Rikugun: Guide to Japanese Ground Forces 1937-1945: Volume 1 - Tactical Organization of Imperial Japanese Army & Navy Ground Forces
Rikugun: Guide to Japanese Ground Forces 1937-1945 is the first nuts-and-bolts handbook to utilize both the voluminous raw allied intelligence documents and postwar Japanese documentation as primary sources. This first volume covers the tactical organization of Army and Navy ground forces during the 1937-45 war. Using the wartime Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) mobilization plans, and the Unit Organization Tables, Unit Strength Tables and Unit History Tables compiled by the War Ministry and the 1st Demobilization Bureau during and after the war, a complete picture of IJA ground forces through the war is presented.

The evolution of the Japanese force structure is examined, including infantry, armor, cavalry, artillery and naval ground combat units from battalion to division level, each thoroughly discussed and illustrated with tables of organization and equipment and mobilization data. This forms the framework for any discussion of the Imperial Japanese Army's capabilities and intentions.
1117483880
Rikugun: Guide to Japanese Ground Forces 1937-1945: Volume 1 - Tactical Organization of Imperial Japanese Army & Navy Ground Forces
Rikugun: Guide to Japanese Ground Forces 1937-1945 is the first nuts-and-bolts handbook to utilize both the voluminous raw allied intelligence documents and postwar Japanese documentation as primary sources. This first volume covers the tactical organization of Army and Navy ground forces during the 1937-45 war. Using the wartime Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) mobilization plans, and the Unit Organization Tables, Unit Strength Tables and Unit History Tables compiled by the War Ministry and the 1st Demobilization Bureau during and after the war, a complete picture of IJA ground forces through the war is presented.

The evolution of the Japanese force structure is examined, including infantry, armor, cavalry, artillery and naval ground combat units from battalion to division level, each thoroughly discussed and illustrated with tables of organization and equipment and mobilization data. This forms the framework for any discussion of the Imperial Japanese Army's capabilities and intentions.
59.95 In Stock
Rikugun: Guide to Japanese Ground Forces 1937-1945: Volume 1 - Tactical Organization of Imperial Japanese Army & Navy Ground Forces

Rikugun: Guide to Japanese Ground Forces 1937-1945: Volume 1 - Tactical Organization of Imperial Japanese Army & Navy Ground Forces

by Leland Ness
Rikugun: Guide to Japanese Ground Forces 1937-1945: Volume 1 - Tactical Organization of Imperial Japanese Army & Navy Ground Forces

Rikugun: Guide to Japanese Ground Forces 1937-1945: Volume 1 - Tactical Organization of Imperial Japanese Army & Navy Ground Forces

by Leland Ness

Paperback

$59.95 
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Overview

Rikugun: Guide to Japanese Ground Forces 1937-1945 is the first nuts-and-bolts handbook to utilize both the voluminous raw allied intelligence documents and postwar Japanese documentation as primary sources. This first volume covers the tactical organization of Army and Navy ground forces during the 1937-45 war. Using the wartime Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) mobilization plans, and the Unit Organization Tables, Unit Strength Tables and Unit History Tables compiled by the War Ministry and the 1st Demobilization Bureau during and after the war, a complete picture of IJA ground forces through the war is presented.

The evolution of the Japanese force structure is examined, including infantry, armor, cavalry, artillery and naval ground combat units from battalion to division level, each thoroughly discussed and illustrated with tables of organization and equipment and mobilization data. This forms the framework for any discussion of the Imperial Japanese Army's capabilities and intentions.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781909982000
Publisher: Helion and Company
Publication date: 06/19/2015
Pages: 340
Product dimensions: 6.10(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.90(d)

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations viii

List of Tables ix

List of Acronyms and Abbreviations xi

Preface xiii

1 General 14

Manchuria Beckons 16

Into the China Morass 19

Force Expansion 24

Decision Time 26

A Pacific War 28

Figuring Out the Next Step 34

The Last Gasp of the Offensive Theme 38

Reality Sets In - Forced Onto the Defensive 41

Operation Sho-Go 44

1945: From Bad to Worse 45

Defending the Homeland 48

A Plan For Failure 51

2 Infantry 53

The Post WWI Reorganization 53

New Weapons and New Organization in the 1930s 54

The Redesigned Divisions 57

The Wartime Divisions 62

Optimizing for Manchuria 67

The Change to Triangular Divisions 69

Reorganizing at the Platoon/Company Level 69

Force Expansion 1939/40 70

The 1941 Mobilization Plan Order 71

Divisional Artillery 78

Divisional Reconnaissance 86

Service Support for the Division 90

The 1941 Division 92

The China Experiments with Divisional Armor 94

The Motor-Type Divisions 95

The 1941 Reworking of Wartime Divisions for China 96

Preparing for the Move South 98

Reorganization for Burma 101

The Security Divisions of 1942 103

Improvised Divisions 105

The Security Divisions of 1943 106

Defending the South 1943 109

A New Organization for the Pacific 116

Reorganization in China, 1943 122

The 1944 Mobilization Plan Order 126

Force Expansion 1944 127

Homeland Defense: The Preliminary Moves 138

China and Manchuria 1944 141

The Draw-Down of the Kwantung Army 144

Local Reorganization 1944 154

Consolidating in China 1945 155

Homeland Defense: the Coastal Divisions 158

Homeland Defense: the Mobile Divisions 162

Homeland Defense: the Third Mobilization Wave 163

Desperation in Manchuria 163

The Regular Army Brigades 167

The Independent Infantry Groups 170

The First Independent Mixed Brigades 175

IMB Conversions in China 178

IMBs for the South 178

The Southeastern Theater and the Homeland, Spring 1944 180

IMBs in the Central Pacific 181

Southern Army IMBs - the Second Wave 187

IMBs for the Philippines 188

IMBs for the Homeland: a First Group via Redesignation 189

Southern Army and Kwantung Army 190

The Last Gasp in China 191

Homeland Defense: the Second IMB Group 195

The Last Wave of IMBs for the Homeland, May 1945 197

The Independent Infantry Brigades 200

The Amphibious Brigades 202

The Independent Mixed Regiments 204

A New Generation of IMRs for the Central Pacific 209

The Third Generation IMRs 209

The 1945 Group of IMRs 210

Separate Infantry Units 210

South Seas Detachments 211

The Expeditionary Units 212

The Garrison Infantry 217

The LoC Sector Units 224

The Fortress Units 225

The Border Garrisons in Manchuria 236

Independent Machine Gun Battalions 238

The Mortar Battalions 240

Independent Anti-Tank Units 243

Reserve and Replacement Units 246

3 Cavalry 249

4 Armor 256

The Resurgence of Combined Arms 261

Separate Tank Regiments 272

The Tank Brigades 275

Ocher Armor Units 277

5 Non-Divisional Artillery 279

Field Artillery 279

Mountain Artillery 285

Medium Artillery 287

Coastal and Heavy Artillery 295

Artillery Mortars 302

Rocket Artillery 304

Self-Propelled Artillery 305

Artillery Intelligence 306

Artillery Commands 306

6 Anti-Aircraft Artillery 308

Anti-Aircraft Units 308

Prelude to War: the 1941 Mobilization Plan 309

Commanding the Homeland AA Units 320

Smaller Static AA Units 321

Field Anti-Aircraft: Units 323

Field Machine Cannon Units 327

Special Machine Cannon Units 329

Field Searchlight Units 329

Higher Commands 330

Shipping Artillery 331

Air Intelligence 331

7 Other Army Units 333

Airborne 333

Commando Units 336

Airfield Units 338

8 Naval Ground Forces 340

Naval Landing Forces 340

Naval Ground Units in Japan 354

Naval Ground Units Outside Japan 358

Air Defense Units 368

Emergency Mobilization 369

Notes on Sources 373

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