in the Canton Operation
Canton Operation
The Canton Operation was part of a campaign by Japan during the Second Sino-Japanese War to blockade China to prevent it from communicating with the outside world and importing needed arms and materials...
of 1938.
In 1941 the division was under the command of Lieutenant-General Renya Mutaguchi
Renya Mutaguchi
- Notes :...
. It was re-assigned to the 25th Army (which was under the command of General Yamashita Tomoyuki). It participated in the invasion of Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
and Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. Afterwards, it was transferred to the Japanese Fifteenth Army and the Burma
Burma Campaign
The Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was fought primarily between British Commonwealth, Chinese and United States forces against the forces of the Empire of Japan, Thailand, and the Indian National Army. British Commonwealth land forces were drawn primarily from...
front, where it suffered over 3000 casualties from food poisoning and malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
.
Late in 1943, Mutaguchi was promoted, and replaced in command of the division by Lieutenant-General Shinichi Tanaka. Transferred to the Japanese Thirty-Third Army, and operations in northern Burma, 18th Division fought against the American-led Chinese divisions advancing on Mogaung
Mogaung
Mogaung is a town in Kachin State, Myanmar. It is situated on the Mandalay-Myitkyina railway line.-External links:* Falling Rain Genomics, Inc.* Maplandia.com...
and Myitkyina
Myitkyina
Myitkyina is the capital city of Kachin State in Myanmar , located from Yangon, and from Mandalay. In Burmese it means "near the big river", and in fact "Myitkyina" lies on the west bank of the Ayeyarwady River, just below from Myit-son of its two headstreams...
, and against the British Chindits
Chindits
The Chindits were a British India "Special Force" that served in Burma and India in 1943 and 1944 during the Burma Campaign in World War II. They were formed into long range penetration groups trained to operate deep behind Japanese lines...
operating behind their lines. Although sufferering heavy losses, the division nevertheless inflicted many casualties and imposed severe delays on the Allies.
In the aftermath of the disastrous invasion of India in 1944, Lieutenant-General Tanaka exchanged appointments with Lieutenant-General Eitaro Naka, formerly Chief of Staff at Burma Area Army. In the 1945 campaigning season, the division once again lost many thousands of men in the Battle of Central Burma, particularly at the Battle of Meiktila south of Mandalay
Mandalay
Mandalay is the second-largest city and the last royal capital of Burma. Located north of Yangon on the east bank of the Irrawaddy River, the city has a population of one million, and is the capital of Mandalay Region ....
. It ended the war in southern Burma.
Of the 31,444 men sent to Burma, more than 20,000 did not make it home to Japan.
Organization
The original Order of BattleOrder of battle
In modern use, the order of battle is the identification, command structure, strength, and disposition of personnel, equipment, and units of an armed force participating in field operations. Various abbreviations are in use, including OOB, O/B, or OB, while ORBAT remains the most common in the...
of the 18th Division included:
- 55th Infantry Regiment (Omura)
- 56th Infantry Regiment (Kurume)
- 114th Infantry Regiment (FukuokaFukuoka, Fukuokais the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture and is situated on the northern shore of the island of Kyushu in Japan.Voted number 14 in a 2010 poll of the World's Most Livable Cities, Fukuoka is praised for its green spaces in a metropolitan setting. It is the most populous city in Kyushu, followed by...
) - 13th Rapid Response Battalion
- 21st Heavy Field Artillery Battalion
- 18th Mountain Artillery Regiment
- 12th Construction Regiment
- 12th Transport Regiment.
Reorganized as a square division
Square division
A square division is a designation given to the way military divisions are organized. In a square organization, the division's main body is composed of four regimental elements. Since a regiment could be split into separate battalions for tactical purposes, the natural division within a division...
in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, at the time of the Siege of Tsingtao, in 1914 it had a strength of 23,000 men. It was commanded by Lieutenant-General Mitsuomi Kamio, its 23rd Infantry Brigade by Major General Yamada and its 24th Infantry Brigade by Major General Horinehi.
18th Division
- 23rd Infantry Brigade
- 46th Infantry Regiment
- 55th Infantry Regiment
- 24th Infantry Brigade
- 48th Infantry Regiment
- 56th Infantry Regiment
- 22nd Cavalry Regiment
- 24th Field Artillery Regiment
- 18th Engineer Battalion
It was reformed in 1937 as a square division for the Second Sino-Japanese War
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
.
18th Division
- 23rd Infantry Brigade
- 55th Infantry Regiment
- 56th Infantry Regiment
- 35th Infantry Brigade
- 114th Infantry Regiment
- 124th Infantry Regiment
- 18th Mountain Artillery Regiment
- 22nd Cavalry Battalion
- 12th Engineer Regiment
- 12th Transport Regiment
Reference and further reading
- Madej, W. Victor, Japanese Armed Forces Order of Battle, 1937-1945 [2 vols], Allentown, PA: 1981
- Jon Latimer, Burma: The Forgotten War, London: John Murray, 2004 ISBN 0-7195-6576-6
- Tsingtao Campaign by Colin Denis