3rd Division (Imperial Japanese Army)
{{Infobox Military Unit
| unit_name = 3rd Division
| image = File:3rd Division (Imperial Japanese Army).jpg
| caption = Headquarter of the 3rd Division in 1911, Nagoya
| dates = 1888–1945
| country = {{flagicon|Empire of Japan}} Empire of Japan
| allegiance =
| branch = Imperial Japanese Army
| type = Infantry
| role =
| size =
| command_structure =
| garrison = Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| current_commander =
| ceremonial_chief =
| colonel_of_the_regiment =
| notable_commanders = Taro Katsura
Yoshimichi Hasegawa
Yusaku Uehara
Nobuyoshi Muto
| identification_symbol =
| identification_symbol_2 =
| nickname =
| patron =
| motto =
| colors =
| colors_label =
| march =
| mascot =
| battles = First Sino-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
Siberian Intervention
Shandong Incident
World War II
| anniversaries =
| decorations =
| battle_honours =
}}
{{Infobox command structure
| name = 3rd Division
| date = 1888
| parent =
| subordinate = *5. Infantry brigade
- 6. Infantry regiment
- 18. Infantry regiment
- 6. Infantry brigade
- 7. Infantry regiment
- 19. Infantry regiment
- 3. Cavalry battalion
- 3. Artillery battalion
- 3. Engineer battalion
- 3. Logistics battalion
}}
{{Infobox command structure
| name = 3rd Division
| date = 1937
| parent =
| subordinate = * 5th Infantry Brigade
- 6th Infantry Regiment
- 68th Infantry Regiment
- 29th Infantry Brigade
- 18. Infantry regiment
- 34. Infantry Regiment
- 3. Field Artillery Regiment
- 1. Field heavy artillery brigade
- 2. Field heavy artillery regiment
- 3. Field heavy artillery regiment
- 4. Cavalry brigade
- 3. Cavalry Regiment
- 25. Cavalry Regiment
- 26. Cavalry Regiment
- 3rd Engineer Regiment
- 3rd Transport Regiment
- 1. Anti-aircraft regiment
- 1. Air squadron (fighter)
- 2 .Air squadron (tactical bomber)
- 7. Air squadron (medium bomber)
}}
{{Infobox command structure
| name = 3rd Division
| date = 1945
| parent =
| subordinate = * 3. Infantry Brigade Group
- 6. Infantry Regiment
- 34. Infantry Regiment
- 68. Infantry Regiment
- 3. Cavalry Regiment
- 3. Field Artillery Regiment
- 3. Construction (engineer) Regiment
- 3. Logistics Regiment
- 3. Signals company
- 3. Ordnance company
- 3. Epidemic Prevention and Water Purification Department
- 3. Field hospital
- 3. Veterinary department
}}
The {{nihongo|3rd Division|第三師団|Dai-san shidan}} was an infantry division in the Imperial Japanese Army. Its call sign was the {{nihongo|Happiness Division|幸兵団|Sachi-heidan}}.
History
The 3rd Division was formed in Nagoya in January 1871 as the {{nihongo|Nagoya Garrison|名古屋鎮台| Nagoya chindai}}, one of six regional commands created in the fledgling Imperial Japanese Army. The Nagoya Garrison had responsibility for the central region of Japan. This region was known as the Chūbu district, and stretched from Aichi Prefecture to Ishikawa Prefecture. Upon the recommendations of the Prussian military advisor Jakob Meckel to the Japanese government, the six regional commands were transformed into divisions under the army reorganization of 14 May 1888.
As one of the oldest divisions in the Imperial Japanese Army, the 3rd Division participated in combat operations during the First Sino-Japanese War, the Russo-Japanese War, the Siberian Intervention, and the Shandong Incident.
Some of its more noteworthy commanders included Katsura Taro, Hasegawa Yoshimichi, Uehara Yusaku and Nobuyoshi Muto.
9 December 1938, the 3rd Division was subordinated to 11th Army and was subsequently one of the divisions assigned to the China Expeditionary Army (CGA) headquartered in Nanjing. As one of the most powerful units ("crack" units) in the theatre, the 3rd Division served in nearly every battle in central China. During the Zhejiang-Jiangxi Campaign it was converted into a triangular division on July 4, 1942. It later served for a time as a headquarters and garrison division for strategic Zhejiang Province.
Battles and Campaigns fought in China (1937–1945)
- Battle of West Henan-North Hubei (possibly messed up with 3rd Tank Division)
At the end of World War II, with the dissolution of the Imperial Japanese Army, the 3rd Division was formally disbanded in Zhejiang.
See also
Reference and further reading
{{no footnotes|date=June 2016}}
{{Reflist|30em}}
- {{cite book|last=Madej|first=W. Victor|title=Japanese Armed Forces Order of Battle, 1937–1945|year=1981|publisher=Game Marketing Co|location=Allentown, PA|oclc=8930220}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:03rd Division (Imperial Japanese Army)}}
Category:Japanese World War II divisions
Category:Infantry divisions of Japan
Category:Military units and formations established in 1871
Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1945
Category:1871 establishments in Japan