13th Division (Imperial Japanese Army)
Encyclopedia
was an infantry division in the Imperial Japanese Army
. Its call-sign was the .
on 1 April 1905, as one of the four new divisions created during the closing stages of the Russo-Japanese War
. It was given the independent assignment of occupying Sakhalin
(Karafuto) island from Russia before the conclusion of the Portsmouth Treaty. It landed on Sakhalin on 7 July, only three months after being formed, and had secured the island by 1 August 1905. As a result of its successful operation, Japan was awarded southern Karafuto during the Portsmouth Treaty, one of its few territorial gains during the war.
After serving garrison duty in Karafuto and in Korea
, the 13th Division was one of the divisions selected to participate in the Siberian Intervention
. However, on 1 May 1925, it was one of the four division dissolved by Minister of War Ugaki Kazushige as part of a cost saving measure during the Kato Takaaki
administration.
The 13th Division was resurrected in 1937 with the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War
, and saw combat during the Battle of Shanghai
, Battle of Nanjing
(and subsequent Nanjing Massacre, although it was not one of the main Divisions at Nanjing at the time), Battle of Xuzhou
, and Battle of Wuhan
. It was also part of Operation Ichigo (Battle of Henan-Hunan-Guangxi
). It ended the war in Changsha, Hunan Province.
Noteworthy Commanders of the 13th Division included Akiyama Yoshifuru
and Shizuichi Tanaka
.
It was reformed as a square division in August 1937 for the Battle of Shanghai
.
13th Division
Involved in the Battle of Xuzhou
, Battle of Wuhan
, Battle of Suixian-Zaoyang
, Battle of Changsha (1939)
, 1939-40 Winter Offensive
, Battle of Zaoyang-Yichang
, and Western Hopei Operation
On 19 December 1942 the 13th Division was reorganized as a triangular division.
13th Division
The Division was then involved in Battle of West Hubei
, Battle of Changde
, Battle of Henan-Hunan-Guangxi
, Battle of Guilin-Liuzhou
, Second Guangxi Campaign
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 13th Infantry Division was formed in SendaiSendai, Miyagi
is the capital city of Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, and the largest city in the Tōhoku Region. In 2005, the city had a population of one million, and was one of Japan's 19 designated cities...
on 1 April 1905, as one of the four new divisions created during the closing stages of the 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...
. It was given the independent assignment of occupying Sakhalin
Sakhalin
Sakhalin or Saghalien, is a large island in the North Pacific, lying between 45°50' and 54°24' N.It is part of Russia, and is Russia's largest island, and is administered as part of Sakhalin Oblast...
(Karafuto) island from Russia before the conclusion of the Portsmouth Treaty. It landed on Sakhalin on 7 July, only three months after being formed, and had secured the island by 1 August 1905. As a result of its successful operation, Japan was awarded southern Karafuto during the Portsmouth Treaty, one of its few territorial gains during the war.
After serving garrison duty in Karafuto and in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, the 13th Division was one of the divisions selected to participate 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, on 1 May 1925, it was one of the four division dissolved 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 13th Division was resurrected in 1937 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...
, and saw combat during 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...
, 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, although it was not one of the main Divisions at Nanjing at the time), Battle of Xuzhou
Battle of Xuzhou
The Battle of Xuzhou was fought between Japanese and Chinese forces in May 1938 during Second Sino-Japanese War. In contemporary accounts in English, the event was usually referred to as the "Battle of Hsuchow", using the Chinese Postal Map Romanization....
, and Battle of Wuhan
Battle of Wuhan
The Battle of Wuhan, popularly known to the Chinese as the Defence of Wuhan, and to the Japanese as the Capture of Wuhan, was a large-scale battle of the Second Sino-Japanese War...
. It was also part of Operation Ichigo (Battle of Henan-Hunan-Guangxi
Battle of Henan-Hunan-Guangxi
Operation Ichi-Go was a campaign of a series of major battles between the Imperial Japanese Army forces and the National Revolutionary Army of the Republic of China, fought from April to December 1944...
). It ended the war in Changsha, Hunan Province.
Noteworthy Commanders of the 13th Division included Akiyama Yoshifuru
Akiyama Yoshifuru
was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army, and was considered the father of the modern Japanese cavalry. Akiyama Yoshifuru was Vice Admiral Akiyama Saneyuki's older brother.-Early life:...
and Shizuichi Tanaka
Shizuichi Tanaka
- Notes :...
.
Organization
Its original Order of Battle included:- 65th Infantry Regiment (Aizu-Wakamatsu)
- 101st Infantry Regiment (Sendai)
- 116th Infantry Regiment (Sakata)
- 19th Field Artillery Regiment
- 13th Engineering Regiment
- 13th Transportation Regiment
It was reformed as a square division in August 1937 for 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...
.
13th Division
- 26th Infantry Brigade
- 58th Infantry Regiment
- 116th Infantry Regiment
- 103rd Infantry Brigade
- 65th Infantry Regiment
- 104th Infantry Regiment
- 19th Mountain Artillery Regiment
- 17th Cavalry Regiment
- 13th Engineer Regiment
Involved in the Battle of Xuzhou
Battle of Xuzhou
The Battle of Xuzhou was fought between Japanese and Chinese forces in May 1938 during Second Sino-Japanese War. In contemporary accounts in English, the event was usually referred to as the "Battle of Hsuchow", using the Chinese Postal Map Romanization....
, Battle of Wuhan
Battle of Wuhan
The Battle of Wuhan, popularly known to the Chinese as the Defence of Wuhan, and to the Japanese as the Capture of Wuhan, was a large-scale battle of the Second Sino-Japanese War...
, Battle of Suixian-Zaoyang
Battle of Suixian-Zaoyang
The Battle of Suixian–Zaoyang , also known as the Battle of Suizao was one of the 22 major engagements between the National Revolutionary Army and Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War.- The battle :...
, Battle of Changsha (1939)
Battle of Changsha (1939)
Battle of Changsha was the first attempt by Japan to take the city of Changsha, China, during the second Sino-Japanese War. It was the first major battle of the war to fall within the timeframe of what's widely considered World War II.- Background and strategy :The war had already reached a...
, 1939-40 Winter Offensive
1939-40 Winter Offensive
The 1939–40 Winter Offensive was one of the major engagements between the National Revolutionary Army and Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War...
, Battle of Zaoyang-Yichang
Battle of Zaoyang-Yichang
The Battle of Zaoyang–Yichang , also known as the Battle of Zaoyi was one of the 22 major engagements between the National Revolutionary Army and Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War....
, and Western Hopei Operation
Western Hopei Operation
The Western Hubei Operation was one of the engagements between the National Revolutionary Army and Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War...
On 19 December 1942 the 13th Division was reorganized as a triangular division.
13th Division
- 13th Infantry Brigade Group
- 65th Infantry Regiment
- 104th Infantry Regiment
- 116th Infantry Regiment
- 19th Mountain Artillery Regiment
- 17th Cavalry Regiment
- 13th Engineer Regiment
- 13th Transport Regiment
The Division was then involved in Battle of West Hubei
Battle of West Hubei
The Battle of West Hubei , was one of the 22 major engagements between the National Revolutionary Army and Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War. It was also one of the four major battles that took place in Hubei....
, Battle of Changde
Battle of Changde
- Sources :* Hsu Long-hsuen and Chang Ming-kai, History of The Sino-Japanese War 2nd Ed., 1971. Translated by Wen Ha-hsiung, Chung Wu Publishing; 33, 140th Lane, Tung-hwa Street, Taipei, Taiwan Republic of China. Pg...
, Battle of Henan-Hunan-Guangxi
Battle of Henan-Hunan-Guangxi
Operation Ichi-Go was a campaign of a series of major battles between the Imperial Japanese Army forces and the National Revolutionary Army of the Republic of China, fought from April to December 1944...
, Battle of Guilin-Liuzhou
Battle of Guilin-Liuzhou
The Battle of Guilin–Liuzhou , also known as the Battle of Guiliu was one of the 22 major engagements between the National Revolutionary Army and Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War....
, Second Guangxi Campaign
Second Guangxi Campaign
In 1945, China from April to August 2, 3 front in Guangxi province, launched a counter offensive to retake the last major Japanese stronghold in South China and the Second Guangxi Campaign started...
Sources
- Madej, W. Victor, Japanese Armed Forces Order of Battle, 1937-1945 [2 vols], Allentown, PA: 1981.