In the impression, the Japanese army has always been a fierce and almost cruel image, and their suicide attacks have shocked the whole world, but there is a division that is called "the most nested division", that is, the Fourth Division. Logically, the Fourth Division was well-equipped and should have considerable combat strength, so why was it put on the hat of a nest?
The predecessor of the Fourth Division was Osaka Jindai, and as early as 1888, this army had a mature formation and was one of the 17 standing divisions in Japan. In the Southwest War, the Osaka Wing suffered heavy losses, achieved brilliant results, and won the Emperor's praise, which was a supreme honor for the Japanese army.
In the Russo-Japanese War, the Fourth Division also played an extremely important role, and with only more than 7,000 people, they captured positions that even the First Division was helpless. As a division of the First Division, the Fourth Division can be described as a weathered and frosted regiment, with very rich combat experience, and is one of the main forces of the Japanese army.
In the Sino-Japanese War, the Fourth Division was not put into the battlefield, and has been serving as a guard in the rear since the landing of Liaodong. After the beginning of the war of aggression against China, the Fourth Division was transferred to North China, and then transferred to Central China, becoming a member of Japan's elite troops. The Japanese army thought that the Fourth Division would become the main force invading China, but their performance was surprising.
In the Battle of Xuzhou, Li Zongren's troops fought hard with the Japanese army for several months, successfully delaying the defense of Wuhan, but also suffered heavy losses, with more than 600,000 casualties, seeing that it was impossible to defend Xuzhou, Li Zongren had to fight and retreat. Just when the army retreated to the border of Lusuwan, unfortunately encountered the Fourth Division, Li Zongren panicked, the army suffered heavy casualties, and the combat ability was greatly weakened, how to deal with the well-equipped and excellent Japanese army?
I thought it would be a fierce battle, but I didn't expect that the Fourth Division would ignore the Chinese army, and they not only did not start a war, but also made a fire and cooked like no one else, and had no idea of attacking at all, so they let Go of Li Zongren's troops.
At the Battle of Nomonkan, the Fourth Division's approach was even more jaw-dropping. As soon as the battle broke out, the Japanese army sent two or four divisions, and the second division received the order and rushed to the battlefield without stopping. In contrast, in the Fourth Division, these soldiers either had headaches and brain fever or weakness in their limbs, in short, they tried every means to take sick leave, and when the doctor examined, they could not find the cause.
The captain saw that they were just fleeing from the battlefield, and was furious, and under pressure, the Fourth Division began to grind and advance, and before it reached the battlefield, the battle was already over, and the Second Division was defeated. There was no need to fight, and the "wounded" of the Fourth Division finally breathed a sigh of relief, and they looked at the Second Division regiment, which had suffered heavy casualties, without any regret in their hearts, and pretended to regret that they had not been able to catch up with the battle.
The Battle of Nomenkan brought the Fourth Division to the back, but it wasn't over. In the Battle of Hengyang, the Fourth Army joined the most elite Eleventh Army of the Japanese Army, who knew that they still had no intention of fighting, fled for their lives as soon as they heard the gunshots, were beaten by the heroic and fearless Chinese army, and were also driven out of the Eleventh Army, and since then they have fallen into the reputation of a "nest bag".
Why in the Battle of Okinawa, 100,000 Japanese troops could resist 240,000 American troops for two months, although Okinawa eventually fell, but their terrible suicide attack caused great casualties and lingering psychological shadows to the American army. And the Fourth Division, which is also the Japanese army, will be so greedy for life and afraid of death?
As a Standing Army of Japan, the Fourth Division, which was supposed to have extraordinary combat effectiveness, became a recognized nest unit on the Chinese battlefield, which was mainly related to the composition of their troops.
In Japan, the emperor is the supreme ruler, and the Bushido advocated by the Japanese is to swear allegiance to the emperor at the cost of their own lives, so for them, dying for war is an honor, but a small number of people do not think so, that is, the residents of Osaka Kansai.
Due to geographical location and historical factors, although the kansai people recognize the emperor, they do not agree with the so-called bushido spirit, they are influenced by Chinese culture, their thinking is more democratic and open, and they do not blindly obey orders. Most Kansai people are in business, and the minds of businessmen are always more flexible, and they are more concerned about individual gains and losses than collective interests. With regard to war, their idea is that if they can fight it, they will fight it, and if they can't fight it, they will run, so why make unnecessary sacrifices; this kind of thinking is to understand the current affairs when it is well said, and selfish to say it badly.
As a result, the Fourth Division, made up of Kansai merchants, was very submissive, and they did not want to sacrifice their lives or kill Chinese indiscriminately. The Fourth Division did not play any role on the battlefield, but they were not useless, they played the specialty of merchants, sold many guns and ammunition to the Communists, and started business on the battlefield.
After being transferred to the Philippines, the Fourth Division revived its military prowess and, along with several other divisions, fought American General MacArthur and won the Battle of Kokoregidol. MacArthur was unusual, and during the Korean War, the officer brazenly declared that he would end the battle before Thanksgiving, and although he failed to fulfill this promise, his talent and ambition could be seen. It can be seen from this that the combat capability of the Fourth Division regiment is not weak.
After japan's defeat, the Fourth Division quickly regrouped, and they had long anticipated this outcome, and then returned to their home country with a radiant glow, becoming the Japanese unit with the fewest casualties. Upon returning home, the soldiers of the Fourth Division immediately returned to their old business as merchants and sold all kinds of booty to the people. It turned out that they had plundered a large number of resources in the war, so that this fierce war did not make this army lose anything, but also profited from it, which can be said to be a war and a business.