55th Division (Imperial Japanese Army)

55th Division
55th Division
Active	1940–1945
Country	Himeji
Nickname(s)	"Sou" division
Engagements	World War II Burma Campaign Battle of Bilin River; Battle of Toungoo; Arakan Campaign 1942–43; Battle of the Admin Box; ; ;
Commanders
Notable; commanders	Torazo Ishimoto; Hiroshi Takeuchi; Takeshi Koga; Tadashi Hanaya; Ryozo Sakuma

The 55th Division (第55師団, Dai-gojūgo Shidan) was an

division of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. Its call sign was the "Sou" Division (壮兵団, Sou Heidan). It was formed on 10 July 1940 in Zentsūji, simultaneously with the 51st, 52nd, 54th, 56th, and 57th divisions. The formation nucleus was the headquarters of the 11th Division. Its manpower came primarily from the four prefectures of Shikoku Island. The 55th Division was initially assigned to the Central District Army

In 1941, the division was assigned to the

Irrawaddy river, was subordinated to 38th Army. On 15 August 1945, when the Surrender of Japan was declared, the 55th Division was in Phnom Penh

Notes

^ Ian Nish, "Anglo-Japanese Alienation 1919-1952: Papers of the Anglo-Japanese Conference on the history of the Second World War", p. 167
^ John Grehan、Martin Mace, "The Fall of Burma 1941-1943"