Eighth Area Army
Disabled Japanese tank at Biak
ActiveNovember 16, 1942 – August 15, 1945
CountryEmpire of Japan
BranchImperial Japanese Army
TypeInfantry
RoleField Army
Garrison/HQRabaul
Nickname(s)剛(Gō = “strength”)
EngagementsSolomon Islands campaign
New Guinea campaign
Proposed invasion of Australia

The Eighth Area Army (第8方面軍, Dai-hachi hōmen gun) was a field army of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. The army was formed on 9 November 1942, becoming effective on 26 November at Rabaul as part of the Southern Army. The army was disbanded in September 1945.

History

The Japanese 8th Area Army was formed on November 16, 1942 under the Southern Expeditionary Army Group for the specific task of opposing landings by Allied forces in Japanese-occupied Solomon Islands and New Guinea.[1] It had its headquarters at Rabaul, New Britain and saw considerable combat in the Solomon Islands campaign, Bougainville campaign and New Guinea campaign.[2]

Organisation

List of Commanders

Name From To
Commanding officer General Hitoshi Imamura 9 November 1942 15 August 1945
Chief of Staff Major General Rimpei Katō 9 November 1942 15 August 1945

Notes

  1. ^ McGee, The Solomons Campaigns, 1942-1943
  2. ^ Nalty, War in the Pacific: Pearl Harbor to Tokyo Bay
  3. ^ "Chapter VIII, Defence of Papua, Reports of General MacArthur,JAPANESE OPERATIONS IN THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA, VOLUME II - PART I". U.S. ARMY CENTER OF MILITARY HISTORY. Retrieved 3 January 2011.

References

External links

Categories