Imperial Japanese Army

The Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) was the official ground based armed force of Imperial Japan from 1867 to 1945. It was controlled by the Imperial Army General Staff Office and the Ministry of War, both of which were nominally subordinate to the emperor as supreme commander of the army and the navy.

Imperial Japanese Army in Days of Infamy
The Imperial Japanese Army was the main invasion of force during the conquest of Hawaii in 1941-42. It was also responsible for the day-to-day administration of the territory from 1942-1943, with General Tomoyuki Yamashita effectively operating as military governor, despite the fact that the Japanese government had reconstituted the Kingdom of Hawaii under Stanley Owana Laanui.

The traditional rivalry between the IJA and the Imperial Japanese Navy was in many ways intensified during the occupation of Hawaii. Although the IJN was the impetus for the invasion, and was instrumental in first breaking the US Naval forces protecting Hawaii, as the year passed, the IJN's supply lines were stretched to the breaking point. Thus, a US campaign of submarine warfare against Japanese shipping left Hawaii isolated, and left both the IJA and IJN in a progressively weakened position. By 1943, the US was able to overrun the islands, capturing or killing most of the IJA stationed on the island.

Imperial Japanese Army in Southern Victory
The Imperial Japanese Army came into existence in 1869 with accordance of the Meji restoration to modernize Japan. The Imperial Army was then used to fight its wars, as it secured its own empire, conquering Taiwan, Manchuria, Korea, and the Philippines.

During the Great War, Japan sided with the Entente, and the Japanese Army played only a minor role to the Navy. After the war's end, the Army was used to secure the former European colonies of French in Southern Victory Indochina, and the Dutch East Indies.

During the 1930's, the Army found it's self bogged down in a blood war with China, as Japan battled various Chinese factions for control.

During the Second Great War, the Army was used to secure the US islands of Wake and Midway; however, the army was still committed to China.

During the early months of 1943, Japan had abandoned it's war with the United States, and instead chose to focus it's attention on the British holdings of Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaya. The army was successful in defeating the lightly garrisoned British forces, successfully driving the British from the Pacific.

By early 1944, Japan had sent Russia an ultimatum over Siberia, as the Imperial Army was on stand-by, ready to take it by force.

By the wars end, the Imperial Japanese Army was unique among the three major powers of the world, as it's armies never truly fought in either wars.

Imperial Japanese Army in The War That Came Early
The Imperial Japanese Army was already engaged in a war with the Chinese when Germany invaded Czechoslovakiain 1938. Many of the US Marines in Peking didn't think too much of the IJA as they saw that the majority of their equipment was junk, but knew that they were tough and highly disciplined, and that they could be serious trouble if stirred up. When the Soviet Union invaded Poland, the IJA saw their opportunity and struck, launching an all out invasion of Siberia.

Imperial Japanese Army in Worldwar
The Imperial Japanese Army was heavily engaged in a war with the various factions in China and the Allied Forces when the Race invaded in mid 1942. The Japanese army was soundly defeated in China, and forced all the way back to Manchuria and Korea, where they fought a desperate holding action against Race. Unfortunately, their efforts were in vain and the Race managed to break through the Japanese lines at Harbin, forcing the Japanese Army into a headlong retreat. The Race conquered both Manchuria and Korea after expelling the Japanese from the Asian mainland. However, Japan did manage to keep a hold of Indochina.

Many Japanese units found themselves cut off and isolated during the retreat. They joined Chinese forces in their guerrilla war against the Race. Though the Japanese Army did put up a fierce resistance to the Race, their equipment, and most especially their tanks, were the subject of ridicule among Race fighting males.

&nbsp