Eighth Area Army
Military unit
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Eighth Area Army (第8方面軍, Dai-hachi hōmen gun) was a field army of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. The army was formed on 9 November 1942, becoming effective on 26 November at Rabaul as part of the Southern Army. The army was disbanded in September 1945.
ActiveNovember 16, 1942 – August 15, 1945
CountryEmpire of Japan
BranchImperial Japanese Army
TypeInfantry
| Eighth Area Army | |
|---|---|
Disabled Japanese tank at Biak | |
| Active | November 16, 1942 – August 15, 1945 |
| Country | Empire of Japan |
| Branch | Imperial Japanese Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Role | Field Army |
| Garrison/HQ | Rabaul |
| Nickname | 剛(Gō = “strength”) |
| Engagements | Solomon Islands campaign New Guinea campaign Proposed invasion of Australia |
History
The Japanese 8th Area Army was formed on November 16, 1942 under the Southern Expeditionary Army Group for the specific task of opposing landings by Allied forces in Japanese-occupied Solomon Islands and New Guinea.[1] It had its headquarters at Rabaul, New Britain and saw considerable combat in the Solomon Islands campaign, Bougainville campaign and New Guinea campaign.[2]
Organisation
- Seventeenth Army[3]
- Eighteenth Army
- 6th Division
- 1st Independent Mixed Brigade
- 12th Air Brigade
- Part of the 5th Division (20 November 1942)
- 6th Air Division (25 November 1942)
- 7th Air Division (29 January 1943)
List of commanders
| Name | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commanding officer | General Hitoshi Imamura | 9 November 1942 | 15 August 1945 |
| Chief of Staff | Major General Rimpei Katō | 9 November 1942 | 15 August 1945 |