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Eighth Area Army

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Eighth Area Army
Disabled Japanese tank at Biak
ActiveNovember 16, 1942 – August 15, 1945
CountryEmpire of Japan
BranchImperial Japanese Army
TypeInfantry
RoleField Army
Garrison/HQRabaul
Nickname(s)剛(Gō = “strength”)
EngagementsSolomon Islands campaign
New Guinea campaign
Proposed invasion of Australia

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.

History

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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

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List of Commanders

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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

Notes

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  1. ^ McGee, The Solomons Campaigns, 1942-1943
  2. ^ Nalty, War in the Pacific: Pearl Harbor to Tokyo Bay
  3. ^ "Chapter VIII, Defence of Papua, Reports of General MacArthur,JAPANESE OPERATIONS IN THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA, VOLUME II - PART I". U.S. ARMY CENTER OF MILITARY HISTORY. Archived from the original on 7 November 2015. Retrieved 3 January 2011.

References

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  • McGee, William L (2002). The Solomons Campaigns, 1942-1943: From Guadalcanal to Bougainville--Pacific War Turning Point, Volume 2. BMC Publications. ISBN 0-9701678-7-3.
  • Madej, Victor (1981). Japanese Armed Forces Order of Battle, 1937-1945. Game Publishing Company. ASIN: B000L4CYWW.
  • Marston, Daniel (2005). The Pacific War Companion: From Pearl Harbor to Hiroshima. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-84176-882-0.
  • Nalty, Bernard (1999). War in the Pacific: Pearl Harbor to Tokyo Bay : The Story of the Bitter Struggle in the Pacific Theater of World War II. University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 0-8061-3199-3.
  • Rottman, Gordon (2005). Japanese Army in World War II: Conquest of the Pacific 1941-42 (Battle Orders). Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-84176-789-1.
  • Rottman, Gordon (2002). Japanese Army in World War II: "The South Pacific and New Guinea, 1942-43" (Battle Orders). Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-84176-870-7.
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