Height of Soldiers

Discussions on all aspects of the Japanese Empire, from the capture of Taiwan until the end of the Second World War.
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flying dutchman
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#1

Post by flying dutchman » 14 Jun 2006, 13:29

Category A men—examinees at least five feet tall

:lol: Wow, that's 1.50 mtrs!?! That's pretty short. Most men around here my age are at least 6 feet...

Seriously now, nice article. It does all sound efficient, making the most out of little. What doesn't suprise me is that their "basic" training part seem long. These men were well trained prior to the war. Perhaps that's also why they managed to do so good.

Sorry for the rambling.

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Pips
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#2

Post by Pips » 15 Jun 2006, 00:22

The Japanese were a smaller race then than now. Even Westerners have, due to better diets and living conditions, increased in height since the early part of the 20th century. For example the average Australian male in 1940, according to an Army study available at the AWM, was only 5'7''. And Australians were thought to be tall, strapping men in those days.

The average height of an Australian male in 2001 is 5'11''.


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Peter H
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#3

Post by Peter H » 15 Jun 2006, 04:45

I've read somewhere an Australian account of running into tall Japanese soldiers.Something about them being 6 feet tall.Supposedly there was a province in Japan renowned for its people's stature.These weren't Guards because it was in New Guinea.I guess wearing a helmet adds to the impression of height as well.

Not mentioned in the above article was the battle experience attained by the Japanese fighting in China since 1937.Your talking about a veteran officer and NCO corps that had probably seen it all by 1941.

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flying dutchman
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#4

Post by flying dutchman » 15 Jun 2006, 16:21

I believe that Japanese had one province were since ages people were a lot longer, I believe it had something to do with that they were miners (?)

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hisashi
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#5

Post by hisashi » 30 Sep 2006, 13:06

I don't know anything on Anthropometric History, the following volume including Ted Shay's "The Level of Living in Japan,1885-1938: New Evidence".

J.Komlos ed., Stature,Living Standards, and Economic Development: Essays in Anthropometric History, Chicago University Press, 1994)

I have not read any part of this work, but a review in Japanese says that they found youths were taller in a limited number of urban prefectures in 1937 conscription data, while this tendency was not clear in 1896 data. In 1937, the average height of twenty-aged male was 160.3cm, improved from 156.7cm in 1896.

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Peter H
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#6

Post by Peter H » 30 Sep 2006, 15:07

maisov wrote:I don't know anything on Anthropometric History, the following volume including Ted Shay's "The Level of Living in Japan,1885-1938: New Evidence".

J.Komlos ed., Stature,Living Standards, and Economic Development: Essays in Anthropometric History, Chicago University Press, 1994)

I have not read any part of this work, but a review in Japanese says that they found youths were taller in a limited number of urban prefectures in 1937 conscription data, while this tendency was not clear in 1896 data. In 1937, the average height of twenty-aged male was 160.3cm, improved from 156.7cm in 1896.
Thanks maisov.

Regards
Peter

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Peter H
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#7

Post by Peter H » 14 Oct 2006, 05:01

The 'tall' SNLF encountered at Milne Bay:

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... 014#966014

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Lt.Amuro
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#8

Post by Lt.Amuro » 14 Oct 2006, 13:08

http://imperialarmy.hp.infoseek.co.jp/g ... imuro.html

Major General Ryosuke Fujimuro was over 180cm.
He's one of the tallest General of Japan.

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LWD
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#9

Post by LWD » 14 Oct 2006, 14:45

The amount of protein consumed during childhood appears to have significant impact on height. I have heard that the average Japanese height has increased more than 6" since WWII (I forget the exact number although 8" comes to mind". Some areas in Japan may well have had taller averages either due to genetics or diet or some combination.

Lee

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Sewer King
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#10

Post by Sewer King » 15 Oct 2006, 14:52

I seem to remember that the Imperial soldier's stature was a problem when the Army went to choose a rifle in 7.7mm caliber, up from the previous 6.5mm. The Japanese still tended to the idea of a carbine for their cavalry and a long rifle for the infantry, but the recoil of the former was too strong.

If the pre-WW1 Germans and the post-WW2 British found that their carbines kicked too hard, the pre-WW2 Japanese must have agreed indeed!

At my construction job there is a Korean crew chief named Choi Hwan. He is 182cm tall and a Vietnam combat veteran of the Korean Marine Corps. Though he carries well the reputation of Koreans in construction work, I can't help imagine that he stuck out in the ranks as a Marine.

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Kim Sung
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#11

Post by Kim Sung » 22 Oct 2006, 06:58

Sewer King wrote:At my construction job there is a Korean crew chief named Choi Hwan. He is 182cm tall and a Vietnam combat veteran of the Korean Marine Corps. Though he carries well the reputation of Koreans in construction work, I can't help imagine that he stuck out in the ranks as a Marine.
The Koreans are the tallest people in Asia, maybe in non-western world. The average height of Korean males is 174cm now, quite taller than the Chinese and the Japanese who are about 169cm tall. In terms of the average height, the Koreans are comparable to the Spaniards or the Portuguese. Can I compare the Koreans to the Dutch in Europe? :D

I'm 182cm tall too. :wink:

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Peter H
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#12

Post by Peter H » 01 Nov 2006, 13:24

Vice Admiral Kakuda Kakuji,CO Tinian,Commandant 1st Air Fleet.

"He stood over six feet tall and weighed in excess of 200 pounds; he willingly catered to his almost unquenchable thirst for liquor...."

Image
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USMC/US ... an-p12.jpg

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