33rd Division (Imperial Japanese Army)
| 33rd Division | |
|---|---|
Utsunomiya, Tochigi | |
| Nickname(s) | Bow Division |
| Engagements |
|
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Shozo Sakurai |
The 33rd Division (第33師団, Dai-sanjūsan Shidan) was an
Action
Initially the 33rd division was assigned to the
The 33rd division was transferred to the
Battle of Imphal
As the
In the opening stages of the
In early April 1944, the 33rd Division attacked from the south at
In early May 1944, the British counter-attacked. None of the Japanese divisions had received adequate supplies since the offensive began (the
By 2 June 1944, Renya Mutaguchi's divisional commanders refused to make a renewed attacks on Imphal, as they were in no condition to comply. Renya Mutaguchi finally ordered the offensive to be broken off on 3 July 1944. The Japanese fell back to the Chindwin River, abandoning their artillery, transport, and soldiers too sick to walk. The defeat at Kohima and Imphal was the largest defeat to that date in Japanese history. They had suffered 55,000 casualties, including 13,500 dead.
Later Operations in Burma
The Division was rebuilt to a strength of about 10,000. When the Allies launched their offensive (Battle of Meiktila and Mandalay) into Central Burma, the Japanese withdrew behind the Irrawaddy River. A rearguard from 33rd Division took heavy losses defending the river port of Monywa on the Chindwin River. During opening stages of the Battle of Pokoku and Irrawaddy River operations in February - March 1945 after the Allies crossed the Irrawaddy River, 33rd Division defended the vital river port of Myingyan. It was not directly attacked, as the Allied bridgeheads were east and west of their positions. The division held Myingyan until most of 15th army were already in full retreat. The 33rd division suffered further casualties while retreating southward.
At the end of the war, the division had moved to
See also
- List of Japanese Infantry Divisions
- Battle of Imphal
Reference and further reading
- ^ "Hirohito's War: The Pacific War, 1941-1945", by Francis Pike, p. 692
- Madej, W. Victor. Japanese Armed Forces Order of Battle, 1937-1945 [2 vols]
Allentown, PA: 1981
- Latimer, Jon. Burma: The Forgotten War, London: John Murray, 2004. ISBN 978-0-7195-6576-2
- Allen, Louis. Burma: The longest War, Dent Publishing, 1984, ISBN 0-460-02474-4
- This article incorporates material from the Japanese Wikipedia page 第33師団 (日本軍), accessed 16 March 2016