1st wave of mobilization (Japanese Empire)

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The 1st wave of mobilization ( Japanese 本土 決 戦 第 一次 兵備 , Hondo kessen dai-ichi-ji heibi , German about "Main Islands Decision Battle 1st Wave") was a list of new divisions and independent mixed brigades for the Imperial Japanese Army based on an order issued by Daihon'ei (Japanese Headquarters) in February 1945. The Japanese General Staff wanted to forestall the danger of an anticipated Allied invasion ( Operation Downfall ).

The 2nd wave of mobilization followed in April and the 3rd wave of mobilization in May .

Lineup

At the end of 1944, the situation in the Pacific War entered a critical phase for the Japanese Empire . Operation Shogo's defense plan , written in 1944 and including a successful defense of the Philippines in order to maintain shipping lanes to Indonesia , Malaysia , Thailand and Burma , had become obsolete due to the defeat in the Philippines . In January 1945, the Daihon'ei decided to completely reorganize the defense. The central defense command should be subordinate to several newly established regional armies, with which the three southernmost Japanese main islands Honshu , Shikoku and Kyushu should be defended. The plan was changed on February 26, 1945. The Central Defense Command was replaced by the 1st and 2nd Main Army , which shared the area of ​​operations. In order to compensate for the enormous losses of people and material that the army had suffered in the previous twelve months alone, the 1st wave of mobilization was set up, which comprised 16 divisions and an independent mixed brigade and was around 200,000 men strong.

The newly established divisions had fewer men (sometimes only 50%) than the divisions established before the Pacific War. Since they had practically no means of transport, they were only intended for static defense and were called coastal divisions . The level of training and armament of the coastal divisions was low and was compensated for by increased artillery within the division.

140th Division

140th Division

active February 28, 1945 to 1945
Country JapanJapan Japanese Empire
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese armed forces
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese army
Branch of service infantry
Strength approx. 17,000
Insinuation 53rd Army
Location Tokyo
Nickname Gotō-heidan ( 護 東 兵 団 , "Protection of the East Division")

The 140th Division ( Japanese 第 140 師 団 , Dai-hyakuyonjū Shidan ), also 140th Coast Division , was established in 1945 and disbanded. Your Tsūshōgō code (military code name) was Schutz-des-Ostens-Division ( 護 東 兵 団 , Gotō-heidan ).

structure

  • 140th Infantry Division headquarters
    • 140th Infantry Brigade Staff
      • 401st Infantry Regiment
      • 402nd Infantry Regiment
      • 403rd Infantry Regiment
      • 404th Infantry Regiment
    • 140th Division Artillery Battalion

Total strength: 17,000 men

142nd Division

142nd Division

active February 28, 1945 to 1945
Country JapanJapan Japanese Empire
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese armed forces
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese army
Branch of service infantry
Strength about 10,000
Insinuation 15th Army
Location Sendai
Nickname Gosen-heidan ( 護 仙 兵 団 , "Schutz-Sendais - Division")

The 142nd Division ( Japanese 第 142 師 団 , Dai-hyakuyonjūni Shidan ), also 142nd Coastal Division , was set up and disbanded in 1945. Your Tsūshōgō code (military code name) was Schutz-Sendais-Division ( 護 仙 兵 団 , Gosen-heidan ).

structure

  • 142nd Infantry Division Staff
    • 142nd Infantry Brigade Staff
      • 405th Infantry Regiment
      • 406th Infantry Regiment
      • 407th Infantry Regiment
      • 408th Infantry Regiment
    • 142nd Division Artillery Battalion

Total strength: 10,000 men

143rd Division

143rd Division

active February 28, 1945 to 1945
Country JapanJapan Japanese Empire
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese armed forces
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese army
Branch of service infantry
Strength about 10,000
Insinuation 54th Army
Location Nagoya
Nickname Goko-heidan ( 護 古 兵 団 , "Schutz-Nagoyas / des-Alten-Division")

The 143rd Division ( Japanese 第 143 師 団 , Dai-hyakuyonjūsan Shidan ), also 143rd Coastal Division , was set up and disbanded in 1945. Your Tsūshōgō code (military code name) was Schutz-Nagoyas / des-Alten-Division ( 護 古 兵 団 , Goko-heidan ).

structure

  • 143rd Infantry Division headquarters
    • 143rd Infantry Brigade Staff
      • 409th Infantry Regiment
      • 410th Infantry Regiment
      • 411th Infantry Regiment
      • 412th Infantry Regiment
    • 143rd Divisional Artillery Battalion

Total strength: 10,000 men

144th Division

144th Division

active February 28, 1945 to 1945
Country JapanJapan Japanese Empire
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese armed forces
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese army
Branch of service infantry
Strength about 10,000
Insinuation 15th Regional Army
Location Osaka
Nickname Goban-heidan ( 護 阪 兵 団 , "Protection Osakas / the Hill Division")

The 144th Division ( Japanese 第 144 師 団 , Dai-hyakūyonjūyon Shidan ), also 144th Coast Division , was set up and disbanded in 1945. Your Tsūshōgō code (military code name) was Schutz-Osakas / der-Hügel-Division ( 護 阪 兵 団 , Goban-heidan ).

structure

  • 144th Infantry Division headquarters
    • 144th Infantry Brigade Staff
      • 413rd Infantry Regiment
      • 414th Infantry Regiment
      • 415th Infantry Regiment
      • 416th Infantry Regiment
    • 144th Division Artillery Battalion

Total strength: 10,000 men

145th Division

145th Division

active February 28, 1945 to 1945
Country JapanJapan Japanese Empire
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese armed forces
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese army
Branch of service infantry
Strength about 10,000
Insinuation 56th Army
Location Hiroshima
Nickname Goshū-heidan ( 護 州 兵 団 , "Protection-of-the-Province-Division")

The 145th Division ( Japanese 第 145 師 団 , Dai-hyakuyonjūsgo Shidan ), also 145th Coast Division , was set up and disbanded in 1945. Your Tsūshōgō code (military code name) was Protection-of-the-Provincial-Division ( 護 州 兵 団 , Goshū-heidan ).

structure

  • 145th Infantry Division headquarters
    • 145th Infantry Brigade Staff
      • 417th Infantry Regiment
      • 418th Infantry Regiment
      • 419th Infantry Regiment
      • 420th Infantry Regiment
    • 145th Division Artillery Battalion

Total strength: 10,000 men

146th Division

146th Division

active February 28, 1945 to 1945
Country JapanJapan Japanese Empire
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese armed forces
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese army
Branch of service infantry
Strength about 10,000
Insinuation 40th Army
Location Kumamoto
Nickname Gonan-heidan ( 護 南 兵 団 , "Protection of the South Division")

The 146th Division ( Japanese 第 146 師 団 , Dai-146 Shidan ), also 146th Coast Division , was set up and disbanded in 1945. Your Tsūshōgō code (military code name) was Schutz-des-Südens-Division ( 護 南 兵 団 , Gonan-heidan ).

structure

  • 146th Infantry Division headquarters
    • 146th Infantry Brigade Staff
      • 421st Infantry Regiment
      • 422nd Infantry Regiment
      • 423rd Infantry Regiment
      • 424th Infantry Regiment
    • 146th Division Artillery Battalion

Total strength: 10,000 men

147th Division

147th Division

active February 28, 1945 to 1945
Country JapanJapan Japanese Empire
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese armed forces
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese army
Branch of service infantry
Strength about 10,000
Insinuation 52nd Army
Location Asahikawa
Nickname Gohoku-heidan ( 護 北 兵 団 , "Protection of the North Division")

The 147th Division ( Japanese 第 147 師 団 , Dai-147 Shidan ), also the 147th Coast Division , was established and disbanded in 1945. Your Tsūshōgō code (military code name) was Schutz-des-Nordens-Division ( 護 北 兵 団 , Gohoku-heidan ).

structure

  • 147th Infantry Division headquarters
    • 147th Infantry Brigade Headquarters
      • 425th Infantry Regiment
      • 426th Infantry Regiment
      • 427th Infantry Regiment
      • 428th Infantry Regiment
    • 147th Division Artillery Battalion

Total strength: 10,000 men

150th division

150th division

active February 28, 1945 to 1945
Country JapanJapan Japanese Empire
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese armed forces
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese army
Branch of service infantry
Strength about 10,000
Insinuation 17th Regional Army
Location Keijo
Nickname Gochō-heidan ( 護 朝 兵 団 , "Protection Korea Division")

The 150th Division ( Japanese 第 150 師 団 , Dai-150 Shidan ), also 150th Coast Division , was set up and disbanded in 1945. Your Tsūshōgō code (military code name) was Schutz-Korea-Division ( 護 朝 兵 団 , Gochō-heidan ).

structure

  • 150th Infantry Division headquarters
    • 150th Infantry Brigade Staff
      • 429th Infantry Regiment
      • 430th Infantry Regiment
      • 431st Infantry Regiment
      • 432nd Infantry Regiment
    • 150th Division Artillery Battalion

Total strength: 10,000 men

151st Division

151st Division

active February 28, 1945 to 1945
Country JapanJapan Japanese Empire
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese armed forces
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese army
Branch of service infantry
Strength about 10,000
Insinuation 51st Army
Location Utsunomiya
Nickname Gou-heidan ( 護 宇 兵 団 , "Protection Utsunomiyas / Heaven's Division")

The 151st Division ( Japanese 第 151 師 団 , Dai-151 Shidan ), also 1xx. Coastal Division , was established and disbanded in 1945. Your Tsūshōgō code (military code name) was Schutz-Utsunomiyas / des-Himmels-Division ( 護 宇 兵 団 , Gou-heidan ).

structure

  • 151st Infantry Division headquarters
    • 151st Infantry Brigade Headquarters
      • 433rd Infantry Regiment
      • 434th Infantry Regiment
      • 435th Infantry Regiment
      • 436th Infantry Regiment
    • 151st Division Artillery Battalion

Total strength: 10,000 men

152nd Division

152nd Division

active February 28, 1945 to 1945
Country JapanJapan Japanese Empire
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese armed forces
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese army
Branch of service infantry
Strength about 10,000
Insinuation 52nd Army
Location Kanazawa
Nickname Gotaku-heidan ( 護 沢 兵 団 , "Protection-Kanazawas / the-Brooks-Division")

The 152nd Division ( Japanese 第 152 師 団 , Dai-152 Shidan ), also 152nd Coastal Division , was established in 1945 and disbanded. Your Tsūshōgō code (military code name) was Schutz-Kanazawas / the-brooks-Division ( 護 沢 兵 団 , Gotaku-heidan ).

structure

  • 152nd Infantry Division Staff
    • 152nd Infantry Brigade Staff
      • 437th Infantry Regiment
      • 438th Infantry Regiment
      • 439th Infantry Regiment
      • 440th Infantry Regiment
    • 152nd Division Artillery Battalion

Total strength: 10,000 men

153rd Division

153rd Division

active February 28, 1945 to 1945
Country JapanJapan Japanese Empire
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese armed forces
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese army
Branch of service infantry
Strength about 10,000
Insinuation 13th Regional Army
Location Kyoto
Nickname Gokyō-heidan ( 護 京 兵 団 , "Protection-of-the-Capital-Division")

The 153rd Division ( Japanese 第 153 師 団 , Dai-153 Shidan ), also 153rd Coastal Division , was established and disbanded in 1945. Your Tsūshōgō code (military cover name) was Protection-of-the-Capital-Division ( 護 京 兵 団 , Gokyō-heidan ).

structure

  • 153rd Infantry Division headquarters
    • 153rd Infantry Brigade Headquarters
      • 441st Infantry Regiment
      • 442nd Infantry Regiment
      • 443rd Infantry Regiment
      • 444th Infantry Regiment
    • 153rd Divisional Artillery Battalion

Total strength: 10,000 men

154th Division

154th Division

active February 28, 1945 to 1945
Country JapanJapan Japanese Empire
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese armed forces
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese army
Branch of service infantry
Strength about 10,000
Insinuation 57th Army
Location Hiroshima
Nickname Goji-heidan ( 護 路 兵 団 , "Protection-of-the-ways-division")

The 154th Division ( Japanese 第 154 師 団 , Dai-154 Shidan ), also 154th Coastal Division , was established and disbanded in 1945. Your Tsūshōgō code (military code name) was Protection-of-the-ways-Division ( 護 路 兵 団 , Goji-heidan ).

structure

  • 154th Infantry Division headquarters
    • 154th Infantry Brigade Staff
      • 445th Infantry Regiment
      • 446th Infantry Regiment
      • 447th Infantry Regiment
      • 448th Infantry Regiment
    • 154th Division Artillery Battalion

Total strength: 10,000 men

155th Division

155th Division

active February 28, 1945 to 1945
Country JapanJapan Japanese Empire
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese armed forces
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese army
Branch of service infantry
Strength about 10,000
Insinuation 55th Army
Location Zentsūji
Nickname Godo-heidan ( 護 土兵 団 , "Protection of the Grounds Division")

The 155th Division ( Japanese 第 155 師 団 , Dai-155 Shidan ), also 155th Coast Division , was established and disbanded in 1945. Your Tsūshōgō code (military code name) was Schutz-des-Boden-Division ( 護 土兵 団 , Godo-heidan ).

structure

  • 155th Infantry Division headquarters
    • 155th Infantry Brigade Staff
      • 449th Infantry Regiment
      • 450th Infantry Regiment
      • 451st Infantry Regiment
      • 452nd Infantry Regiment
    • 155th Division Artillery Battalion

Total strength: 10,000 men

156th Division

156th Division

active February 28, 1945 to 1945
Country JapanJapan Japanese Empire
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese armed forces
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese army
Branch of service infantry
Strength about 10,000
Insinuation 57th Army
Location Kurume
Nickname Gosei-heidan ( 護 西 兵 団 , "Protection of the West Division")

The 156th Division ( Japanese 第 156 師 団 , Dai-156 Shidan ), also the 156th Coast Division , was established and disbanded in 1945. Your Tsūshōgō code (military code name) was Schutz-des-Westens-Division ( 護 西 兵 団 , Gosei-heidan ).

structure

  • 156th Infantry Division headquarters
    • 156th Infantry Brigade Headquarters
      • 453rd Infantry Regiment
      • 454th Infantry Regiment
      • 455th Infantry Regiment
      • 456th Infantry Regiment
    • 156th Division Artillery Battalion

Total strength: 10,000 men

157th Division

157th Division

active February 28, 1945 to 1945
Country JapanJapan Japanese Empire
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese armed forces
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese army
Branch of service infantry
Strength about 10,000
Insinuation 50th Army
Location Hirosaki
Nickname Gokō-heidan ( 護 弘 兵 団 , "Schutz-Hirosakis / der-Weite-Division")

The 157th Division ( Japanese 第 157 師 ​​団 , Dai-157 Shidan ), also the 157th Coastal Division , was established and disbanded in 1945. Your Tsūshōgō code (military code name) was Schutz-Hirosakis / der-Weite-Division ( 護 弘 兵 団 , Gokō-heidan ).

structure

  • 157th Infantry Division headquarters
    • 157th Infantry Brigade Staff
      • 457th Infantry Regiment
      • 458th Infantry Regiment
      • 459th Infantry Regiment
      • 460th Infantry Regiment
    • 157th Division Artillery Battalion

Total strength: 10,000 men

160th division

160th division

active February 28, 1945 to 1945
Country JapanJapan Japanese Empire
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese armed forces
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese army
Branch of service infantry
Strength about 10,000
Insinuation 17th Regional Army
Location Pyongyang
Nickname Gosen-heidan ( 護 鮮 兵 団 , "Protection Korea Division")

The 160th Division ( Japanese 第 160 師 団 , Dai-160 Shidan ), also 160th Coast Division , was set up and disbanded in 1945. Your Tsūshōgō code (military code name) was Schutz-Korea-Division ( 護 鮮 兵 団 , Gosen-heidan ).

structure

  • 160th Infantry Division headquarters
    • 160th Infantry Brigade Staff
      • 461st Infantry Regiment
      • 462nd Infantry Regiment
      • 463rd Infantry Regiment
      • 464th Infantry Regiment
    • 160th Divisional Artillery Battalion

Total strength: 10,000 men

101st Independent Mixed Brigade

101st Independent Mixed Brigade

active February 28, 1945 to 1945
Country JapanJapan Japanese Empire
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese armed forces
Armed forces JapanJapan (war flag) Japanese army
Branch of service infantry
Strength approx. 5,000
Insinuation 5th Regional Army
Location Tomakomai

The 101st Independent Mixed Brigade was established and disbanded in 1945.

Structure not known.
Total strength: approx. 5,000 men

See also

literature

  • Victor Madej: Japanese Armed Forces Order of Battle, 1937-1945. Game Publishing, 1981, OCLC 833591372 , OCLC 833591376 .
  • John Underwood: The Japanese Order of Battle in World War II, Vol I The Nafziger Collection, Inc., 1999, ISBN 978-1-58545-044-2
  • Leland Ness: Rikugun: Guide to Japanese Ground Forces 1937-1945. Helion & Company, 2014, ISBN 978-1-909982-00-0 .

Individual evidence

  1. Ness, p. 48
  2. Zaloga, p. 33
  3. a b c d e f Underwood, p. 50
  4. a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Ness, p. 46