Between 1937 and 1945 the
Japanese Imperial Army
The was the official ground-based armed force of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945. It was controlled by the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Office and the Ministry of the Army, both of which were nominally subordinate to the Emperor ...
formed 126 Independent Mixed Brigades (numbered 1–136 with some gaps), typically composed of various units detached from other formations. Some were composed of separate, independent assets (usually Independent Infantry Battalions). These brigades were task organized under unified command and were normally used in support roles, as security, force protection, POW and internment camp guards and labor in occupied territories. An Independent Mixed Brigade had between 5,000 and 11,000 troops.
History
The first two of these Independent Mixed Brigades formed by the
Kwangtung Army
''Kantō-gun''
, image = Kwantung Army Headquarters.JPG
, image_size = 300px
, caption = Kwantung Army headquarters in Hsinking, Manchukuo
, dates = April ...
in the 1930s were the
IJA 1st Independent Mixed Brigade and the
IJA 11th Independent Mixed Brigade. Each of these brigades was organized in a unique manner; the 1st was disbanded in 1937 while the 11th was formed into the
IJA 26th Division in 1938.
Later a series of Independent Mixed Brigades were formed for the purpose of garrisoning the large territories of
China captured in the early phase of the
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) or War of Resistance (Chinese term) was a military conflict that was primarily waged between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. The war made up the Chinese theater of the wider Pacific Th ...
.
[Rottman ''Japanese Army in World War II, The South Pacific and New Guinea'', p. 18] This variety for China was usually organized with five infantry battalions, an artillery unit, and labor troops. In the
Pacific theater they had different and more varied configurations of subordinate units.
The
Hong Kong Defence Force, which was established in 1942 to occupy Hong Kong, was equivalent to an Independent Mixed Brigade.
List of Independent Mixed Brigades
Kwangtung Army
*
IJA 1st Independent Mixed Brigade (posted at
Chichi-jima
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, image_caption = Map of Chichijima, Anijima and Otoutojima
, image_size =
, pushpin_map = Japan complete
, pushpin_label = Chichijima
, pushpin_label_position =
, pushpin_map_alt =
, ...
)
*
IJA 11th Independent Mixed Brigade (became
26th division)
Brigades formed for the
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) or War of Resistance (Chinese term) was a military conflict that was primarily waged between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. The war made up the Chinese theater of the wider Pacific Th ...
and
Pacific War
* (list is believed to be complete)
See also
*
List of Japanese Infantry divisions
*
List of IJA Mixed Brigades
Bibliography
* Victor Madej: ''Japanese Armed Forces Order of Battle, 1937–1945.'' Game Publishing, 1981, , .
* Philip Jowett: ''The Japanese Army 1931–45 (1)'' Osprey Publishing, 2002,
* Gordon Rottman: ''Japanese Army in World War II, Conquest of the Pacific'' Osprey Publishing, 2005,
* Gordon Rottman: ''Japanese Army in World War II, The South Pacific and New Guinea, 1942–43'' Osprey Publishing, 2005,
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ija Independent Mixed Brigades
Japanese World War II brigades
Military units and formations established in 1937
Military units and formations disestablished in 1945