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Thirty-Third Army (Japan)
Encyclopedia
The was an army
of the Imperial Japanese Army
during the final days of World War II
.
force, and in anticipation of Allied
attempts to invade and retake northern Burma. It was under the overall command of the Burma Area Army.
When first formed, the army controlled the 18th Division
facing the American-trained Chinese force advancing from Ledo
in India, and the 56th Division
facing the Chinese armies
in Yunnan
province. It also commanded a scratch force known as "Take Force" facing the Allied long-range penetration forces (the Chindits
) around Indaw
. During May, the army was reinforced by the 53rd Division which took on the Chindits, and regiments from the 2nd Division
and 49th Division which reinforced 56th Division.
Facing the various Allied threats, the army was unable to prevent the capture of Mogaung
and Myitkyina
, although they temporarily halted the Chinese offensive from Yunnan and crippled the Chindits as a fighting force.
As the war situation on the Pacific front
grew increasingly desperate for Japan, the Imperial Japanese Army
was unable to provide reinforcements and resupply to units south of the Philippines
. The 33rd Army (as with all Japanese forces in Burma) was increasingly understrength and ill-equipped.
In March 1945, the Army Headquarters was unexpectedly called on to take charge of the forces around Meiktila, where the Japanese were trying to recapture the vital line-of-communication centre from British and Indian troops. The Army's signal units arrived only late in the battle, and the headquarters lacked adequate information. The Army was unable to coordinate the attacks by its hastily-collected units. The Japanese attacks were repulsed and at the end of the month they were forced to break off the battle.
The weakened 33rd Army attempted to defend a position at Pyawbwe
to delay Allied pursuit, but were outflanked by Allied armoured units and again forced to retreat. Finally, about the middle of April, pursuing Allied armour attacked the Army HQ at Pyinmana
. Although the Army commander (Lieutenant-General Masaki Honda) and his staff escaped on foot by night, they could no longer effectively control the remnants of their units, which allowed Allied units to advance to within striking distance of Rangoon
.
After the fall of Rangoon, the 33rd Army regrouped in Tenasserim. Although reduced to the strength of barely a regiment
, the Army nevertheless mounted a counterattack across the Sittang River
to aid a breakout by Japanese forces still trapped in Burma. After a week-long battle, both the Japanese and Allies withdrew from the flooded "Sittang Bend".
The 33rd Army was disbanded following the Japanese surrender
in late 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 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 33rd Army was raised on April 7, 1944 in Rangoon, Japanese-occupied Burma as a garrisonGarrison
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, and in anticipation of Allied
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...
attempts to invade and retake northern Burma. It was under the overall command of the Burma Area Army.
When first formed, the army controlled the 18th Division
18th Division (Imperial Japanese Army)
was an infantry division in the Imperial Japanese Army. Its call sign was the .-History:The 18th Division was formed in Kurume, Kyūshū on 13 November 1907, together with the 17th Division, as part of the post Russo-Japanese War expansion of the standing Japanese military...
facing the American-trained Chinese force advancing from Ledo
Ledo
Ledo may refer to:* Ledo, Assam, India* Ledo, Goa, India* Ledo Road* Ledo Degtinė* Ledo , a Croatian ice cream producer...
in India, and the 56th Division
56th Division (Imperial Japanese Army)
IJA Fifty Sixth Division was an infantry division in the Imperial Japanese Army. It was also known as Ryuheidan meaning "Dragon Division".-History:The 56th Division participated in the Invasion of Burma during the Burma Campaign...
facing the Chinese armies
National Revolutionary Army
The National Revolutionary Army , pre-1928 sometimes shortened to 革命軍 or Revolutionary Army and between 1928-1947 as 國軍 or National Army was the Military Arm of the Kuomintang from 1925 until 1947, as well as the national army of the Republic of China during the KMT's period of party rule...
in Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
province. It also commanded a scratch force known as "Take Force" facing the Allied long-range penetration forces (the Chindits
Chindits
The Chindits were a British India "Special Force" that served in Burma and India in 1943 and 1944 during the Burma Campaign in World War II. They were formed into long range penetration groups trained to operate deep behind Japanese lines...
) around Indaw
Indaw
Indaw is a town in northern Burma, in Sagaing Division, Katha District, Indaw Township. It is located about 2 km southeast of Indaw Lake. The rail junction at Naba is located about 6 km to the northeast of the town.-History:...
. During May, the army was reinforced by the 53rd Division which took on the Chindits, and regiments from the 2nd Division
2nd Division (Imperial Japanese Army)
The was an infantry division in the Imperial Japanese Army. Its call-sign was .-History:The 2nd Infantry Division was formed in Sendai, Miyagi in January 1871 as the , one of six regional commands created in the fledgling Imperial Japanese Army. The Sendai Garrison had responsibility for northern...
and 49th Division which reinforced 56th Division.
Facing the various Allied threats, the army was unable to prevent the capture of Mogaung
Mogaung
Mogaung is a town in Kachin State, Myanmar. It is situated on the Mandalay-Myitkyina railway line.-External links:* Falling Rain Genomics, Inc.* Maplandia.com...
and Myitkyina
Myitkyina
Myitkyina is the capital city of Kachin State in Myanmar , located from Yangon, and from Mandalay. In Burmese it means "near the big river", and in fact "Myitkyina" lies on the west bank of the Ayeyarwady River, just below from Myit-son of its two headstreams...
, although they temporarily halted the Chinese offensive from Yunnan and crippled the Chindits as a fighting force.
As the war situation on the Pacific front
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
grew increasingly desperate for Japan, 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...
was unable to provide reinforcements and resupply to units south of the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. The 33rd Army (as with all Japanese forces in Burma) was increasingly understrength and ill-equipped.
In March 1945, the Army Headquarters was unexpectedly called on to take charge of the forces around Meiktila, where the Japanese were trying to recapture the vital line-of-communication centre from British and Indian troops. The Army's signal units arrived only late in the battle, and the headquarters lacked adequate information. The Army was unable to coordinate the attacks by its hastily-collected units. The Japanese attacks were repulsed and at the end of the month they were forced to break off the battle.
The weakened 33rd Army attempted to defend a position at Pyawbwe
Pyawbwe
-Mandalay Region:*Pyawbwe Township*Pyawbwe, Meiktila Township*Pyawbwe, Myingyan Township*Pyawbwe, Pyawbwe Township*Pyawbwe, Wudwin Township*Pyawbwe, Myittha Township...
to delay Allied pursuit, but were outflanked by Allied armoured units and again forced to retreat. Finally, about the middle of April, pursuing Allied armour attacked the Army HQ at Pyinmana
Pyinmana
Pyinmana ) is a logging town and sugarcane refinery center in the Mandalay Region of Myanmar. The administrative capital of Myanmar was officially moved to a militarized greenfield site two miles west of Pyinmana on November 6, 2005. Pyinmana is approximately north of Yangon...
. Although the Army commander (Lieutenant-General Masaki Honda) and his staff escaped on foot by night, they could no longer effectively control the remnants of their units, which allowed Allied units to advance to within striking distance of Rangoon
Yangon
Yangon is a former capital of Burma and the capital of Yangon Region . Although the military government has officially relocated the capital to Naypyidaw since March 2006, Yangon, with a population of over four million, continues to be the country's largest city and the most important commercial...
.
After the fall of Rangoon, the 33rd Army regrouped in Tenasserim. Although reduced to the strength of barely a regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
, the Army nevertheless mounted a counterattack across the Sittang River
Sittang River
The Sittaung is a river in south central Myanmar in Bago Division. The Pegu Range separates its basin from that of the Irrawaddy. The river originates at the edge of the Shan Plateau southeast of Mandalay, and flows southward to the Gulf of Martaban...
to aid a breakout by Japanese forces still trapped in Burma. After a week-long battle, both the Japanese and Allies withdrew from the flooded "Sittang Bend".
The 33rd Army was disbanded following the Japanese surrender
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 late 1945.
Commanding Officer
| Name | From | To | |
| 1 | Lieutenant General Masaki Honda | 8 April 1944 | September 1945 |
| 2 | Lieutenant General Yuzo Matsuyama Yuzo Matsuyama - Notes :... |
September 1945 (acting) | |
Chief of Staff
| Name | From | To | |
| 1 | Major General Tadashi Katakura | 8 April 1944 | 19 June 1944 |
| 2 | Lieutenant General Seiie Yamamoto | 19 June 1944 | 20 February 1945 |
| 3 | Lieutenant General Rikichi Sawamoto | 20 February 1945 | September 1945 |