Japanese Cavalry

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tigre
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Re: Japanese Cavalry

#61

Post by tigre » 20 Jun 2015, 21:36

Hello to all :D; a better edition of an old post as a complement here..............................................

JAPANESE CAVALRY IN THE WAR WITH CHINA [Condensed from an article in Krasnaya Konitza, No.2, 1939.] By LIEUTENANT COLONEL E. M. BENITEZ, Coast Artillery Corps.

Among the armed land forces at Japan, cavalry-both independent cavalry and army cavalry, and particularly the latter-is not the arm of least importance. The independent cavalry is organized into five separate cavalry brigades, three of which are stationed in Manchuria, and two in North China. The army cavalry consists of separate cavalry regiments and "battalion"-units of two squadrons-which form part of the infantry division.

The comparative weakness in cavalry resources-particularly as regards horses suitable for cavalry purposes-does not permit Japan to develop independent cavalry, in spite of the fact that the Japanese command has made such efforts. The lack of horses was one of the causes for the station assignment of the new cavalry units. The Japanese command is trying to keep independent cavalry in Manchuria and North China so as to mass it for a war against Soviet Russia.

The separate Japanese cavalry brigade consists of two regiments, an artillery detachment, tank detachment, antiaircraft detachment, gas detachment and train. The strength of the brigade is 2,800 men and about 3,000 horses. The armament of the brigade consists of about 1,200 carbines, 32 light machine guns, 16 heavy machine guns, 4 light 75s, 6-37-mm antitank guns, 10 light tanks and 9 armored cars. In addition, there are means for antiaircraft and gas defense.

The cavalry regiment of the first line infantry division consists of two saber squadrons and one machine-gun squadron with a total of 460 men and 460 horses. The armament of the regiment consists of about 380 rifles, 8 light and 8 heavy machine guns. In the second line division there is a cavalry "battalion" (unit of two squadrons) instead of a cavalry regiment. The training of the tactical unit of Japanese cavalry in peace time aims at the protection of the action of the infantry division.

The training of the independent cavalry stationed in Manchuria of late year, has been carried out with the following aims in view:

(a) Mastery of the new materiel introduced into Japanese cavalry (tanks, armored cars and antitank cannon) and the working out of methods of cooperation with units equipped with this materieI.
(b) Covering the eployment of the armies from the enemy cavalry.
(c) Offensive operations of the cavalry groups against the enemy's infantry an artillery.

During the last six or seven years, the cavalry maneuvers have been carried out in Manchuria with the enemy side having an organization very similar to that of the Soviet Army.

At the beginning of the military operations in China, the Japanese command sent to North China two cavalry brigades which subsequently participated in the battles near Kalghan and Suiyang.

There is no detailed information concerning the action of independent Japanese cavalry in China. According to foreign press reports the cavalry units were used in the area north of Paoting. Here when the fields were sown and the roads were bad and it was difficult for the infantry and moto-mechanized units to operate; cavalry was used extensively for encircling operations and distant reconnaissance for the army. Foreign military observers, in summing up the preparation of Japanese cavalry and its use in China, have expressed their conclusions as follows: large cavalry formation, in conjunction wit motorized-mechanized formations can be used effectively for pursuit and encircling operations.

In a theater of operations such as North China, where the character of the region an the large number of rivers make it difficult for other kinds of troops to operate, the use of cavalry is highly advantageous. For maneuvering operations on the offensive against important objectives and also in missions which require the holding of an important line, the fire power of Japanese cavalry proved insufficient, hence the Japanese have tried to strengthen its fire means. The general opinion seems to be that Japanese independent cavalry today lacks in fire and striking power. As it can be seen, even the limited experience of the war in China has revealed these deficiencies.

Japanese army cavalry has been put to more extensive use in the war in China. In this war the cavalry regiments and the squadrons of infantry divisions have been used for the execution of the following basic missions:

(1) Protecting the flank and the "junction" units of the division.
(2) Tactical reconnaissance for the division.
(3) Security on the march.

Source: Review of Military Literature. Dec 1939.

More follows. Cheers. Raúl M 8-).

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tigre
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Re: Japanese Cavalry

#62

Post by tigre » 22 Jun 2015, 23:57

Hello to all :D; last part..............................................

JAPANESE CAVALRY IN THE WAR WITH CHINA [Condensed from an article in Krasnaya Konitza, No.2, 1939.] By LIEUTENANT COLONEL E. M. BENITEZ, Coast Artillery Corps.

Sometimes the division cavalry has been used for operations against the enemy's rear. For example, in September 1937, near Faoting, one cavalry regiment of the infantry division, reinforced by a company of infantry, was ordered to move out on the flanks, to establish communications and make possible joint action witt the neighboring unit, to press the enemy and, during the general offensive of the division, to strike the enemy's rear. The depth of the action of the cavalry regiment was about 120 miles.

Army cavalry has also been used in pursuit of the Chinese forces. However-in the first period of the war-cavalry, in the performance of this mission, met with serious difficulties because the Chinese troops took advantage of the lack of artillery and weak fire power of the Japanese cavalry by taking shelter behind the villages' walls where the Japanese could not dislodge them with the fire of small arms and machine guns only. Later on the Japanese division commanders on sending out cavalry regiments to pursue the Chinese units, attached to them separate cannon and small tanks in order to reinforce their fire power.

Cavalry units also performed missions of distant reconnaissance. Division cavalry was used for this purpose in covered terrain when the air forces were unable to furnish information concerning the enemy. For example, in the operations on the left bank of the Huto River (to the northeast of Taiyuan) Japanese aviation reconnaissance could not discover the presence or absence of Chinese forces. A distant reconnaissance mission was assigned to one of the divisional cavalry regiments. However, cavalry regiments are not, as a rule, sent out on distant reconnaissance missions,
due to the fact that the extensive operations of Chinese units in the rear of the Japanese lines hinder the use of separate cavalry regiments and threaten them with destruction.

It is interesting to not the efforts of the Japanese to strengthen the marching capacity of the cavalry. In order to lessen the fatigue of the men and horses, particularly when they are passing over marshy regions. Japanese cavalry began to practice marching at a walk. By doing this they decreased the number of halts and the duration of them, but at the same time they maintained the normal length of the day's march. Moving at a trot or a gallop was used only on the field of battle.

In the disposition of their forces during halts, the Japanese have tried to protect them behind the walls of the vil!ages so as to secure them in some degree from surprise attacks by Chinese guerrillas.

The use of army cavalry by the Japanese in China has not differed from the provisions of their regulations. The war in China has shown the Japanese the shortcomings of the organization of their army cavalry and particularly its weakness in fire power". There is no doubt that the High Command of the Japanese Army will make every effort to devise a better cavalry organization and will correct in the future the deficiencies shown in the war in China.

Source: Review of Military Literature. Dec 1939.

It's all folks. Cheers. Raúl M 8-).


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