The 1st Tank Brigade was created out of four separate armored regiments based in Manchukuo on June 24, 1942.[1] With the addition of one infantry regiment, it was soon raised to the status of a full armored division. Stationed in Ning'an in northern Manchukuo, it was tasked primarily with border patrol of Manchukuo's eastern frontier with the Soviet Union under the overall command of the Japanese First Area Army.
As the situation in the Pacific War against the Allies deteriorated for Japan, in March 1944, the IJA 9th Armored Regiment of the 1st Tank Division was reassigned to the IJA 31st Army, and sent to Saipan,[1] where it was annihilated at the subsequent Battle of Saipan and Battle of Guam. The remaining three regiments participated in Operation Ichi-Go in mainland China. The IJA 3rd Armored Regiment of the 1st Tank Division was reassigned to China and attached to the 11th Army until the end of the war.
In March 1945, the 1st Tank Division with its 5th Armored Regiment was reassigned to the Japanese home islands in preparation for the expected invasion by Allied forces.[1][2] It gained the IJA 1st Armored Regiment from the 3rd Tank Division,[2] and formed part of the IJA 36th Army under the Japanese Twelfth Area Army. The headquarters unit and IJA 1st Armored Regiment were based in Sano, Tochigi, with the IJA 5th Armored Regiment stationed at Ōtawara, Tochigi (and later relocated to Kazo, Saitama, and the IJA 1st Mechanized Infantry Regiment and the Division’s mechanized artillery stationed at Tochigi. Anticipating that Allied forces would land at Kujūkuri Beach, the 1st Tank Division was to hold a defensive line stretching from Mount Tsukuba to the Tama River, with forward units deployed to Choshi, Chiba. The surrender of Japan came before the landing, and the 1st Armored Division did not see any combat on Japanese soil.
The 1st Tank Division was demobilized in September 1945 with the rest of the Imperial Japanese Army.
Commanding officeredit
Name
From
To
1
Lieutenant General Toshimoto Hoshino
1 September 1942
15 June 1945
2
Lieutenant General Nobuo Hosomi
15 June 1945
30 September 1945
Structure (1945)edit
1st Tank Division (IJA) organization, 1945
The 1st Tank Division, after being relocated to Japan in 1945, consisted of a division headquarters, two tank regiments (roughly battalion-sized), one motorized infantry regiment, one motorized artillery regiment, one anti-tank battalion, one motor transport battalion, one maintenance battalion, and one engineer battalion.[3]
^Ness, Leland (2015). Rikugun: Guide to Japanese Ground Forces 1937-1945: Volume 1. Helion and Company.
Referencesedit
Drea, Edward J. (1998). "Japanese Preparations for the Defense of the Homeland & Intelligence Forecasting for the Invasion of Japan". In the Service of the Emperor: Essays on the Imperial Japanese Army. University of Nebraska Press. ISBN0-8032-1708-0.
Frank, Richard B (1999). Downfall: The End of the Imperial Japanese Empire. New York: Random House. ISBN0-679-41424-X.
Jowett, Bernard (1999). The Japanese Army 1931-45 (Volume 2, 1942-45). Osprey Publishing. ISBN1-84176-354-3.
Madej, Victor (1981). Japanese Armed Forces Order of Battle, 1937-1945. Game Publishing Company. ASIN: B000L4CYWW.
Ness, Leland (2015). Rikugun: Guide to Japanese Ground Forces 1937-1945: Volume 1. Helion and Company. ISBN9781912174577.
Rottman, Gordon L.; Takizawa, Akira (2008). World War II Japanese Tank Tactics. Osprey Publishing. ISBN978-1846032349.
Skates, John Ray (1994). The Invasion of Japan: Alternative to the Bomb Downfall. New York: University of South Carolina Press. ISBN0-87249-972-3.
Tomczyk, Andrzej (2007). Japanese Armor Vol. 5. AJ Press. ISBN978-8372371799.
External linksedit
Taki's Imperial Japanese Army Page - Akira Takizawa
March 20, 2024
tank, division, imperial, japanese, army, tank, division, 戦車第1師団, sensha, ichi, shidan, four, armored, divisions, imperial, japanese, army, world, tank, divisiontype, tanks, tank, division, during, night, training, exercise, 1943active1942, 1945disbanded1945co. The 1st Tank Division 戦車第1師団 Sensha Dai ichi Shidan was one of four armored divisions of the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II 1st Tank DivisionType 97 Chi Ha tanks of the IJA 1st Tank Division during a night training exercise 1943Active1942 1945Disbanded1945Country Empire of JapanBranchImperial Japanese ArmyTypeArmored divisionSizeDivisionGarrison HQTokyo JapanNickname s 拓 Taku expand EngagementsSecond Sino Japanese WarWorld War II Tank from IJA 9th Armored Regiment captured on Guam Contents 1 History 2 Commanding officer 3 Structure 1945 4 See also 5 Notes 6 References 7 External linksHistory editThe 1st Tank Brigade was created out of four separate armored regiments based in Manchukuo on June 24 1942 1 With the addition of one infantry regiment it was soon raised to the status of a full armored division Stationed in Ning an in northern Manchukuo it was tasked primarily with border patrol of Manchukuo s eastern frontier with the Soviet Union under the overall command of the Japanese First Area Army As the situation in the Pacific War against the Allies deteriorated for Japan in March 1944 the IJA 9th Armored Regiment of the 1st Tank Division was reassigned to the IJA 31st Army and sent to Saipan 1 where it was annihilated at the subsequent Battle of Saipan and Battle of Guam The remaining three regiments participated in Operation Ichi Go in mainland China The IJA 3rd Armored Regiment of the 1st Tank Division was reassigned to China and attached to the 11th Army until the end of the war In March 1945 the 1st Tank Division with its 5th Armored Regiment was reassigned to the Japanese home islands in preparation for the expected invasion by Allied forces 1 2 It gained the IJA 1st Armored Regiment from the 3rd Tank Division 2 and formed part of the IJA 36th Army under the Japanese Twelfth Area Army The headquarters unit and IJA 1st Armored Regiment were based in Sano Tochigi with the IJA 5th Armored Regiment stationed at Ōtawara Tochigi and later relocated to Kazo Saitama and the IJA 1st Mechanized Infantry Regiment and the Division s mechanized artillery stationed at Tochigi Anticipating that Allied forces would land at Kujukuri Beach the 1st Tank Division was to hold a defensive line stretching from Mount Tsukuba to the Tama River with forward units deployed to Choshi Chiba The surrender of Japan came before the landing and the 1st Armored Division did not see any combat on Japanese soil The 1st Tank Division was demobilized in September 1945 with the rest of the Imperial Japanese Army Commanding officer editName From To1 Lieutenant General Toshimoto Hoshino 1 September 1942 15 June 19452 Lieutenant General Nobuo Hosomi 15 June 1945 30 September 1945Structure 1945 edit nbsp 1st Tank Division IJA organization 1945The 1st Tank Division after being relocated to Japan in 1945 consisted of a division headquarters two tank regiments roughly battalion sized one motorized infantry regiment one motorized artillery regiment one anti tank battalion one motor transport battalion one maintenance battalion and one engineer battalion 3 Division Headquarters 1st Tank Regiment 5th Tank Regiment 1st Motorized Infantry Regiment 1st Motorized Artillery Regiment Anti Tank Battalion Motor Transport Battalion Maintenance Battalion Engineer BattalionSee also editList of Japanese armored divisionsNotes edit a b c d e f g h i Rottman amp Takizawa 2008 p 11 a b Tomczyk 2007 p 158 Ness Leland 2015 Rikugun Guide to Japanese Ground Forces 1937 1945 Volume 1 Helion and Company References editDrea Edward J 1998 Japanese Preparations for the Defense of the Homeland amp Intelligence Forecasting for the Invasion of Japan In the Service of the Emperor Essays on the Imperial Japanese Army University of Nebraska Press ISBN 0 8032 1708 0 Frank Richard B 1999 Downfall The End of the Imperial Japanese Empire New York Random House ISBN 0 679 41424 X Jowett Bernard 1999 The Japanese Army 1931 45 Volume 2 1942 45 Osprey Publishing ISBN 1 84176 354 3 Madej Victor 1981 Japanese Armed Forces Order of Battle 1937 1945 Game Publishing Company ASIN B000L4CYWW Ness Leland 2015 Rikugun Guide to Japanese Ground Forces 1937 1945 Volume 1 Helion and Company ISBN 9781912174577 Rottman Gordon L Takizawa Akira 2008 World War II Japanese Tank Tactics Osprey Publishing ISBN 978 1846032349 Skates John Ray 1994 The Invasion of Japan Alternative to the Bomb Downfall New York University of South Carolina Press ISBN 0 87249 972 3 Tomczyk Andrzej 2007 Japanese Armor Vol 5 AJ Press ISBN 978 8372371799 External links editTaki s Imperial Japanese Army Page Akira Takizawa Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 1st Tank Division Imperial Japanese Army amp oldid 1179513180, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
