Between 1937 and 1945 the

Japanese Imperial Army The Imperial Japanese Army (IJA; , ''Dai-Nippon Teikoku Rikugun'', "Army of the Greater Japanese Empire") was the principal ground force of the Empire of Japan from 1871 to 1945. It played a central role in Japan’s rapid modernization during th ...

formed 126 Independent Mixed Brigades (numbered 1–136 with some gaps), typically composed of various units detached from other formations. Some were composed of separate, independent assets (usually Independent Infantry Battalions). These brigades were task organized under unified command and were normally used in support roles, as security, force protection, POW and internment camp guards and labor in occupied territories. An Independent Mixed Brigade had between 5,000 and 11,000 troops.

History

The first two of these Independent Mixed Brigades formed by the

Kwantung Army The Kwantung Army (Japanese language, Japanese: 関東軍, ''Kantō-gun'') was a Armies of the Imperial Japanese Army, general army of the Imperial Japanese Army from 1919 to 1945. The Kwantung Army was formed in 1906 as a security force for th ...

in the 1930s were the

IJA 1st Independent Mixed Brigade The 1st Independent Mixed Brigade or 1st Mixed Brigade (獨立混成第1旅團) was an experimental combined arms formation of the Imperial Japanese Army. In July 1937, at the beginning of the Second Sino-Japanese War, the brigade was known as the S ...

and the

IJA 11th Independent Mixed Brigade There were two 11th Independent Mixed Brigades in the Imperial Japanese Army. The original 11th IMB The order of battle of the first 11th Independent Mixed Brigade in July 1937: 11th Independent Mixed Brigade * 11th Independent Infantry Regiment ...

. Each of these brigades was organized in a unique manner; the 1st was disbanded in 1937 while the 11th was formed into the IJA 26th Division in 1938. Later a series of Independent Mixed Brigades were formed for the purpose of garrisoning the large territories of

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

captured in the early phase of the

Second Sino-Japanese War The Second Sino-Japanese War was fought between the Republic of China (1912–1949), Republic of China and the Empire of Japan between 1937 and 1945, following a period of war localized to Manchuria that started in 1931. It is considered part ...

.Rottman ''Japanese Army in World War II, The South Pacific and New Guinea'', p. 18 This variety for China was usually organized with five infantry battalions, an artillery unit, and labor troops. In the

Pacific theater The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...

they had different and more varied configurations of subordinate units. The Hong Kong Defence Force, which was established in 1942 to occupy Hong Kong, was equivalent to an Independent Mixed Brigade.

List of Independent Mixed Brigades

Kwantung Army

(posted at

Chichi-jima is the largest and most populous island in the Japanese archipelago of Bonin or Ogasawara Islands. Chichijima is about north of Iwo Jima. in size, the island is home to about 2,120 people (2021). Connected to the mainland only by a day-lon ...

) *

(became 26th division)

Brigades formed for the
Second Sino-Japanese War The Second Sino-Japanese War was fought between the Republic of China (1912–1949), Republic of China and the Empire of Japan between 1937 and 1945, following a period of war localized to Manchuria that started in 1931. It is considered part ...
and
Pacific War The Pacific War, sometimes called the Asia–Pacific War or the Pacific Theatre, was the Theater (warfare), theatre of World War II fought between the Empire of Japan and the Allies of World War II, Allies in East Asia, East and Southeast As ...

* (list is believed to be complete)

Bibliography

* Victor Madej: ''Japanese Armed Forces Order of Battle, 1937–1945.'' Game Publishing, 1981, , . * Philip Jowett: ''The Japanese Army 1931–45 (1)'' Osprey Publishing, 2002, * Gordon Rottman: ''Japanese Army in World War II, Conquest of the Pacific'' Osprey Publishing, 2005, * Gordon Rottman: ''Japanese Army in World War II, The South Pacific and New Guinea, 1942–43'' Osprey Publishing, 2005,

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ija Independent Mixed Brigades Japanese World War II brigades Military units and formations established in 1937 Military units and formations disestablished in 1945

History

List of Independent Mixed Brigades

Kwantung Army

See also

Bibliography

References