2nd Area Army Activation Confusion

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hysteric
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2nd Area Army Activation Confusion

#1

Post by hysteric » 18 May 2016, 18:13

Hello All,

The Monographs are the best immediate information I have on the activation of the 2nd Area Army Headquarters but not necessarily the most accurate.

I'm trying to reconcile the information from the Mono #13 below, with an exchange between fontessa and john whitman on "2nd Area Army movements" from September 2012.
fontessa:
◇ The 2nd Area Army HQ
- Departed Qiqihar on November 3, 1943
- Arrival date is not clear
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... 2#p1729615

Information below taken from: Japanese Monograph #13 – (1943 – 1945) Operations of the 2nd Area Army in defense of Biak, Noemfoor, and Halmahera

Paraphrased:
1) The 2nd Area Army Headquarters commander (General Anami) and his primary staff officers assembled in Tokyo; starting late October, completed November 3, 1943. The main body of the headquarters unit arrived in Davao, the Philippines around mid-November.

2) The remainder (of the 2nd Area Army Headquarters Unit), together with the 2nd Army Headquarters, boarded the Akutsu Maru and Mayasan Maru and left Fuzan, Korea on November 7th arriving in Davao on the 23rd, it became active December 1, 1943.

Any help clarifying or correcting my information will be much appreciated!

hysteric

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fontessa
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Re: 2nd Area Army Activation Confusion

#2

Post by fontessa » 19 May 2016, 22:41

Hello hysteric,

Although its description was not so detailed, according to 部隊略歴 (Butai Ryakureki: Unit Brief History), the “history” of the 2nd Area Army HQ was as follows.

1) It was organized by Army Regulation “A” No. 43 issued on 27 June 1942. It completed the organization at Qiqihar on 29 July 1942.
(2) It was reorganized by Army Regulation “A” No. 97 issued on 26 October 1943. It completed the reorganization (at Qiqihar) on 3 November 1943.
(3) It departed Qiqihar on 3 November 1943.
(4) The arrival date is not clear.

fontessa


hysteric
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Re: 2nd Area Army Activation Confusion

#3

Post by hysteric » 20 May 2016, 01:56

Hello fontessa,

Thank you for the clarification, that's what I was hoping for.

I think the information regarding Tokyo will have to remain a question mark, for now at least. Although, the detail IS nice and the author's timeline kind of works, there are other small issues that make me think all that can be said for sure is the information you've supplied here.

Many thanks!

hysteric

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VJK
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Re: 2nd Area Army Activation Confusion

#4

Post by VJK » 20 May 2016, 08:22

organized by Army Regulation “A” No. 43 issued on 27 June 1942
I presume the 1st Area Army was organised under the same Army Regulation?
reorganized by Army Regulation “A” No. 97 issued on 26 October 1943
What did this reorganization entail?

Many thanks and kind regards,

VJK

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fontessa
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Re: 2nd Area Army Activation Confusion

#5

Post by fontessa » 20 May 2016, 09:30

Hello VJK,
VJK wrote:
organized by Army Regulation “A” No. 43 issued on 27 June 1942
I presume the 1st Area Army was organised under the same Army Regulation?
Yes, the above regulation ordered the below.
(1) Organization of the 1st Area Army HQ
(2) Organization of the 2nd Area Army HQ
(3) Organization of the 2nd Army HQ
VJK wrote:
reorganized by Army Regulation “A” No. 97 issued on 26 October 1943
What did this reorganization entail?
The above regulation ordered the below.
(1) Reorganization of the 2nd Area Army HQ
(2) Reorganization of the 2nd Army HQ
(3) Organization of the 3rd Area Army HQ
(4) Mobilization of the 30th Army HQ
Unfortunately the regulation was not left.
So the details of the reorganization are not clear.

fontessa

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VJK
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Re: 2nd Area Army Activation Confusion

#6

Post by VJK » 20 May 2016, 17:50

Many thanks for your invaluable input fontessa, I greatly appreciate it. I have a couple of comments:
(1) Reorganization of the 2nd Area Army HQ
Going throught my files, I see that the post of Vice Chief of Staff was created under this HQ reorganisation.
4) Mobilization of the 30th Army HQ
According to my records, the 30th Army was only formed at the end of July 1945. Am I missing something?

Kind regards,

VJK

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fontessa
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Re: 2nd Area Army Activation Confusion

#7

Post by fontessa » 21 May 2016, 07:08

Hello VJK,
VJK wrote:
(1) Reorganization of the 2nd Area Army HQ
Going throught my files, I see that the post of Vice Chief of Staff was created under this HQ reorganisation.
Thanks for the information.
VJK wrote:
4) Mobilization of the 30th Army HQ
According to my records, the 30th Army was only formed at the end of July 1945. Am I missing something?
I checked Unit Brief History of the 30th Army HQ.
According to it, the HQ was formed by 特臨編 (Tokurinhen: Special Tentative Organization Order) No.53 dated 28 July 1945 as you pointed out.
The mobilization by Army Regulation “A” No. 97 may have been cancelled.

fontessa

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VJK
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Re: 2nd Area Army Activation Confusion

#8

Post by VJK » 21 May 2016, 09:21

Once again, many thanks fontessa!

Kind regards,

VJK

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