The Kwantung Army was the cream of the IJA. This was reflected in the high quality of the units assigned and the relatively large number of heavy supporting armor and artillery units. The basic formation of the Kwantung Army was the infantry division. Figure 1: Imperial Japanese Army Type A "Strengthened" Division Total Armament 10,000 Rifles 114 Hvy MG 410 Lgt MG 450 Gren Launchers 78 AT Rifles (20mm) 18 AT Rifles (37mm) 7 Armored Cars or Tankettes 12 Howitzers (105mm) 24 Field Guns (75mm) 12 Reg Guns (75mm) 36 Bat Guns (70mm) The IJA used three different types of divisional organizations during the war. The Japanese classified divisions as being "A" (Modified), "B" (Standard), or "C" (Special). As many as 17 type "A" divisions have been identified with most of the Kwantung Armys divisions falling into this category. Total strength of this formation varied depending on the existence of attached units, but was in the area of 25,000 men. The "B" formation was the standard division of the IJA with some 130 identified during the war. These were still large formations with some 20,000 men but lacked some of the supporting units of the 'A" formations. The "C" divisions were weak formations with usually two brigades controlling up to eight rifle battalions. They had no supporting artillery and none were assigned to the Kwantung Army. Of the 13 divisions assigned to the Kwantung Army in September 1941, all but two were type "A". The two divisions assigned to the Korea Army were also type "A". The strength and organization of a type "A" division is shown in table 2. Of note are the large infantry components (1,400 man battalions and regiments of almost 5,000 men) and the relative lack of heavy equipment. T he artillery regiment typically possessed three battalions with 36 guns, the largest usually only 105mm. Also notable was a deficiency of antitank weaponry. Only 18 37mm. antitank guns were assigned to the entire division supported by 78 20mm antitank rifles. This meant that the division's primary antitank defense was the satchel-charge or gas bottle equipped infantryman. Brief History of Principle Units A brief history of the Kwantung Army's principal units is provided below: 1st Infantry Division: Type "A" division. Veteran of the 1904-05 Russo-Japanese War and saw action in China. By 1938, the division returned to Manchuria where it remained until 1944. In 1941 it was subordinate to the 4th Army in northeast Manchuria. It eventually was transferred in response to the increasingly serious situation in the war against the U.S. and was moved to Leyte Island in the Philippines in November 1944 where it was annihilated. 8th Infantry Division: Type "A" division. Veteran of the 1904-05 war with Russia. Transferred to Manchuria in 1932 and in 1941 assigned to the 20' Army in eastern Manchuria and headquartered on the border with the Soviet Maritime Province. Remained in Manchuria until August 1944 when it was sent to the Philippines. The division was destroyed in fighting on Leyte and Luzon. 9th Infantry Division: Type "A" Division. Another veteran of the 1904-05 war; saw action during the China Incident in 1937 fighting in the Shanghai area. Returned to Japan briefly before being dispatched to Manchuria in late 1940. Assigned to the 3rd Army in eastern Manchuria in the sector nearest Vladivostok. Did not leave Manchuria until June 1944 when it was sent to Okinawa. Later transferred to Formosa in 1945 where it sat out the remainder of the war. 10th Infantry Division: Type "A" division. Another veteran of the 1904-05 war with Russia. Assigned to the Kwantung Army as early as 1932. Fought in China from 193740 and returned to Manchuria in 1941 and garrisoned the eastern part of the province. Remained in Manchuria until November 1944 when it was sent to Luzon where it was largely destroyed. 11th Infantry Division: Type "A" division. Veteran of the 1904-05 war with Russia and saw action in China. Returned to Japan in 1938 and then deployed to Manchuria. In 1941 it was assigned to the 5th Army in eastern Manchuria. In April 1945 the division returned to Japan to defend the homeland from expected invasion. 12th Infantry Division: Type "A" Division and a veteran of the 1904-05 war against the Russians. Part of the Manchurian garrison from 1936. In 1941, it was assigned to the 3rdArmy in eastern Manchuria. In 1945, the division departed Manchuria and survived the end of the war in Formosa. 14th Infantry Division: Formed in 1905 to fight in the Russo- Japanese War. In 1941, it was one of the Kwantung Army's two type "B" standard divisions. After duty in Manchuria, it saw action in China, briefly returning to Japan in 1940. In September 1940, the unit was redeployed to central Manchuria as part of the Kwantung Army's reserve. Before it departed Manchuria in April 1944 it was reorganized along a regimental combat team basis. The division was sent to the Palaus Islands where most of it was destroyed on Peleliu and other elements were destroyed on Angaur in fierce fighting against invading U.S. Marine and Army units. 19th Infantry Division: Type "A" Division. Activated in Korea and remained part of the Korea Army until late 1944 when it was moved to Luzon in the Philippines. The Korea Army was counted by the Imperial General Staff as part of any invasion force against the Soviets. 20th Infantry Division: Type "A" Division and one of the few divisions in 1941 to retain the old "square" organization with four infantry regiments assigned to two infantry group headquarters. The division was not "triangularized" until 1943. Originally activated in Korea and assigned to the Korea Army after combat in China from 1937-39. Departed Korea in late 1942 and engaged in combat in northeastern New Guinea where the division suffered heavy casualties. 23rd Infantry Division: Type "A" Division. The only Kwantung Army division to fully engage the Soviets before 1945 during the disastrous Nomonhan Incident. Following its near total destruction, the unit was rebuilt and continued to garrison western Manchuria subordinate to the 6th Army. In December 1944, the division was sent to Luzon where it suffered heavy casualties against the invading U.S. Army. 24th Infantry Division: Type "A" Division. Activated in August 1940 and deployed to Manchuria where it was assigned to the 5 th Army in eastern Manchuria. Parts of the division were dispatched in early 1944 to the Marianas Islands where they where destroyed in combat against U.S. forces. The entire division was transferred from Manchuria in July 1944 and ended up on Okinawa where it provided the core of the Japanese defense. This tough unit was annihilated after extremely bitter fighting in 1945. 25th Infantry Division: Type "A" Division. Activated in August 1940 and deployed to Manchuria where it was assigned to the 20th Army in eastern Manchuria. After spending most of the war in Manchuria, it returned to the homeland in March 1945 to await the expected invasion of Japan. 28th Infantry Division: Type "A" division. Formed in 1940 and later deployed to Harbin in central Manchuria. Remained in Manchuria until mid-1944 when elements of the division where deployed on the Ryukyus and Sakashima Islands. The division did not see combat. 29th Infantry Division: Type "B" division. Formed in August 1941 and sent to southern Manchuria. Remained in Manchuria until early 1944 when it was reorganized along regimental lines prepatory for movement into combat on Pacific Islands. Most of the division was destroyed on Guam in the Marianas during August 1944 and other elements were destroyed on Rota and Tinian. 57th Infantry Division: Type "A" division. Not formed until August 1940 and deployed to Manchuria in mid- 1941. Assigned to the 4th Army in northern Manchuria. Recalled to Japan in April 1945 to augment homeland defenses. The division did not see combat during the war. In addition to the divisions, which were directly subordinate to the Kwantung Army, the Imperial General Staff intended to reinforce Manchuria with a number of other divisions from China and the home islands. The planned invasion of Burma, Malaya, the Dutch East Indies and the Philippines required only ten of the IJA's divisions. Another 22 divisions were engaged against the Chinese with nine assigned to the North China Front and 13 assigned to the Central China Front. Another four were in Japan. See table 2 for a complete breakdown of Japanese divisions in 1941. From an order of battle perspective, the IJA appeared capable of supporting concurrent wars against the Chinese, the Anglo-Americans and the Soviets, at least on a short-term basis. If the Japanese had decided to invade the Soviet Union, it is an open question what additional units the IJA could have shifted to Manchuria beyond the four divisions already planned from the homeland and the two from China. If offensive operations in China were suspended, it is reasonable to speculate that additional divisions could have been pulled from there to reinforce the Kwantung Army. Augmenting the Kwantung Army's infantry divisions were a number of Independent Guard Units (IGU) and Border Guard Units (BGU). The IGUs were formations with little offensive power as each was only approximately 3,000 men organized into three infantry battalions with no supporting artillery. The BGUs, of which there were 15, varied in strength from 3,000 to 8,000 but did contain some supporting artillery and engineer units. The Kwantung Army was undeniably an infantry heavy force. For the 1941 attack against the Soviets, there would be only a total of some 225 medium tanks available. The Kwantung Armys armor was organized into two tank groups each of which had three assigned tank regiments (actually battalion sized units). Details for the tank groups are provided below: 1st Tank Group (113 medium, 28 light tanks). In 1942, it became the nucleus of the 1st Tank Division. Subordinate regiments included: 3rd - Veteran of Nomonhan Incident. Later fought in China during 1944 and 1945. 5th - Returned to Japan in 1945. 9th -Destroyed on Saipan and Guam in 1944. 2nd Tank Group (113 medium, 28 light tanks). Became the nucleus of the 2nd Tank Division. Subordinate regiments included: 4th - Veteran of Nomonhan Incident. Ended war on Timor Island. 10th - Destroyed on Luzon in 1945. 11th - In 1944 transferred to Kurile Islands. Saw action against the Soviets in 1945 suffering heavy losses on Shimushu Island. In addition to being vastly outnumbered by Soviet armor in the Far East Front and the Trans-Baikal Military District, Japanese armor was unsuited for combat with its Soviet counterparts. The standard Japanese medium tank of the period was the Type 97. This was a 15-ton vehicle of indifferent performance with a slow speed, light armor (maximum of 25mm) and a low-velocity 57mm gun unsuited for engaging armored targets. Fortunately for the Japanese, the Type 97 would not have been totally outclassed by the Soviet T-26 and BT series tanks with armor as inadequate as the Type 97's. However, the Soviet tanks' higher velocity 45mm gun would have easily defeated the Type 97s weak armor. By 1942, the Japanese had introduced the Type 97 modified ChiHa tank with a new turret equipped with a high velocity 47mm gun. 1942 Re-organization In 1942, the Japanese reorganized their armored forces in Manchuria. In June, the two tank groups in Manchuria were used as the basis to form the IJA`s first two tank divisions. On paper, each division appeared to be a powerful and balanced force. Each had two tank brigades with two tank regiments, a mobile infantry regiment of three battalions, an artillery regiment of three battalions, and supporting antitank, reconnaissance, antiaircraft, and engineer units. The two tank divisions were destined never to see combat against the Soviets. The First Tank Division remained in Manchuria until 1945 when it was transferred in March to the homeland. The Second Tank Division was moved in August 1944 to the Philippines. The division was largely destroyed in combat with the U.S. Army in January 1945 on Luzon. Additionally in July 1942, the two new tank divisions were placed under the command of the newly created Mechanized Army. However, the creation of tank divisions and the formation of a dedicated headquarters was less effective than it seemed for the Japanese. The Mechanized Army was principally an administrative and training command. The Japanese never established, or even experimented with, a doctrine to exploit the capabilities of their mechanized forces. In addition to its tank assets, most of the infantry divisions of the Kwantung Army possessed a reconnaissance regiment with two tankette companies with a total of 16 tankettes. Japanese tankettes, even with their very light armor, had been used successfully against the Chinese for scouting and infantry support. Against the Soviets, the tankettes would be vulnerable to any sort of antitank gun as well as to antitank rifles. North Wind Rain Japanese Invasion of Manchuria Introduction and Background The Nomohan Incident Preparations for the Next Round Japanese 1941 Campaign Plan Into 1942 and Beyond Kwantung Army Close Up The Soviets Prepare The Red Army and the Far East The Red Army in 1942 Opposing Air Forces Red Army Rifle Division April 1941 TO&E Red Army Rifle Division July 1942 TO&E Red Army Rifle Brigade July 1942 TO&E Red Army Tank Brigade July 1942 TO&E Red Army Far Eastern Front June 1941 Red Army Trans-Baikal Military District June 1941 Large Map: Kwangtung Army Deployment August 1941 (slow: 116K) Jumbo Map: Kwangtung Army Deployment August 1941 (very slow: 397K) Alternative History: 2nd Russo-Japanese War Back to Table of Contents -- Against the Odds vol. 2 no. 1 Back to Against the Odds List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 2003 by LPS. This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. 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