Thirty-Sixth Army (Japan)
Encyclopedia
The was an army
of the Imperial Japanese Army
during the final days of World War II
.
to counter the projected invasion of the Japanese capital region by Allied forces
during Operation Downfall
. It was based in Urawa city
, Saitama prefecture
to the north of the Tokyo
metropolitan area, from which it could be used to reinforce units to either the north or south of Tokyo as necessary.
The Japanese 36th Army consisted mostly of poorly-trained reservists, conscripted students and Volunteer Fighting Corps home guard militia
. It was demobilized
at the surrender of Japan
on August 15, 1945 without having seen combat.
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 final days of 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 36th Army was formed on July 21, 1944 under the Japanese 12th Area Army as part of the last desperate defense effort by the Empire of JapanEmpire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
to counter the projected invasion of the Japanese capital region by Allied forces
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...
during Operation Downfall
Operation Downfall
Operation Downfall was the Allied plan for the invasion of Japan near the end of World War II. The operation was cancelled when Japan surrendered after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Soviet Union's declaration of war against Japan. The operation had two parts: Operation...
. It was based in Urawa city
Urawa, Saitama
was a city in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, until it merged into the city of Saitama together with two other cities, Omiya and Yono, on May 1, 2001. In 2003, the former area of Urawa became Urawa-ku, Midori-ku, Minami-ku, and Sakura-ku, which are wards of the city of Saitama...
, Saitama prefecture
Saitama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Saitama.This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's cities can be described as suburbs of Tokyo, to which a large amount of residents commute each day.- History...
to the north of the Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
metropolitan area, from which it could be used to reinforce units to either the north or south of Tokyo as necessary.
The Japanese 36th Army consisted mostly of poorly-trained reservists, conscripted students and Volunteer Fighting Corps home guard militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
. It 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 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...
on August 15, 1945 without having seen combat.
Commanding officer
| Name | From | To | |
| 1 | Lieutenant General Toshimichi Uemura | 18 July 1944 | 6 August 1945 |
Chief of Staff
| Name | From | To | |
| 1 | Major General Masami Ishii | 18 July 1944 | 1 February 1945 |
| 2 | Major General Shikanosuke Tokunaga | 1 February 1945 | 1 September 1945 |