Ichi go Part I April-June 1944

[Jerry Asher]

The very need for an operation to improve communications between North and Central China this late in the war is fascinating. Did the Japanese at any time from 1938 on control the entire Wuhan Beijing road? Did they have it and decided it wan't worth it? Did the Chinese put a priority on keeping the Japanese from unifying their communications? If so it was a very adroit decision.

In turn the decision to deploy the Chinese-American Composite Wing in March
to stop the drive before it began is also fascinating. On the one hand Jiang is using the only American assistance that actually he has under control, and on the other hand Chennault seems to be seeking to prove that a few planes at the right time and place will be decisive. Was Chennault trying to be to elegant? to smooth? Was there a request to Stillwell for troops to be deployed north of the Yangzi?

I'm sorry for my ignorance--but I'm not even good on the geography here--is this Honan?

[Akira Takizawa]

Did the Japanese at any time from 1938 on control the entire Wuhan Beijing road?

No. So, it was the first target of Ichi-Go Operation. Read following page.

http://www3.plala.or.jp/takihome/history2.htm

Taki

[asiaticus]

Here is a map of the same operation from the Chinese side from Hsu Long-hsuen and Chang Ming-kai, History of The Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) 2nd Ed.

[asiaticus]

Here is what I have found so far as an oob for the Central Honan Campaign.

Central Honan Campaign (Mid April -Mid June 1944)

Japan

North China Front Army - Neiji Okamura [1]
- 12th Army - Eitaro Uehiyama
-- 110th Divison

-- 27th Division

-- 37th Division

-- 62nd Division

-- 3rd Tank Division

-- 7th Seperate Infantry Brigade

-- 9th Seperate Infantry Brigade (later reorg. into 63rd. Div.)

-- 4th Cavalry Divison

-- 4 Artillery Regiments

-- 6 Engineer Regiments

-- Other Special Units.

- Southern Shaansi

-- 69th Division

-- 3rd Independent Mixed Brigade

- Southern Honan

-- 11th Seperate Infantry Brigade

- Western Anhwei

-- 65th Division (a portion)

- 5th Airforce
-- supported this operation.


China

National Military Council [1]
- 1st War Area - Chiang Ting-wen
-- Deputy Commander 1st War Area - Tang En-po
--- 15th Army Group - Ho Chu-kuo
---- 2nd Cavalry Corps - Liao Tze-yun
----- 3rd Cav. Division
----- 14th Prov. Division
---- 8th Cavalry Divison - Ma Pu-kang
---- 1st Prov. Brigade - Pao Ju-li
---- Chen Yu-hsin Group - Chen Yu-hsin
----- 2nd Prov. Brigade
----- 3rd Prov. Brigade

--- 19th Army Group - Chen Ta-ching
---- 9th Prov. Corps - Huo Shou-yi
----- 111th Division
----- 112th Division
----- 30th Prov. Division

--- 28th Army Group - Li Hsien-chou
---- 85th Corps - Wu Shao-chou
----- 11th Res. Division
----- 110th Division
----- 23rd Division
---- 89th Corps - Ku His-chiu
----- 20th Division
----- New 1st Division
---- 15th Prov. Corps - Lu Chang-yi
----- 27th Prov. Division
----- 29th Prov. Division

--- 31th Army Group - Wang Chung-lien
---- 12th Corps - Huo Tsui-chih
----- 22nd Division
----- 29th Division
----- 55th Prov. Division
---- 13th Corps - Shih Chueh
----- 4th Division
----- 81st Division
----- 117th Division
---- 29th Corps - Ma Li-wu
----- 91st Division
----- 193rd Division
----- 16th Prov. Division
--- 78th Corps - Lai Ju-hsiung
---- New 42nd Division
---- New 43rd Division
---- New 44th Division
--- Special Unit
---- 1 Engineer Regiment
---- 1 Signal Regiment

-- 4th Army Group - Sun Wei-ju
--- 38th Corps - Chang Yao-ming
---- 17th Division *
---- New 35th Division
--- 96th Corps - Li Hsing-chung
---- 17th Division *
---- New 14th Division

-- 14th Army Group - Li Mao-en
--- 15th Corps - Wu Ting-lin
---- 64th Division
---- 65th Division

-- Liu Kan's Army - Liu Kan
--- 4th Prov. Corps - Hsieh Fu-san
---- 47th Division
---- 4th Division
--- 9th Corps - Han His-hou
---- 54th Division
---- New 24th Division

-- 36th Army Group - Li Chia-yu
--- 47th Corps - Li Tsung-fan
---- ? divisions **

-- 39th Army Group - Kao Shu-hsun
--- New 8th Corps - Hu Po-han
---- New 6th Division
---- 29th Division

-- 14th Corps - ?
--- 83rd Division
--- 85th Division
--- 94th Division


- 8th War Area - Hu Tsung-nan (reinforcing units to 1st War area)
-- 40th Corps - Ma Fa-wu
--- 39th Division
--- 106th Division
--- New 4th Division
-- 1st Corps - Chang Cho
--- 167th Division
-- 16th Corps - Li Cheng-hsien
--- 3rd Res. Division
--- 109th Divison
-- 27th Corps - Chou Shih-mien
--- 128th Division
-- 57th Corps - Liu An-chi
--- 8th Division
--- 97th Division

- 5th War Area
-- 6 Divisons, advance columns, and Hopei militia directly responding to this operation, not included in this oob.

Notes:
* double entry of 17th Division. What are the correct divisions for these Corps?
** 47th Corps missing divisions

Sources:
[1] Hsu Long-hsuen and Chang Ming-kai, History of The Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) 2nd Ed. ,1971. Translated by Wen Ha-hsiung , Chung Wu Publishing; 33, 140th Lane, Tung-hwa Street, Taipei, Taiwan Republic of China. pg. 416-421.

[asiaticus]

Topo Maps covering the area of the Central Honan Campaign :

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/chin ... ni49-7.jpg Lo-Yang ni49-7

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/chin ... ni49-8.jpg Cheng Hsien ni49-8

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/chin ... ni50-5.jpg Kaifeng ni50-5

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/chin ... i49-12.jpg Hsiang-Cheng ni49-12

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/chin ... ni50-9.jpg Huai Yang ni50-9

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/chin ... i49-16.jpg Tsao-Yang ni49-16

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/chin ... i50-13.jpg Hsin-Yang ni50-13

Gives an idea of what terrain the operations involved.

[asiaticus]

Map of Ichigo Phase II; Changsha-Hengyang Campaign (Late May- Early Aug. 1944) from Hsu.

[asiaticus]

Map of Battle of Kweilin - Liuchow ( Early Sept. - Mid Dec. 1944) from Hsu.

[asiaticus]

OOB of Changsha-Hengyang Campaign (Late May- Early Aug. 1944)


Japan

11th Army - Isamu Yokayama
-- 3rd Division -Mitsuo Yamamoto
--- 3rd Infantry Brigade Group
---- 6th Infantry Regiment
---- 68th Infantry Regiment
---- 34th Infantry Regiment
--- 3rd Field Artillery Regiment
--- 3rd Cavalry Regiment
--- 3rd Engineer Regiment
--- 3rd Transport Regiment

-- 13th Division - Richi Akashika
--- 13th Infantry Brigade Group
----65th Infantry Regiment
----104th Infantry Regiment
----116th Infantry Regiment
---19th Mountain Artilley Regiment
---17th Cavalry Regiment
---13th Engineer Regiment
---13th Transport Regiment

-- 27th Division - Jinkuro Ochiai
--- 1st China Garrison Infantry Regiment
--- 2nd China Garrison Infantry Regiment
--- 3rd China Garrison Infantry Regiment
--- 27th Division reconnaissance Regiment
--- 27th Mountain Artillery Regiment
--- 27th Military Engineer Regiment
--- 27th Transport Regiment

-- 40th Divison - Seiich Aoki, 8/2/44 Seizo Miyagawa
--- 40th Infantry Brigade group:
---- 234th Infantry regiment
---- 235th Infantry regiment
---- 236th Infantry regiment
--- 40th Cavalry regiment
--- 40th mountain artillery regiment
--- 40th military engineer regiment
--- 40th Transport regiment

-- 58th Division - Suchiro Mari
--- 51st Infantry Brigade:
---- 92nd Infantry battalion
---- 93rd Infantry battalion
---- 94th Infantry battalion
---- 95th Infantry battalion
--- 52nd Infantry brigade:
---- 96th Infantry battalion
---- 106th Infantry battalion
---- 107th Infantry battalion
---- 108th Infantry battalion
--- Labor Troops

-- 68th Division - Sukuma, 7/1/44 Mikio Tsutsumi
--- 57th Infantry Brigade:
---- 61st Infantry battalion
---- 62nd Infantry battalion
---- 63rd Infantry battalion
---- 64th Infantry battalion
--- 58th Infantry brigade:
---- 65th Infantry battalion
---- 115th Infantry battalion
---- 116th Infantry battalion
---- 117th Infantry battalion
--- Labor Troops

-- 116th Division - Iwanaka
---116th Infantry Brigade Group:
---- 109th Infantry regiment
---- 120 Infantry regiment
---- 133 Infantry regiment
--- 120th Cavalry Regiment
--- 122nd feild artillery regiment,
--- 116th military engineer regiment,
--- 116th transport regiment

-- 64th Division - ?
--- 69th Infantry Brigade:
---- 51st Infantry battalion
---- 53rd Infantry battalion
---- 131st Infantry battalion
--- 70th Infantry brigade:
---- 54th Infantry battalion
---- 55th Infantry battalion
---- 132nd Infantry battalion
---- 133rd Infantry battalion
--- 120th Cavalry regiment
--- 122nd feild artillery regiment
--- 116th military engineer regiment
--- 116th transport regiment

-- 109th Infantry Regt.
-- 5th Separate Brigade
-- 7th Separate Brigade
-- 17th Separate Brigade
-- 12th Separate Brigade
-- 1st Field Replacement Detachment
-- 2nd Field Replacement Detachment

-- 5th Airforce


China

9th War Area - Hsueh Yueh
- 30th Army Group - Wang Ling-chi
-- 58th Corps - Tao-Yuan
--- New 10th Division
--- New 11th Division
--- 183rd Division
-- 72nd Corps - Fu Yi
--- 34th Division
--- New 13th Division
--- New 15th Division
--- New 16th Division
-- Ist Advance column
-- 2nd Advance column
-- 3rd Advance column
-- 4th Advance column
- 27th Army Group - Yang Sen
-- 20th Corps - Yang Han-yu
--- 133rd Division
--- 134th Division
--- New 20th Division
-- 44th Corps - Wang Tse-chun
--- 150th Division
--- 161st Division
--- 162nd Division
-- Ou Chen's Army - Ou Chen
--- 37th Corps - Lo Chi
---- 60th Division
---- 95th Division
---- 140th Division
--- 26th Corps - Ting Chih-pan
---- 32nd Division
---- 41st Division
---- 44th Division
--- 2nd Provincial Corps - Shen Fa-tsao
---- 7th Prov. Division
---- 8th Prov. Division
- 24th Army Group - Wang Yao-wu
-- 73rd Corps - Wei-jen
--- 15th Division
--- 77th Division
-- 100th Corps - Li Tien-hsia
--- 19th Division
--- 63rd Division
-- 79th Corps - Wang Chia-pen
--- 98th Division
--- 194th Division
--- 6th Prov. Division
-- 74th Corps - Shih Chung-cheng
--- 51st Division
--- 57th Division
--- 58th Division
-- Li Yu-tang's Army - Li Yu-tang
--- 62nd Corps - Huang Tao
---- 151st Division
---- 157th Division
--- 10th Corps - Fang Hsien-chueh [方先觉 （Fang Xianjue）]
---- 3rd Division
---- 190th Division
---- 10th Res. Division
---- 54th Prov. Division
--- 46th Corps - Li Hsing-su
---- New 19th Division
---- 175th Division
--- 2nd Assault Group
- 4th Corps - Chang Teh-neng
-- 59th Division
-- 90th Division
-- 102nd Division
- 99th Corps - Liang Han-ming
-- 92nd Division
-- 99th Division
-- 179th Division
-- New 23rd Division
-160th Division - Mo Fu-ju (from 7th War Area)
- 6 Kiangsi Peace Preservation Regiments
- 6 Hupei Peace Preservation Regiments

Sources:
[1] Hsu Long-hsuen and Chang Ming-kai, History of The Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) 2nd Ed. ,1971. Translated by Wen Ha-hsiung , Chung Wu Publishing; 33, 140th Lane, Tung-hwa Street, Taipei, Taiwan Republic of China. pg. 422-425.

[asiaticus]

OOB of the First Kuangsi Campaign or Battle of Kweilin - Liuchow ( Early Sept. - Mid Dec. 1944)



Japan

6th Front Army - Neiji Okamura [Mid August 1944]
- 11th Army - Isamu Yokayama
-- 3rd Division -Mitsuo Yamamoto
---3rd Infantry Brigade Group
---- 6th Infantry Regiment
---- 68th Infantry Regiment
---- 34th Infantry Regiment
--- 3rd Field Artillery Regiment
--- 3rd Cavalry Regiment
--- 3rd Engineer Regiment
--- 3rd Transport Regiment

-- 13th Division - Richi Akashika
--- 13th Infantry Brigade Group
----65th Infantry Regiment
----104th Infantry Regiment
----116th Infantry Regiment
---19th Mountain Artilley Regiment
---17th Cavalry Regiment
---13th Engineer Regiment
---13th Transport Regiment

-- 37th Division - Jinkuro Ochiai

-- 40th Divison - Seizo Miyagawa

-- 58th Division - Suchiro Mori

-- 116th Division - Iwanaka

- 23rd Army - Kyuichi Tanaka
-- 22nd Divison - Shokoku Hirada

-- 104th Division Teiji Suzuki

-- 22nd Separate Brigade

-- 23rd Separate Brigade

- 5th Airforce


China

4th War Area - Chang Fa-kuei
- 27th Army Group - Yang Sen (from 9th War Area)
-- 20th Corps - Yang Han-yu
--- 133rd Division
--- 134th Division
-- 26th Corps - Ting Chih-pan
--- 41st Division
--- 44th Division
-- 37th Corps - Lo Chi
--- 9th Division - Tuan yun
- 16th Army Group - Hsia Wei
-- 31st Corps - Huo Wei-chen
--- 131st Division -
--- 135th Division -
--- 188th Division -
-- 46th Corps - Li Hsing-su
--- New 19th Division
--- 170th Division -
--- 175th Division -
-- 93rd Corps - Chen Mu-nung, later Kan Li-chu
--- 10th Division - Wang Sheng-yi
--- 8th Division - Ma Shu-ming
- 35th Army Group - Teng Lung-kuang
-- 62nd Corps - Huang Tao
--- 151st Division -
--- 159th Division -
--- 158th Division -
-- 64th Corps - Chang Shih
--- 155th Division -
--- 156th Division -
--- 159th Division -
- 27th Army Group, detachment - Li Yu-tang
-- 79th Corps - Wang Chia-pen, later Fang Ching
---- 98th Division - Hsiang Ming-sze
---- 194th Division - Kung Chuan-wen
- 1st Kwangsi Pacification Column
-- 1st Separate Kwangsi Pacification Regiment
-- 2nd Separate Kwangsi Pacification Regiment
- Deputy Command 4th War Area - Tang En-po
-- 94th Corps - Mu Ting-fang
--- 5th Division - Li Tse-fen
--- 121st Division - Tai Chai-chi
--- 35th Prov. Division - Lao Kuan-ying
-- 87th Corps - Lo Kuang-wen
--- 43rd Division - Li Shih-lin
--- 118th Division - Li Hsueh-cheng
--- New 23rd Division - Chao Lin
-- 29th Corps - Sun Yuan-liang
--- 91st Division - Wang Tieh-lin
--- 193rd Division - Hsiao Chung-kuang
--- 11th Resv. Division - Chung Tus-yin
-- 98th Corps - Liu His-cheng
--- 42nd Division - Li The-sheng
--- 169th Division - Tsao Yu-heng
-- 9th Corps - Chen Chin-cheng
--- 54th Division - Shih Sung-chuan
--- New 24th Division - Hsia Chi-ping
-- 13th Corps - Shih Chueh
--- 4th Division -
--- 89th Division -
--- 16th Division -
-- 57th Corps - Liu An-chi
--- 8th Division - Wu Chun
--- New 34th Division -

Airforces: ?

Sources:
[1] Hsu Long-hsuen and Chang Ming-kai, History of The Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) 2nd Ed. ,1971. Translated by Wen Ha-hsiung , Chung Wu Publishing; 33, 140th Lane, Tung-hwa Street, Taipei, Taiwan Republic of China. pg. 426-433.