:Fifty-Sixth Army (Japan)
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name= Japanese Fifty-Sixth Army
|image= Map-IJA Army, 56th.jpg
|image_size= 300px
|caption=
|dates= April 21, 1945 – August 15, 1945
|country= Empire of Japan
|allegiance=
|branch= Imperial Japanese Army
|type= Infantry
|role= Corps
|garrison=
|nickname=
|battles=Operation Downfall
}}
{{command structure
|name= Japanese 56th Army
|date=1945
|parent=Japanese Sixteenth Area Army
|subordinate=
- 57th Infantry Division (Ashiya)
- 145th Infantry Division (Ashiya)
- 312th Infantry Division (Saga)
- 351st Infantry Division (Fukuoka)
- 4th Independent Armored Regiment (Fukumaru)
- 6th Artillery Headquarters (Fukuoka)
}}
The {{nihongo|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.
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
| class=wikitable
! | 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
- {{cite book
| last = Drea
| first = Edward J.
| author-link =
| 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 =
| isbn = 0-8032-1708-0
}}
- {{cite book
| last = Frank
| first = Richard B
| year = 1999
| title = Downfall: The End of the Imperial Japanese Empire
| publisher = Random House
| location = New York
| isbn = 0-679-41424-X
}}
- {{cite book
| last = Jowett
| first = Bernard
| year = 1999
| title = The Japanese Army 1931–45 (Volume 2, 1942–45)
| publisher = Osprey Publishing
| location =
| isbn = 1-84176-354-3
}}
- {{cite book
| last = Madej
| first = Victor
| 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
| year = 2005
| title = The Pacific War Companion: From Pearl Harbor to Hiroshima
| publisher = Osprey Publishing
| location =
| isbn = 1-84176-882-0
}}
- {{cite book
| last = Skates
| first = John Ray
| year = 1994
| title = The Invasion of Japan: Alternative to the Bomb Downfall
| publisher = University of South Carolina Press
| location = New York
| isbn = 0-87249-972-3
}}
External links
- {{cite web
| last = Wendel
| first = Marcus
| url = http://www.axishistory.com/index.php?id=7701
| title = Axis History Factbook
| work = Japanese Fifty-Sixth Army
}}
- {{cite web
| last = Ammenthorp
| first = Steen
| url = http://www.generals.dk/general/Shichida/Ichiro/Japan.html
| title = Shichida Ichiro
| work = The Generals of World War II
}}
Category:Military units and formations established in 1945
Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1945