71st Division (Imperial Japanese Army)
71st Division | |
---|---|
第71師団 | |
Active | 1942 - 1945 |
Country | Empire of Japan |
Allegiance | Fortieth Army (Japan) |
Branch | Imperial Japanese Army |
Type | Infantry |
Role | garrison |
Nickname(s) | Life Division |
Engagements | Second Sino-Japanese War Pacific War |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Tenba Umahachi (天羽馬八) |
The 71st Division (第71師団, Dai-nanajūichi Shidan) was an
Action
After the training was completed in June 1942, the division was subordinated to the Kwantung Army and sent to the eastern part of the Soviet border in Manchuria.
Division split
In February 1944, according to order number 948, the divisional headquarters and several infantry battalions (total about 2150 or 3000 men) were split and sent to
Garrison of Pagan Island
The five detachments of the 71st division become the 9th Independent Mixed Regiment in late February 1944, landing on Pagan Island on 20 March 1944 after sailing from Hunchun.[4] Reorganized later as garrison group 17583, it continued to defend Pagan until the surrender of Japan. Although never invaded, the garrison suffered from severe food shortages and daily air raids. Several hundred soldiers died because of malnutrition before the garrison was evacuated to mainland Japan in late October 1945.
Further detachments
An elements of 71st division comprising an 34th anti-aircraft battalion and the battalion from 71st mountain artillery regiment, were further detached and sailed from
See also
- List of Japanese Infantry Divisions
- Independent Mixed Brigades (Imperial Japanese Army)
Notes and references
- ^ "Japanese Forces Detached from the Kwantung Army to the Pacific 3-7 March 1944" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 August 2016. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
- ^ "Japanese 10th Area Army Formosa July 1945" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-06-19.
- ^ TAKAOKA MARU: Tabular Record of Movement
- ^ "Japanese garrisons on the by-passed Pacific Islands 1944-1945". Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941–1942. Archived from the original on 2016-01-06. Retrieved 2016-04-13.
- ^ FUKUYO MARU: Tabular Record of Movement
This article incorporates material from the article 第71師団 (日本軍)|第71師団 (日本軍) in the Japanese Wikipedia, retrieved on 13 January 2015.
- Madej, W. Victor. Japanese Armed Forces Order of Battle, 1937-1945 [2 vols] Allentown, PA: 1981
- 秦郁彦編『日本陸海軍総合事典』第2版、東京大学出版会、2005年。
- 外山操・森松俊夫編著『帝国陸軍編制総覧』芙蓉書房出版、1987年。
- 『別冊歴史読本 戦記シリーズNo.32 太平洋戦争師団戦史』、新人物往来社、1996年。
- 示村貞夫『旭川第七師団』新北海、1984年。