10th Division (Imperial Japanese Army)
Encyclopedia
was an infantry division in the Imperial Japanese Army
. Its call sign
was the .
. It consisted of troops from the Himeiji region, namely the three prefectures of Hyōgo
, Okayama
and Tottori
, plus a portion of Shimane prefecture
. The 10th Division participated heavily in the Russo-Japanese War
, seeing combat at the Battle of Liaoyang
, Battle of Shaho
, and Battle of Mukden
.
It remained stationed in Manchuria
after the war, and participated in the Manchurian Incident of 1931 and in the Chinchow Operation
of 1932.
During Second Sino-Japanese War
, the 10th Division was in combat during the Beiping–Hankou Railway Operation
, Tianjin–Pukou Railway Operation
and Battle of Xuzhou
where it suffered a serious reverse in the Battle of Taierzhuang
. It was also in the northern pincer of the Japanese offensive in the Battle of Wuhan
. It was withdrawn back to Manchukuo
in 1940 and placed under the control of the Kwangtung Army.
In 1944, as the situation in the Pacific War
against the United States grew increasing desperate, the 10th Division was transferred to the Japanese Fourteenth Area Army in the Philippines
, where it was mostly annihilated in the subsequent Battle of Luzon
continued by joint the U.S. and Philippine Commonwealth forces.
Noteworthy commanders in the history of the 10th Division included: HIH Prince Fushimi Sadanaru
, Kawamura Kageaki, Ando Sadami
, Matsukawa Toshitane, Katsu Yamaguchi, Ugaki Kazushige, Shigeru Honjō
.
of the 10th Division was organized as a square Division
:
10th Division
After 1940 the 10th Division was transformed into a Triangular division:
10th Division
Allentown, Pennsylvania: 1981
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
Call sign
In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique designation for a transmitting station. In North America they are used as names for broadcasting stations...
was the .
History
The 10th Infantry Division was formed on 1 October 1898, as one of the six new reserve divisions created after the First Sino-Japanese WarFirst Sino-Japanese War
The First Sino-Japanese War was fought between Qing Dynasty China and Meiji Japan, primarily over control of Korea...
. It consisted of troops from the Himeiji region, namely the three prefectures of Hyōgo
Hyogo Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region on Honshū island. The capital is Kobe.The prefecture's name was previously alternately spelled as Hiogo.- History :...
, Okayama
Okayama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Okayama.- History :During the Meiji Restoration, the area of Okayama Prefecture was known as Bitchū Province, Bizen Province and Mimasaka Province.- Geography :...
and Tottori
Tottori Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region. The capital is the city of Tottori. It is the least populous prefecture in Japan.- History :Before the Meiji Restoration, Tottori encompassed the old provinces of Hōki and Inaba...
, plus a portion of Shimane prefecture
Shimane Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is Matsue. It is the second least populous prefecture in Japan, after its eastern neighbor Tottori. The prefecture has an area elongated from east to west facing the Chūgoku Mountain Range on the south side and to...
. The 10th Division participated heavily in 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...
, seeing combat at the Battle of Liaoyang
Battle of Liaoyang
The Battle of Liaoyang was one of the major land battles of the Russo-Japanese War....
, Battle of Shaho
Battle of Shaho
The Battle of Shaho was a land battle of the Russo-Japanese War fought along a front centered at the Sha River on the Mukden–Port Arthur spur of the China Far East Railway just north of Liaoyang, Manchuria.-Background:...
, and Battle of Mukden
Battle of Mukden
One of the largest land battles to be fought before World War I, the , the last major land battle of the Russo-Japanese War, was fought from 20 February to 10 March 1905 between Japan and Russia near Mukden in Manchuria...
.
It remained stationed in Manchuria
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
after the war, and participated in the Manchurian Incident of 1931 and in the Chinchow Operation
Chinchow Operation
The Chinchow Operation was an operation during the invasion of Manchuria as part of the campaign of the Invasion of Manchuria by forces of the Empire of Japan in the early stages of the Second Sino-Japanese War.-Background:...
of 1932.
During 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...
, the 10th Division was in combat during the Beiping–Hankou Railway Operation
Beiping–Hankou Railway Operation
The Japanese 京漢線作戦 or Peiking–Hankou Railway Operation was a follow up operation to the Peiking Tientsin Operation of the Japanese army in North China at the beginning of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War. The Japanese advanced to the south along the Peiking - Hankou Railway toward the Yellow River.....
, Tianjin–Pukou Railway Operation
Tianjin–Pukou Railway Operation
The Japanese 津浦線作戦 or Tientsin–Pukow Railway Operation was a follow up operation to the Peiking Tientsin Operation of the Japanese army in North China at the beginning of the Second Sino-Japanese War. The Japanese advanced following the line of the Tianjin-Pukou Railway to the Yellow River....
and 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....
where it suffered a serious reverse in the Battle of Taierzhuang
Battle of Taierzhuang
The Battle of Tai'erzhuang was a battle of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1938, between armies of Chinese Kuomintang and Japan, and is sometimes considered as a part of Battle of Xuzhou....
. It was also in the northern pincer of the Japanese offensive in the 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 withdrawn back to Manchukuo
Manchukuo
Manchukuo or Manshū-koku was a puppet state in Manchuria and eastern Inner Mongolia, governed under a form of constitutional monarchy. The region was the historical homeland of the Manchus, who founded the Qing Empire in China...
in 1940 and placed under the control of the Kwangtung Army.
In 1944, as the situation in the Pacific War
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...
against the United States grew increasing desperate, the 10th Division was transferred to the Japanese Fourteenth Area Army in 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...
, where it was mostly annihilated in the subsequent Battle of Luzon
Battle of Luzon
The Battle of Luzon was a land battle fought as part of the Pacific Theater of Operations of World War II by the Allied forces of the U.S., its colony The Philippines, and Mexico against forces of the Empire of Japan. The battle resulted in a U.S. and Filipino victory...
continued by joint the U.S. and Philippine Commonwealth forces.
Noteworthy commanders in the history of the 10th Division included: HIH Prince Fushimi Sadanaru
Prince Fushimi Sadanaru
was the 22nd head of the Fushimi-no-miya shinnōke . He was a field marshal in the Imperial Japanese Army.- Early life :...
, Kawamura Kageaki, Ando Sadami
Ando Sadami
- Notes :...
, Matsukawa Toshitane, Katsu Yamaguchi, Ugaki Kazushige, Shigeru Honjō
Shigeru Honjo
-Notes:...
.
Organization
The initial Order of BattleOrder of battle
In modern use, the order of battle is the identification, command structure, strength, and disposition of personnel, equipment, and units of an armed force participating in field operations. Various abbreviations are in use, including OOB, O/B, or OB, while ORBAT remains the most common in the...
of the 10th Division was organized as a square Division
Square division
A square division is a designation given to the way military divisions are organized. In a square organization, the division's main body is composed of four regimental elements. Since a regiment could be split into separate battalions for tactical purposes, the natural division within a division...
:
10th Division
- 8th Infantry Brigade
- 39th Infantry Regiment (HimejiHimeji, Hyogois a city located in Hyōgo Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. As of April 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 535,945, with 206,409 households. The total area is 534.43 km².- History :...
) - 40th Infantry Regiment
- 39th Infantry Regiment (Himeji
- 33rd Infantry Brigade
- 10th Infantry Regiment (Okayama)
- 63rd Infantry Regiment (Matsue)
- 10th Field Artillery Regiment
- 10th Cavalry Regiment
- 10th Engineer Regiment
- 10th Transport Regiment
After 1940 the 10th Division was transformed into a Triangular division:
10th Division
- 8th Infantry Brigade Group
- 10th Infantry Regiment
- 39th Infantry Regiment
- 63rd Infantry Regiment
- 10th Field Artillery Regiment
- 10th Recon Regiment
- 10th Engineer Regiment
- 10th Transport Regiment
Reference and further reading
- Madej, W. Victor. Japanese Armed Forces Order of Battle, 1937-1945 [2 vols]
Allentown, Pennsylvania: 1981