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Fifteenth Army (Japan)
Encyclopedia
The was an army
of the Imperial Japanese Army
during the World War II
.
Under Lieutenant General Shōjirō Iida
, the IJA 15th Army invaded southern Burmese province of Tenasserim. The Fifteenth Army consisted initially of the highly regarded 33rd Infantry Division
and the 55th Infantry Division, which attacked from northern Thailand
, which had signed a treaty of friendship with Japan on December 21, 1941. The 15th Army quickly advanced through southern Burma, defeating the British and Indian Burma Army in several engagements, and capturing the capital, Rangoon by March 7, 1942. The Army was reinforced by troops released by the Fall of Singapore
and drove northwards into central Burma, defeating the British Burma Corps
and the Chinese forces, ultimately driving the Allies
from Burma.
During the following year
, the Army remained as a garrison
force in Burma, defeating an Allied offensive in Arakan
and inflicting heavy casualties on a long-range penetration raid under Orde Wingate.
In 1944, Fifteenth Army became part of the Burma Area Army. Lieutenant General Iida was posted back to Japan and Lieutenant General Renya Mutaguchi
took command. He forcefully advocated an offensive against British India. The offensive, Operation U-Go
, was launched in March. As a result of poor logistics and Mutaguchi's underestimation of the difficulties, the Fifteenth Army was almost destroyed in the Battle of Imphal
and the Battle of Kohima
.
Mutaguchi, his Chief of Staff and several other officers were removed in the aftermath, and Lieutenant General Shihachi Katamura as assigned to command. As the monsoon
season ended, the remnants of Fifteenth Army attempted to forestall an Allied offensive into Burma by withdrawing
behind the Irrawaddy River. They were unable to prevent British and Indian troops securing bridgeheads across the river, and the army was weakened by losses and detachments to other parts of the front. Once Mandalay
was captured, the Fifteenth Army could only retreat southwards, badly disorganised.
The remnants of Fifteenth Army were later absorbed as a subsidiary unit within the Japanese 18th Area Army.
The IJA 15th Army was demobilized
at Lampang Province
, Thailand
on the surrender of Japan
in 1945.
Corps
A corps is either a large formation, or an administrative grouping of troops within an armed force with a common function such as Artillery or Signals representing an arm of service...
of the Imperial Japanese Army
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...
during the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
History
The Japanese 15th Army was formed on November 9. 1941 as a component of the Southern Expeditionary Army Group for the specific task of invading the British colony of Burma.Under Lieutenant General Shōjirō Iida
Shojiro Iida
- Notes :...
, the IJA 15th Army invaded southern Burmese province of Tenasserim. The Fifteenth Army consisted initially of the highly regarded 33rd Infantry Division
33rd Division (Imperial Japanese Army)
was an infantry division in the Imperial Japanese Army. Its call sign was the .-History:The 33rd Division was raised in Utsunomiya, Tochigi prefecture, but its headquarters was in Sendai. It was raised from conscripts largely from the northern Kantō prefecturers of Tochigi, Ibaraki and Gunma...
and the 55th Infantry Division, which attacked from northern Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, which had signed a treaty of friendship with Japan on December 21, 1941. The 15th Army quickly advanced through southern Burma, defeating the British and Indian Burma Army in several engagements, and capturing the capital, Rangoon by March 7, 1942. The Army was reinforced by troops released by the Fall of Singapore
Battle of Singapore
The Battle of Singapore was fought in the South-East Asian theatre of the Second World War when the Empire of Japan invaded the Allied stronghold of Singapore. Singapore was the major British military base in Southeast Asia and nicknamed the "Gibraltar of the East"...
and drove northwards into central Burma, defeating the British Burma Corps
Burma Corps
The Burma Corps was an Army Corps of the Indian Army during World War II.It was formed in Prome, Burma in March 1942, it took part in the Burma Campaign and was disbanded on arrival in India in May 1942.-Formation:*1st Burma Infantry Division...
and the Chinese forces, ultimately driving the Allies
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
from Burma.
During the following year
Burma Campaign 1942-1943
The Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II took place over four years from 1942 to 1945. During the first year of the campaign, the Imperial Japanese Army had driven British forces and Chinese forces out of Burma, and occupied the country...
, the Army remained as a garrison
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
force in Burma, defeating an Allied offensive in Arakan
Rakhine State
Rakhine State is a Burmese state. Situated on the western coast, it is bordered by Chin State in the north, Magway Region, Bago Region and Ayeyarwady Region in the east, the Bay of Bengal to the west, and the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh to the northwest. It is located approximately between...
and inflicting heavy casualties on a long-range penetration raid under Orde Wingate.
In 1944, Fifteenth Army became part of the Burma Area Army. Lieutenant General Iida was posted back to Japan and Lieutenant General Renya Mutaguchi
Renya Mutaguchi
- Notes :...
took command. He forcefully advocated an offensive against British India. The offensive, Operation U-Go
Operation U-Go
The U Go offensive, or Operation C , was the Japanese offensive launched in March 1944 against forces of the British Empire in the North-East Indian region of Manipur...
, was launched in March. As a result of poor logistics and Mutaguchi's underestimation of the difficulties, the Fifteenth Army was almost destroyed in the Battle of Imphal
Battle of Imphal
The Battle of Imphal took place in the region around the city of Imphal, the capital of the state of Manipur in North-East India from March until July 1944. Japanese armies attempted to destroy the Allied forces at Imphal and invade India, but were driven back into Burma with heavy losses...
and the Battle of Kohima
Battle of Kohima
The Battle of Kohima was the turning point of the Japanese U Go offensive into India in 1944 in the Second World War. The battle was fought from 4 April to 22 June 1944 around the town of Kohima in northeast India. It is often referred to as the "Stalingrad of the East".The battle took place in...
.
Mutaguchi, his Chief of Staff and several other officers were removed in the aftermath, and Lieutenant General Shihachi Katamura as assigned to command. As the monsoon
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
season ended, the remnants of Fifteenth Army attempted to forestall an Allied offensive into Burma by withdrawing
Burma Campaign 1944-1945
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, who were assisted to some degree by Thailand, the Burmese Independence Army and the Indian National Army...
behind the Irrawaddy River. They were unable to prevent British and Indian troops securing bridgeheads across the river, and the army was weakened by losses and detachments to other parts of the front. Once 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 ....
was captured, the Fifteenth Army could only retreat southwards, badly disorganised.
The remnants of Fifteenth Army were later absorbed as a subsidiary unit within the Japanese 18th Area Army.
The IJA 15th Army was demobilized
Demobilization
Demobilization is the process of standing down a nation's armed forces from combat-ready status. This may be as a result of victory in war, or because a crisis has been peacefully resolved and military force will not be necessary...
at Lampang Province
Lampang Province
Lampang is one of the northern provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Chiang Rai, Phayao, Phrae, Sukhothai, Tak, Lamphun and Chiang Mai. The old name of Lampang is Khelang Nakhon.-Geography:...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
on the surrender of Japan
Surrender of Japan
The surrender of Japan in 1945 brought hostilities of World War II to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy was incapable of conducting operations and an Allied invasion of Japan was imminent...
in 1945.
Commanding officers
| Name | From | To | |
| 1 | Lieutenant General Shōjirō Iida Shojiro Iida - Notes :... |
5 November 1941 | 18 March 1943 |
| 2 | Lieutenant General Renya Mutaguchi Renya Mutaguchi - Notes :... |
18 March 1943 | 30 August 1944 |
| 3 | Lieutenant General Shihachi Katamura | 30 August 1944 | 15 August 1945 |
Chief of staff
| Name | From | To | |
| 1 | Lieutenant General Haruki Isayama | 14 November 1941 | 1 December 1942 |
| 2 | Lieutenant General Eitaro Naka | 1 December 1942 | 18 March 1943 |
| 3 | General Hideyoshi Obata Hideyoshi Obata was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II.-Biography:Obata was a native of Osaka prefecture. He graduated from the 23rd class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in December 1911, and was commissioned as a lieutenant in the cavalry... |
18 March 1943 | 26 May 1943 |
| 4 | Lieutenant General Todai Kunomura | 26 May 1943 | 22 September 1944 |
| 5 | Major General Gonpachi Yoshida | 22 September 1944 | September 1945 |