Southern Expeditionary Army Group

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Southern Expeditionary Army Group
Saigon
EngagementsPacific War

The Southern Expeditionary Army Group (南方軍, Nanpō gun) was a general army of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. It was responsible for all military operations in South East Asian and South West Pacific campaigns of World War II.[1] Its military symbol was NA.[2]

The Southern Expeditionary Army Group was formed on November 6, 1941, under the command of

South Pacific
.

Operational history

The Philippines

Plans for an invasion of the

Nishizo Tsukahara
.

These plans called for air attacks against the Philippines, beginning on

Battle of the Philippines (1942)
, Japanese forces accomplished their primary objectives.

French Indochina

For further detail and references, see
Invasion of French Indochina
.

On July 22, 1941, Japanese forces, called Indochina Expeditionary Army invaded Vichy French Indochina and occupied its naval and air bases.

Netherlands East Indies

For further detail and references, see
Netherlands East Indies campaign
.

On January 18, 1942, the commander of

Netherlands East Indies
was invaded in a three-prong attack by using 3 groups: western, center and eastern group.

Western invasion group

The

Bantam Bay
on Java island.

Following the

Netherlands East Indies separately. On February 13, the 229th and 230th assaulted Palembang on Sumatra and then joined the main force. On February 28 midnight the 230th Infantry Regiment landed on Eretan Wetan
on Java.

Center invasion group

The center group was composed of

IJA 48th Division, left for Java on February 8, 1942 from Lingayen Gulf, in the Philippines. On February 25, the convoy arrived at Balikpapan and the Sakaguchi detachment (56th Regiment Group) joined the force. They landed at Kragan on Java by midnight February 28.[citation needed
]

Earlier on January 11, the Sakaguchi detachment and 2nd Kure

Bandjermasin, the capital of Dutch Borneo was occupied.[5]

Eastern invasion group

The Eastern invasion group included the Sasebo Combined Naval Landing Force and 1st Yokosuka Special Naval Landing Force. They left Davao on January 9 and during the early morning of January 11, arrived at and occupied Menado.[6] The Sasebo Combined Special Naval Landing Force then attacked and occupied Kendari on January 23.[7] Makassar was captured on 9 February by the Sasebo Combined Special Naval Landing Force.[8] All these are on Celebes island.

The 1st Kure Special Naval Landing Force and 228th Infantry Regiment from 38th Army and Airplane Carrier Division 2 from Japan, reached Ambon on January 30.[9]

Thailand and Burma

For further detail and references, see Burma campaign.

Malaya and Singapore

For further detail and references, see
Malayan Campaign
.

South West Pacific

For further detail and references, see South West Pacific theatre of World War II.

List of commanders

Commanding Officer

Name From To
1 Gensui Count Terauchi Hisaichi 6 November 1941 31 August 1945

Chief of Staff

Name From To
1 Lieutenant General Osamu Tsukada 6 November 1941 1 July 1942
2 Lieutenant General Kuroda Shigenori 1 July 1942 19 May 1943
3 Lieutenant General Shimizu Kinori 19 May 1943 22 March 1944
4 Lieutenant General Iimura Jo 22 March 1944 26 December 1944
5 Lieutenant General Numata Takazo 26 December 1944 September 1945

See also

  1. ^ Jowett, The Japanese Army 1931–45
  2. ^ Japanese Wikipedia article of Southern Expeditionary Army Group
  3. ^ L, Klemen (1999–2000). "The capture of Tarakan Island, January 1942". Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941–1942.
  4. ^ L, Klemen (1999–2000). "The capture of Balikpapan, January 1942". Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941–1942.
  5. ^ L, Klemen (1999–2000). "The capture of Bandjermasin". Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941–1942.
  6. ^ L, Klemen (1999–2000). "The Fall of Menado, January 1942". Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941–1942.
  7. ^ L, Klemen (1999–2000). "The Fall of Kendari, January 1942". Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941–1942.
  8. ^ L, Klemen (1999–2000). "The capture of Makassar, February 1942". Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941–1942.
  9. ^ L, Klemen (1999–2000). "The Japanese Invasion of Ambon Island, January 1942". Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941–1942. Archived from the original on 2012-12-03.

References

External links

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