Book on the Japanese Army

[Charles Trang]

I would like to know what is the masterpiece on the Japanese Imperial Army of WWII ?
What I need is its structure, organization, order of battle, list of commanders, replacement system, and a history of its campaigns (from 1937 on). Any idea ?
Thanks a lot,
Charles

[Eugen Pinak]

The masterpiece on the Japanese Imperial Army of WWII is "戦史叢書".

[Charles Trang]

Thanks a lot but I can't read Japanese ! Any title in English ?

[Eugen Pinak]

There is no book in English, that covers all those topics. You need a small library to find out the answers on those questions you've asked. And even than some questions are covered only sketchy (like replacement system).

[Mori]

Eugen is undully pessimistic.

Some books have been published over the last decade. On Japanese army, I'd start with Japan's Imperial Army by Edward J. Drea. Drea is the English speaking scholar who has most focused on Japan's army.

You also have quite some data in The Battle for China, by Peattie, Drea and van de Ven.

1945 Mandchurian campaign has been well documented by Glantz and others, but its relevance to the overall history of Japanese army is secondary.

On Japanese navy, the masterwork is Kaigun, by Evans and Peattie. A thorough and outstanding piece of work.

[Eugen Pinak]

Eugen is undully pessimistic.

Some books have been published over the last decade.

I haven't claimed, that there are no books on IJA in English. I've claimed, that one need a small library to find out the answers on those questions Charles Trang asked, because there is no "masterpiece" on IJA in English.

[archiveruk]

There are a number good books in English available, the most recent being The Rising Sun in Arms by Joan Pinyol Ribas - a contributor to this forum. The first volume has been published and is very detailed. Can't wait for the rest of this series to be publsied.

There is also Rikugun by Leland S Ness - two excellent volumes.

If you can find them, two books by W Victor Madeja - a compilation of US intelligence data - are Japanese War Mobilization and the Pacific Campaign, 1941-1945 and Japanese Armed Forces Order of Battle 1937-1945 (2 Volume Set).

As for military operations there are numerous accounts in the US Army and USMC official histories which are available to download free at http://ibiblio.org/hyperwar/. Also do a search on the Combined Arms Research Library Digital Library where there are many accounts of Pacific War operations of both US and Japanese forces.

Regards

Lee

[OpanaPointer]

How about KŌGUN, By Hayashi Saburo . Got it on the shelf, haven't read it yet.

[Eugen Pinak]

How about KŌGUN, By Hayashi Saburo . Got it on the shelf, haven't read it yet.

It's very good book - definitely must read on IJA and in the "top-10" on this topic.
However, it's covering IJA and its' wars on a very grand strategy level, so a lot of details below that are simply not covered.

[OpanaPointer]

How about KŌGUN, By Hayashi Saburo . Got it on the shelf, haven't read it yet.

It's very good book - definitely must read on IJA and in the "top-10" on this topic.
However, it's covering IJA and its' wars on a very grand strategy level, so a lot of details below that are simply not covered.

Got it. Need to read more IJA material.

I've been wondering about this one:
HANDBOOK ON JAPANESE MILITARY FORCES

The books is a compilation of the manuals given to junior officers to read on their way to the front lines. But I wonder how much they got right?

[Eugen Pinak]

I've been wondering about this one:
HANDBOOK ON JAPANESE MILITARY FORCES

The books is a compilation of the manuals given to junior officers to read on their way to the front lines. But I wonder how much they got right?

Organization-wise - a lot of mistakes. Unfortunately, this manual went into print before a lot of data, captured on Marianas and Philippines, become available. IIRC, better data can be found at Combined Arms Research Library.
Tactic is covered in most general terms - especially below division level. It seems strange, but infantry, artillery, armor manuals apparently were not used. Detailed descriptions of actual IJA defenses are good, though.
All in all - this book is good for getting very general IJA description, but not for much else.

[OpanaPointer]

Given the publication date of 1944 for the last of the booklets I didn't expect much better. Cheers.

[Mori]

How about KŌGUN, By Hayashi Saburo . Got it on the shelf, haven't read it yet.

It's very good book - definitely must read on IJA and in the "top-10" on this topic.
However, it's covering IJA and its' wars on a very grand strategy level, so a lot of details below that are simply not covered.

It was also published in 1979, and I have never seen anything that old on Japanese armed forces that wasn't hopelessly outdated...

[Eugen Pinak]

How about KŌGUN, By Hayashi Saburo . Got it on the shelf, haven't read it yet.

It's very good book - definitely must read on IJA and in the "top-10" on this topic.
However, it's covering IJA and its' wars on a very grand strategy level, so a lot of details below that are simply not covered.

It was also published in 1979, and I have never seen anything that old on Japanese armed forces that wasn't hopelessly outdated...

It was published in 1951. And for it to become outdated, there had to be better book to replace it. Yet there is no better book in English on this topic even now.

[Mori]

It was published in 1951. And for it to become outdated, there had to be better book to replace it. Yet there is no better book in English on this topic even now.

It seems you haven't read Drea's.

By the way, in 1951, publications in Japan were still under SCAP censorship