IJA Fifty Sixth Division was an infantry division in 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...

. It was also known as Ryuheidan (龍兵団) meaning "Dragon Division".

History

The 56th Division participated in the Invasion of Burma during the Burma Campaign

Burma Campaign

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, Thailand, and the Indian National Army. British Commonwealth land forces were drawn primarily from...

. Racing north from the port of Rangoon, at the Battle of Toungoo

Battle of Toungoo

Battle of Toungoo, was one of the key battles in the Battle of Yunnan-Burma Road in the Burma Campaign of World War II and Second Sino-Japanese War.- Prelude :...

 its reconnaissance elements forced the Chinese to evacuate the city opening the way to the east. Later the 56th Division flanked the allied line to the East, by advancing through the mountains to the Salween River in the Karenni

Karenni

Red Karen also known as Karenni, is a subgroup of the Karen people, a Sino-Tibetan people living mostly in Kayah State of Burma....

 States. The Division defeated the Chinese 6th Corps in the battles of Mawchi

Mawchi

Mawachi a location in the Bawlake district of the Kayah State is a state of Myanmar and formerly in the Karenni States of Burma. In the 1930s, the Mawchi Mine was the most important source of tungsten in the world.-External links:...

, Bawlake, Bato

Bato

Bato can have different meanings, not related in Etymology, in various times, places and cultures:-People:Bato as an Illyrian male name may refer to:*Bato of Dalmatia, Illyrian tribal chief...

, and Loikaw

Loikaw

Loikaw is the capital of Kayah State in Burma . It is located near the State's northern tip, just above an embayment on the Pilu River. The inhabitants are mostly Kayah...

 and forced their retreat eastward to 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...

. Advancing north through the Shan States

Shan States

The Shan States were the princely states that ruled large areas of today's Burma , Yunnan Province in China, Laos and Thailand from the late 13th century until mid-20th century...

 the 56th Division defeated elements of the Chinese 65th Corps to take the city of Lashio

Lashio

Lashio is the largest town in northern Shan State, Myanmar, about northeast of Mandalay. It is situated on a low mountain spur overlooking the valley of the Nam Yao river. The population grew from around 5000 in 1960 to 88,590 in 1983. It is currently estimated at around 130,000.Lashio is the...

 on the Burma Road

Burma Road

The Burma Road is a road linking Burma with the southwest of China. Its terminals are Kunming, Yunnan, and Lashio, Burma. When it was built, Burma was a British colony.The road is long and runs through rough mountain country...

. The fall of Lashio cut off much of the Chinese Army from China and compelled the allies to evacuate Burma. The Division advanced into Yunnan in pursuit of the Chinese but were halted at the Battle of Salween River by the Chinese 36th and 88th Divisions. The 56th Division remained in northern Burma and Yunnan engaged in defending Burma against the Chinese in the Battle of Northern Burma and Western Yunnan

Battle of Northern Burma and Western Yunnan

Battle of Northern Burma and Western Yunnan was the name of the Chinese campaign with their allies in the 1943-45 Burma Campaign. The Japanese troops initially had the winning side. However, their banzai charges failed to have much effect against the Allied troops who used camouflage tactics...

 in 1944 where, interestingly the division codenamed the "Dragon Division" was completely annihilated by the Chinese Expeditionary Army (Yunnan) down to the last man in the Chinese town of Longling in Chinese meaning "Dragon's Mausoleum".

General Officers 56th Division

• 1940–1942 Lieutenant-General Masao Watanabe
  Masao Watanabe
  was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II.-Biography:Watanabe was the son of a former samurai retainer of the Kishiwada domain. His father was an elementary school teacher...
  
  , Japan-Burma-China
• 1942–1945 Lieutenant-General Yuzo Matsuyama
  Yuzo Matsuyama
  - Notes :...
  
  , China-Burma-Thailand

Organization

56th Division

• 56th Infantry Brigade Group:
  • 113th Infantry Regiment
  • 146th Infantry Regiment
  • 148th Infantry Regiment
• 56th Reconnaissance Regiment (motorised)
• 56th Field Gun Regiment
  • 2 battalions of 12 X 75mm guns each
  • 1 battalion of 12 X 105mm guns
• 56th Engineer Regiment
• 56th Transport Regiment

Reference and further reading

• Madej, W. Victor. Japanese Armed Forces Order of Battle, 1937-1945 [2 vols]

Allentown, PA: 1981