Japanese Thirty-Second Army

The was an army of the Imperial Japanese Army during the final stages of World War II. It was annihilated during the Battle of Okinawa.

History

The Japanese 32nd Army was formed on March 13, 1944 as part of the last desperate defense effort by the Empire of Japan to deter possible landings of Allied forces in Okinawa and the surrounding Ryukyu Islands. The Japanese 32nd Army had 77,000 men (39,000 infantry in 31 battalions and 38,000 artillery, armor and combat service troops) plus the 10,000 man Okinawa Naval Base Force and 42,000 Okinawan conscripts. However, many of its personnel were poorly trained reservists, conscripted students and home guard militia. It was annihilated during the Battle of Okinawa from April to June, 1945.

List of commanders

Commanding officer

Chief of Staff

Structure

;32nd Army, HQ at Naha, Okinawa
* 9th Infantry Division (transferred to Taiwan, Dec 1944)
* 24th Infantry Division - a conventional triangular division
**22nd Infantry Regiment
**23rd Infantry Regiment
**44th Artillery Regiment
**89th infantry Regiment
* 62nd Infantry Division (a light two brigade COIN division that came from China).
**63rd Infantry Brigade
**64th Infantry Brigade
* 28th Infantry Division
*44th Independent Mixed Brigade
**2nd Independent Mixed Regiment
**15th Independent Mixed Regiment
*45th Independent Mixed Brigade
*59th Independent Mixed Brigade
*60th Independent Mixed Brigade
*Independent 27th Tank Regiment

References

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External links

*{{cite web
, last = Wendel
, first = Marcus
, url = http://www.axishistory.com/index.php?id=7683
, title = Axis History Factbook
, work = Japanese Thirty Second Army

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Military units and formations established in 1944
Military units and formations disestablished in 1945