Japanese Sixteenth Area Army

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= Japanese Sixteenth Area Army


caption= Invasion Map for Operation Downfall
dates= 1945-02-01 - 1945-08-15
country= Empire of Japan
allegiance=
branch= Imperial Japanese Army
type= Infantry
role= Field Army
garrison= Chikushino city, Fukuoka Prefecture
nickname=睦 (Boku = “harmonious”)
battles=Operation Downfallcommand structure
name= Japanese Sixteenth Area Army
date=1945
parent=Japanese Second General Army
subordinate=

* Japanese 40th Army (Ijuin, Kagoshima)
* Japanese 56th Army (Iizuka, Fukuoka)
* Japanese 57th Army (Takarabe, Kagoshima)
* 25th Infantry Division (Fukuoka)
* 57th Infantry Division (Fukuoka)
* 77th Infantry Division (Kajiki, Kagoshima)
* 206th Infantry Division (Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto)
* 212nd Infantry Division (Miyazaki)
* 216th Infantry Division (Uto, Kumamoto)
* IJA 64th Independent Mixed Brigade (Tokunoshima)
* IJA 107th Independent Mixed Brigade (Gotō, Nagasaki)
* IJA 118th Independent Mixed Brigade (Saiki, Ōita)
* IJA 122nd Independent Mixed Brigade (Nagasaki)
* IJA 126th Independent Mixed Brigade (Amakusa)
* IJA 4th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Brigade (Chikushi District, Fukuoka)The nihongo| Japanese Sixteenth Area Army|第16方面軍|Dai jyūroku hōmen gun was a field army of the Imperial Japanese Army during the closing stages of World War II.

History

The Japanese 16th Area Army was formed on 1945-02-01 under the General Defense Command as part of the last desperate defense effort by the Empire of Japan to deter possible landings of Allied forces in Kyūshū during Operation Downfall (or nihongo|Operation Ketsugō|決号作戦|Ketsugō sakusen in Japanese terminology). [Skates, The Invasion of Japan ] It was transferred to the newly formed Japanese Second General Army on 1945-04-08. The Japanese 16th Area Army was headquartered in what is now part of Chikushino city, Fukuoka Prefecture. The 16th Area Army leadership also held equivalent posts in the Western District Army, and had the honor of receiving their appointments personally from Emperor Hirohito rather than the Imperial General Headquarters.

Although the Japanese were able to raise large numbers of new soldiers, equipping them was more difficult. By August, the Japanese Army had the equivalent of 65 divisions in the homeland but only enough equipment for 40 and only enough ammunition for 30. [Frank, "Downfall", p. 176.] 　 The 16th Area Army consisted mostly of poorly-trained reservists, conscripted students and home guard militia.

The Japanese did not formally decide to stake everything on the outcome of the Battle of Kyūshū, but they concentrated their assets to such a degree that there would be little left in reserve. By one estimate, the forces in Kyūshū had 40% of all the ammunition in the Home Islands. [Frank, "Downfall", p. 177.]

In addition, the Japanese had organized the Patriotic Citizens Fighting Corps — which included all healthy men aged 15–60 and women 17–40 — to perform combat support, and ultimately combat jobs. Weapons, training, and uniforms were generally lacking: some men were armed with nothing better than muzzle-loading muskets, longbows, or bamboo spears; nevertheless, they were expected to make do with what they had. [Frank, "Downfall", p. 188–9. Bauer and Coox, "OLYMPIC VS KETSU-GO".]

: "One mobilized high school girl, Yukiko Kasai, found herself issued an awl and told, "Even killing one American soldier will do. … You must aim for the abdomen." [Frank, "Downfall", p. 189.]

The 16th Area Army was demobilized at the surrender of Japan on 15 August 1945 without having seen combat.

List of Commanders

Commanding officer

Chief of Staff

References

Books

*cite book
last = Drea
first = Edward J.
authorlink =
coauthors =
year = 1998
chapter = Japanese Preparations for the Defense of the Homeland & Intelligence Forecasting for the Invasion of Japan
title = In the Service of the Emperor: Essays on the Imperial Japanese Army
publisher = University of Nebraska Press
location =
id = ISBN 0-8032-1708-0
*cite book
last = Frank
first = Richard B
coauthors =
year = 1999
title = Downfall: The End of the Imperial Japanese Empire
publisher = Random House
location = New York
id = ISBN 0-679-41424-X
*cite book
last = Jowett
first = Bernard
coauthors =
year = 1999
title = The Japanese Army 1931-45 (Volume 2, 1942-45)
publisher = Osprey Publishing
location =
id = ISBN 1841763543
*cite book
last = Madej
first = Victor
coauthors =
year = 1981
title = Japanese Armed Forces Order of Battle, 1937-1945
publisher = Game Publishing Company
location =
id = ASIN: B000L4CYWW
*cite book
last = Marston
first = Daniel
coauthors =
year = 2005
title = The Pacific War Companion: From Pearl Harbor to Hiroshima
publisher = Osprey Publishing
location =
id = ISBN 1841768820
*cite book
last = Skates
first = John Ray
coauthors =
year = 1994
title = The Invasion of Japan: Alternative to the Bomb Downfall
publisher = University of South Carolina Press
location = New York
id = ISBN 0-87249-972-3

External links

*cite web
last = Wendel
first = Marcus
url = http://www.axishistory.com/index.php?id=6750
title = Axis History Factbook
work = Japanese Sixteenth Area Army

Notes