13th Division (Imperial Japanese Army)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 13th Infantry Division


caption=
dates= 1905 - 1925; 1937-1945
country=Empire of Japan
allegiance=
branch=Imperial Japanese Army
type=Infantry
role=
size=
command_structure=
garrison=Sendai, Japan
current_commander=
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
notable_commanders=Akiyama Yoshifuru
Shizuichi Tanaka
identification_symbol=
identification_symbol_2=
nickname= "Mirror Division"
patron=
motto=
colors=
colors_label=
march=
mascot=
battles=Russo-Japanese War
Siberian Intervention
Second Sino-Japanese War
anniversaries=
decorations=
battle_honours=

nihongo|IJA Thirteenth Division|第13師団|Hohei Dai-Jusan Shidan was an infantry division in the Imperial Japanese Army. Its call-sign was the nihongo|Mirror Division|鏡兵団|Kagami-heidan.

History

The 13th Infantry Division was formed in Sendai on 1 April 1905, as one of the four new divisions created during the closing stages of the Russo-Japanese War. It was given the independent assignment of occupying Sakhalin (Karafuto) island from Russia before the conclusion of the Portsmouth Treaty. It landed on Sakhalin on July 7, only three months after being formed, and had secured the island by 1 August 1905. As a result of its successful operation, Japan was awarded southern Karafuto during the Portsmouth Treaty, one of its few territorial gains during the war.

After serving garrison duty in Karafuto and in Korea, the 13th Division was one of the divisions selected to participate in the Siberian Intervention. However, on 1 May 1925, it was one of the four division dissolved by Minister of War Ugaki Kazushige as part of a cost saving measure during the Kato Takaaki administration.

The 13th Division was resurrected in 1937 with the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War, and saw combat during the Battle of Shanghai, Battle of Nanjing (and subsequent Nanjing Massacre, although it was not one of the main Divisions at Nanjing at the time), Battle of Xuzhou, and Battle of Wuhan. It was also part of Operation Ichigo (Battle of Henan-Hunan-Guangxi). It ended the war in Changsha, Hunan Province.

Noteworthy Commanders of the 13th Division included Akiyama Yoshifuru and Shizuichi Tanaka.

Organization

Its original Order of Battle included:
* 65th Infantry Regiment (Aizu-Wakamatsu)
* 101st Infantry Regiment (Sendai)
* 116th Infantry Regiment (Sakata)
* 19th Field Artillery Regiment
* 13th Engineering Regiment
* 13th Transportation Regiment

It was reformed as a square division in August 1937 for the Battle of Shanghai.

13th Division
*26th Infantry Brigade
**58th Infantry Regiment
**116th Infantry Regiment
*103rd Infantry Brigade
**65th Infantry Regiment
**104th Infantry Regiment
*19th Mountain Artillery Regiment
*17th Cavalry Regiment
*13th Engineer Regiment

Involved in the Battle of Xuzhou, Battle of Wuhan, Battle of Suixian-Zaoyang, Battle of Changsha (1939), 1939-40 Winter Offensive, Battle of Zaoyang-Yichang, and Western Hopei Operation

On 19 December 1942 the 13th Division was reorganized as a triangular division.

13th Division
*13th Infantry Brigade Group
**65th Infantry Regiment
**104th Infantry Regiment
**116th Infantry Regiment
*19th Mountain Artillery Regiment
*17th Cavalry Regiment
*13th Engineer Regiment
*13th Transport Regiment

The Division was then involved in Battle of West Hubei, Battle of Changde, Battle of Henan-Hunan-Guangxi, Battle of Guilin-Liuzhou, Second Guangxi Campaign

ee also

* List of Japanese Infantry Divisions

Sources

* Madej, W. Victor, "Japanese Armed Forces Order of Battle, 1937-1945" [2 vols] , Allentown, PA: 1981.