How strong is the combat effectiveness of the Japanese army?
This is obviously a question that has now been misled by the "anti-Japanese drama".
Although the comprehensive strength of the Japanese army during World War II was not the strongest, it could definitely be listed among the world's strongest armies regardless of its weapons and equipment and individual combat quality. During China's 14-year War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the number of military and civilian casualties exceeded 35 million, while the number of casualties of the Japanese army invading China in China was only more than 1.3 million.
The Japanese invasion of China
When the Pacific War broke out, the US military that directly fought against the Japanese army could more intuitively reflect the combat effectiveness of the Japanese army, especially in the Japanese mainland landing operation, the Japanese army's fearless death made the US army have a lingering feeling. Typical battles such as the Battle of Peleliu Island, the Battle of Iwo Jima, and the Battle of Okinawa, although the final victory was achieved, the casualties of the American army were also extremely heavy.
OKINAWA U.S. Army
In terms of weapons and equipment, the United States is world-class, and the casualties are also so heavy that it is a problem worth thinking about. Therefore, the combat effectiveness of the Japanese army during World War II is by no means a "divine drama" that cannot be determined.
However, things always have two sides to him, and it obviously doesn't make sense to kill them all with one shot. Although the combat effectiveness of the Japanese army is very strong, there are exceptions, and the Japanese "Osaka Division" is the "most bizarre" unit in Japan in World War II.
< H1 class = "pgc-h-center-line" > Osaka Division: nicknamed "peace-loving" by the U.S. military</h1>
"Osaka Division, the most abandoned division in the history of the Japanese army."
This sentence is not what I am saying here, it is precisely the evaluation given by later Japanese historians, combined with the history of World War II, who gave them their own people. Coincidentally, the U.S. military also jokingly referred to the Osaka Division of the Japanese Army as "peace-loving."
So, there must be a reason why Japanese historians make such an assessment of the Osaka Division. Let's take a look at how the Osaka Division "performed" in World War II.
On March 16, 1938, the Battle of Taierzhuang began. Under the personal command of Li Zongren, the main forces of the 5th and 10th elite divisions of the Japanese army were crushed, annihilating more than 20,000 Japanese troops, and dealing a heavy blow to Japan's arrogance. After the defeat at the Battle of Taierzhuang, the Japanese military headquarters was in a hurry,
After a series of fierce battles, Li Zongren led 400,000 troops to break through step by step, and did not expect to encounter the Osaka Division during the breakthrough. There were pursuing soldiers in the rear and intercepting in the front, and Li Zongren was ready for a bloody battle with the Osaka Division. Unexpectedly, a dramatic scene happened.
When Li Zongren discovered the Osaka Division, the Osaka Division also found the main force of the Nationalist Army, but the Osaka Division turned a deaf ear to Li Zongren's army, cooking when it was time to cook, nagging when it was supposed to nag, and not even firing a gun. In this way, Li Zongren wondered and led a large army to successfully break through from the "side", and when the pursuing Japanese army arrived, there was still the shadow of the Nationalist army.
It is conceivable that what awaits the Osaka Division is definitely the accountability of the military department. However, the Osaka Division gave a reason: "The order received is to garrison, not to attack the Chinese army, and an unauthorized attack will disrupt the operational deployment." This reason made the Japanese War Department at that time have no place to spread the gas, which was called a panic.
Similarly, let's talk about the first Battle of Nomonkan, which took place on the Sino-Mongolian border in 1939.
In May 1939, more than 1,500 Japanese troops attacked the Mongolian troops stationed on the border in the Halesin River area at the junction of The Heilongjiang River and Outer Mongolia. At that time, in the face of the Superior Japanese Army in terms of strength and weapons and equipment, the Mongolian army was gradually defeated and retreated, and had to turn to the Soviet Union for help. Because the Soviet Union and Mongolia had signed a mutual assistance treaty at that time, the Soviet Union directly sent troops to deal a severe blow to the Japanese army.
With the intervention of the Soviet Union, the plot immediately reversed, and it became the Japanese army in defeat. The front line was tight, and the headquarters of the Japanese Kwantung Army immediately dispatched the Sendai 2nd Division and the Osaka Division to reinforcements.
The sendai 2nd Division, two Japanese troops not far from each other, arrived at the battlefield in four days and quickly joined the battle. Come and see the Osaka Division, drink water for a while, eat for a while, go to the toilet for a while... In short, it took 8 days to arrive. By this time, the battle had long since ended, and all they saw when they went were other Japanese troops who had been beaten to death.
What is even more bizarre is that sometimes when there is a war and a gathering, there are always some soldiers who shirk for various reasons, and small colds and diseases sometimes become the reasons. As soon as such things happened, gradually, the Osaka Division was not only famous among the Japanese troops, but also was given the title of "waste wood, not afraid of losing" by other Japanese troops. Later, even the Chinese army began to know the existence of this unit, and when it heard that the Osaka Division was opposite during the battle, morale was high. In the end, the Japanese military department had to decide to transfer it to the Philippines.
<h1 class="pgc-h-center-line" >how is "waste wood" trained? </h1>
The Osaka Division, which was established in 1888, was not like this before, but was originally a well-known unit in Japan.
Among the 17 standing divisions established in the early days of Japan, the Osaka Division is a well-deserved first-class division, which is the highest level of troops at the Japanese divisional level (A, B, C, D), and the equipment, quality of soldiers and combat capabilities are among the best.
The early Osaka Division experienced the "Civil War" during the period of civil unrest in Japan, and participated in hundreds of battles, large and small, such as the Sino-Japanese War and the Russo-Japanese War. This unit is not only brave in battle and experienced in combat, but also has "outstanding achievements in battle." In recognition of the Osaka Division, the Then Emperor of Japan personally awarded the Osaka Division with the "Commendation for Heroic Combat". Unlike the award given by the Military Department and personally praised by the Japanese Emperor, this is unique in Japanese history and is the highest honor of the Japanese Army.
However, there is actually a certain reason why the later Osaka Division was reduced from ace to a "waste material" to a "nest unit" in the eyes of the Japanese.
The first is cultural differences. The main reason why the Osaka Division is called this name is that most of the soldiers of this division are Osaka people, and Osaka is a name in the Kansai region of Japan.
Osaka people also have a very important point, as I just said earlier, they advocate business and civilization, so Osaka people are very fond of doing business and developing the economy. The reason why the early Osaka Division was strong in combat was entirely for the purpose of expanding overseas commerce and economy.
With the late Japanese possession of a large number of colonies, the osaka people saw that this was enough, they just wanted to make money and enjoy life. Instead, these businessmen are preoccupied with how to deal with the government over the issue of "taxation." In the later period, as the cost of the Japanese war became larger and larger, the tax was also heavier, and the shortage of soldiers led to some Osaka being forced to join the army, which deepened the contradiction with the Osaka people.
Imagine, not wanting to fight and being dissatisfied with the government, this kind of army you want him to fight for his life is possible? Obviously not. Therefore, the slogan of the Osaka Division is: "Body first, living is important." With this kind of thinking, fighting became the "going to work" in the eyes of the Osaka Division.
After Japan surrendered, the Osaka Division in the Philippines simply surrendered, and when they returned home, some soldiers immediately took out some souvenirs and sold them directly to the US troops. Throughout World War II, the Osaka Division was the most complete of all the Japanese troops, with the fewest casualties, and it is no wonder that it was hacked by Japanese historians.
The more such a group of "nest wastes" that are crucial to Japan's life, there will be less of a group of war demons who exterminate humanity. Less killing, more peace. The Osaka Division also added a different color to the brutal war.