Fifty-Sixth Army (Japan)

The Japanese 56th Army (第56軍, Dai-gojyuroku gun) was an army of the Imperial Japanese Army during the final days of World War II.

Japanese Fifty-Sixth Army
Active	April 21, 1945 – August 15, 1945
Country	Empire of Japan
Branch	Imperial Japanese Army
Type	Infantry
Role	Corps
Engagements	Operation Downfall

History

The Japanese 56th Army was formed on April 21, 1945, under the Japanese 16th Area Army as part of the last desperate defense effort by the Empire of Japan to deter possible landings of Allied forces in northern Kyūshū during Operation Downfall. The Japanese 56th Army was based in Iizuka city, Fukuoka Prefecture. It consisted mostly of poorly trained reservists, conscripted students and Volunteer Fighting Corps home guard militia. It was demobilized at the surrender of Japan on August 15, 1945, without having seen combat.

List of Commanders

	Name	From	To
Commanding officer	Lieutenant General Ichiro Shichida	15 April 1945	15 August 1945
Chief of Staff	Major General Uichi Naiya	15 April 1945	29 August 1945

References

• 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. 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.
• Marston, Daniel (2005). The Pacific War Companion: From Pearl Harbor to Hiroshima. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-84176-882-0.
• 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.

External links

• Wendel, Marcus. "Axis History Factbook". Japanese Fifty-Sixth Army.
• Ammenthorp, Steen. "Shichida Ichiro". The Generals of World War II.