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Reconnaissance regiments (Japan)

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was newly organized. During the Japanese advance in July 1939, it was tasked with cutting off the retreat route of the Soviet army. Although it reached its designated position, the failure of other units resulted in the regiment being surrounded and wiped out. Immediately reorganized, it was used to
200:, as was typical for infantry regiments. The variation in the order of battle between regiments, and even within the same regiment at different times, was significant. Furthermore, the regiment was often tailored to fit into the available transport ship. 412:
was the only unit able to retreat from the height after running out of ammunition and food (all other troops were annihilated), and the regiment commander (Ioki Sasaki) pleaded guilty to unauthorized retreat before a court-martial.
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While Japan initially retained cavalry regiments and battalions, the introduction of the first batch of seven Sōsaku-tai (reconnaissance regiments) occurred in 1937-1938 as part of a significant army reorganization preceding the
87:. These units were later renamed as Sōsaku-rentai. By 1940, existing cavalry regiments had also been reorganized into reconnaissance regiments, although some cavalry units were retained. Notably, the 169:. However, as operations shifted towards smaller islands, the limitations of light armoured vehicles became evident. This led to the frequent deployment of infantry forces to outlying islands while 75:
revealed the significant vulnerability of horseback troops against defensive positions. Simultaneously, the rapid expansion of automobile production led to numerous experiments with motorized and
1094: 150:), mechanized forces were primarily used to reinforce under-equipped infantry units. Consequently, the supply of armoured vehicles proved to be grossly inadequate. 192:
were small-scale units, typically comprising about 500 men in total. As a result, they did not have battalions in their structure and were usually commanded by a
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tankette, intended for reconnaissance, were also tasked with combat roles and absorbed into tank regiments. Additionally, although the initial concept of the
443:, 220 kilometers away, by April 1, 1942. Subsequently, a motorized infantry company and an engineer (bridging) company headed north, reaching 236: 465:, reduced to a headquarters, infantry company, and machine gun platoon without any vehicles (comprising about 200 men in total), landed in 380: 63:, Japanese military commanders frequently faced challenges requiring reconnaissance, rapid message transfer, and the utilization of 477:. Despite other Japanese units in the vicinity beginning to retreat, the order to retreat encountered difficulties reaching the 1084: 624: 620: 474: 432: 417: 373: 358: 259:(with the most typical being the 2nd and 16th regiments). Compared to earlier versions, it has part of its horses replaced by 470: 462: 177:
were disbanded as unnecessary, and personnel were reassigned to tank units. Although the Japanese army initially fielded 40
1089: 95:. Additionally, the 3rd, 6th, 25th, and 26th cavalry regiments remained unchanged until the end of the Pacific War. 48: 76: 47:. In contemporary Japan, these regiments are analogous to Reconnaissance battalions within the divisions of the 473:, it occupied mountain-top positions and successfully defended critical passes for over a month against the 995: 130:, the initial availability of vehicles for the army was limited. This occurred because vehicles like the 1079: 424: 240: 216: 166: 131: 67:
advantages. These tasks were typically carried out by cavalry regiments within the Japanese army (see
43:. These regiments were often attached to numerous Japanese divisions during the initial stages of the 123: 334: 60: 1064: 734: 365: 147: 106:
company, and many cavalry regiments unofficially acquired tanks, even after the formation of the
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envisioned it as a self-sufficient combat force, in practice (particularly during the
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Armored car company - 5-8 x various armored cars or tankettes (based on availability)
24: 135: 64: 181:, only 23 remained by the war's end, with 9 of them significantly under-strength. 738: 650: 595: 581: 523: 451: 72: 970: 300: 435:
played an active role at the spearhead of the advance. The regiment landed in
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was tasked with combat scouting. In Japanese military literature, the term
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during the 1940-1945 period. Derived from the Cavalry regiment, the
71:). However, the widespread adoption of the machine gun during the 469:
in late November 1944. After receiving horses and tanks from the
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This page includes content from the Japanese Knowledge page
1095:
Military units and formations of the Imperial Japanese Army
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on May 4, 1942, after traveling over 1400 kilometers.
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resulting in only 45 members of the regiment surviving.
484: 23:(Sōsaku-rentai (搜索聯隊) or Sōsaku-tai (搜索隊)) in the 251:Order of battle (1942-1945, of infantry division) 1071: 1058: 27:was a type of military establishment within the 689:merged with 103rd independent brigade in 1945 352: 223: 203: 287:Order of battle (1942-1945, of tank division) 173:remained on the mainland. Consequently, many 91:maintained its cavalry regiment alongside a 108:1st Tank Division (Imperial Japanese Army) 16:Type of unit in the Imperial Japanese Army 324:3rd Light Tank Company (optional) - 10 x 299:, these were frequently substituted with 439:on March 26, 1942, and swiftly occupied 113: 54: 733:used to re-organize division after the 291:The first three tank divisions had the 279:2nd Armored car company - 8 x tankettes 276:1st Armored car company - 8 x tankettes 1072: 475:24th Infantry Division (United States) 219:tankette or other available tankettes 1041:transformed into 27th tank regiment 1030:transformed into 26th tank regiment 936:soon reinforced 48th recon regiment 184: 13: 700:left as independent unit in Korea 450: 377:reinforce the Japanese defense at 303:medium tanks or even light tanks. 14: 1106: 235:Motorized infantry company (with 165:initially saw success during the 1067:, accessed on January 22, 2016. 947:provisional unit, split in 1944 485:List of reconnaissance regiments 416: 357: 98:The cavalry regiment within the 678:from split 51st recon regiment 423:During the early stages of the 122:was designed to integrate both 49:Japan Ground Self-Defense Force 317:2nd Light Tank Company - 10 x 310:1st Light Tank Company - 10 x 1: 1085:Army reconnaissance regiments 1059:References and future reading 996:Soviet invasion of Manchuria 297:Japanese self-propelled guns 255:This is the typical wartime 7: 408:(Fui Height). Notably, the 353:Notable military operations 295:attached. Due to a lack of 224:Order of battle (1939-1941) 204:Order of battle (1937-1938) 39:is commonly abbreviated as 10: 1111: 914:disbanded in October 1943 425:Japanese conquest of Burma 241:Type 95 reconnaissance car 217:Type 92 Heavy Armoured Car 215:Armored car company - 5 x 167:Japanese conquest of Burma 132:Type 92 Heavy Armoured Car 124:Armoured fighting vehicles 69:Japanese cavalry regiments 1090:Regiments of World War II 153:With the adoption of the 903:disbanded in April 1944 892:disbanded in April 1944 479:reconnaissance regiment, 335:Self-propelled artillery 190:Reconnaissance regiments 179:reconnaissance regiments 175:reconnaissance regiments 171:reconnaissance regiments 163:reconnaissance regiments 61:Second Sino-Japanese War 1065:Reconnaissance regiment 765:disbanded in July 1944 735:Battles of Khalkhin Gol 722:disbanded in July 1940 663:disbanded in July 1940 638:disbanded in July 1940 459:reconnaissance regiment 429:reconnaissance regiment 410:reconnaissance regiment 370:reconnaissance regiment 366:Battles of Khalkhin Gol 293:reconnaissance regiment 257:reconnaissance regiment 237:Type 94 6-Wheeled Truck 148:Battles of Khalkhin Gol 144:Reconnaissance regiment 120:Reconnaissance regiment 100:Imperial Guard division 93:reconnaissance regiment 89:Imperial Guard division 37:reconnaissance regiment 33:Reconnaissance regiment 21:Reconnaissance regiment 867:disbanded in May 1941 856:disbanded in May 1941 845:disbanded in May 1941 834:disbanded in May 1941 823:disbanded in May 1943 812:disbanded in May 1941 801:disbanded in May 1941 776:disbanded in May 1943 711:disbanded in May 1941 29:Imperial Japanese Army 497:data-sort-type="date" 114:Problems with concept 55:Historical background 345:or other light tanks 328:or other light tanks 321:or other light tanks 314:or other light tanks 273:2nd Cavalry squadron 270:1st Cavalry squadron 392: /  348:Maintenance company 261:Type 97 motorcycles 243:and other vehicles) 880:Surrender of Japan 878:demobilized after 789:Battle of Mindanao 339:Self-propelled gun 128:Motorized infantry 77:mechanized cavalry 1080:Cavalry regiments 1056: 1055: 753:Battle of Okinawa 157:strategy for the 79:units worldwide. 25:Japanese language 1102: 762:1 September 1937 533:1 September 1940 489: 488: 407: 406: 404: 403: 402: 397: 396:47.89°N 118.58°E 393: 390: 389: 388: 385: 331:Cavalry squadron 232:Cavalry squadron 212:Cavalry squadron 196:, rather than a 185:Orders of battle 136:Type 94 tankette 65:maneuver warfare 1110: 1109: 1105: 1104: 1103: 1101: 1100: 1099: 1070: 1069: 1061: 1016:1 November 1944 922:1 November 1940 875:1 February 1939 864:1 February 1939 853:1 February 1939 842:1 February 1939 831:1 February 1939 820:1 February 1939 809:1 February 1939 798:1 February 1939 748:1 November 1939 739:Battle of Luzon 737:. Destroyed in 651:Battle of Luzon 596:Battle of Luzon 582:Battle of Luzon 524:Battle of Leyte 496: 487: 455: 452:Battle of Leyte 421: 400: 398: 394: 391: 386: 383: 381: 379: 378: 362: 355: 337:company - 10 x 289: 282:Signals platoon 253: 226: 206: 187: 116: 73:First World War 57: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1108: 1098: 1097: 1092: 1087: 1082: 1060: 1057: 1054: 1053: 1050: 1047: 1043: 1042: 1039: 1036: 1032: 1031: 1028: 1025: 1021: 1020: 1017: 1014: 1010: 1009: 1006: 1003: 999: 998: 992: 989: 985: 984: 981: 978: 974: 973: 971:Burma Campaign 967: 964: 960: 959: 956: 953: 949: 948: 945: 942: 938: 937: 934: 931: 927: 926: 923: 920: 916: 915: 912: 909: 905: 904: 901: 898: 894: 893: 890: 887: 883: 882: 876: 873: 869: 868: 865: 862: 858: 857: 854: 851: 847: 846: 843: 840: 836: 835: 832: 829: 825: 824: 821: 818: 814: 813: 810: 807: 803: 802: 799: 796: 792: 791: 785: 782: 778: 777: 774: 771: 767: 766: 763: 760: 756: 755: 749: 746: 742: 741: 731: 728: 724: 723: 720: 717: 713: 712: 709: 706: 702: 701: 698: 695: 691: 690: 687: 684: 680: 679: 672: 669: 665: 664: 661: 658: 654: 653: 647: 644: 640: 639: 636: 633: 629: 628: 623:, returned to 617: 614: 610: 609: 606: 603: 599: 598: 592: 589: 585: 584: 578: 575: 571: 570: 567: 564: 560: 559: 556: 553: 549: 548: 545: 542: 538: 537: 534: 531: 527: 526: 520: 517: 513: 512: 509: 506: 502: 501: 498: 493: 486: 483: 454: 449: 420: 415: 361: 356: 354: 351: 350: 349: 346: 332: 329: 322: 315: 308: 301:Type 97 Chi-Ha 288: 285: 284: 283: 280: 277: 274: 271: 268: 252: 249: 248: 247: 244: 233: 230: 225: 222: 221: 220: 213: 210: 205: 202: 186: 183: 115: 112: 56: 53: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1107: 1096: 1093: 1091: 1088: 1086: 1083: 1081: 1078: 1077: 1075: 1068: 1066: 1051: 1048: 1045: 1044: 1040: 1037: 1034: 1033: 1029: 1026: 1023: 1022: 1018: 1015: 1012: 1011: 1007: 1004: 1001: 1000: 997: 993: 990: 987: 986: 982: 979: 976: 975: 972: 969:destroyed in 968: 965: 962: 961: 957: 954: 951: 950: 946: 943: 940: 939: 935: 932: 929: 928: 924: 921: 918: 917: 913: 910: 907: 906: 902: 899: 896: 895: 891: 888: 885: 884: 881: 877: 874: 871: 870: 866: 863: 860: 859: 855: 852: 849: 848: 844: 841: 838: 837: 833: 830: 827: 826: 822: 819: 816: 815: 811: 808: 805: 804: 800: 797: 794: 793: 790: 787:destroyed in 786: 783: 780: 779: 775: 772: 769: 768: 764: 761: 758: 757: 754: 751:destroyed in 750: 747: 744: 743: 740: 736: 732: 729: 726: 725: 721: 718: 715: 714: 710: 707: 704: 703: 699: 696: 693: 692: 688: 686:1 August 1940 685: 682: 681: 677: 673: 670: 667: 666: 662: 659: 656: 655: 652: 649:destroyed in 648: 645: 642: 641: 637: 634: 631: 630: 626: 622: 618: 615: 612: 611: 607: 604: 601: 600: 597: 594:destroyed in 593: 590: 587: 586: 583: 580:destroyed in 579: 576: 573: 572: 568: 566:1 August 1940 565: 562: 561: 557: 554: 551: 550: 546: 543: 540: 539: 535: 532: 529: 528: 525: 522:destroyed in 521: 518: 515: 514: 510: 507: 504: 503: 499: 494: 491: 490: 482: 480: 476: 472: 468: 464: 460: 453: 448: 446: 442: 438: 434: 433:56th Division 430: 426: 419: 418:56th division 414: 411: 405: 401:47.89; 118.58 375: 374:23rd Division 371: 367: 360: 359:23rd division 347: 344: 343:Type 95 Ha-Go 340: 336: 333: 330: 327: 326:Type 95 Ha-Go 323: 320: 319:Type 95 Ha-Go 316: 313: 312:Type 95 Ha-Go 309: 306: 305: 304: 302: 298: 294: 281: 278: 275: 272: 269: 266: 265: 264: 262: 258: 245: 242: 238: 234: 231: 228: 227: 218: 214: 211: 208: 207: 201: 199: 195: 191: 182: 180: 176: 172: 168: 164: 160: 156: 151: 149: 145: 141: 140:Type 97 Te-Ke 137: 133: 129: 125: 121: 111: 109: 105: 101: 96: 94: 90: 86: 80: 78: 74: 70: 66: 62: 52: 50: 46: 42: 38: 34: 30: 26: 22: 1062: 1049:24 June 1942 1038:24 June 1942 1027:24 June 1942 730:1 April 1938 719:1 April 1938 708:1 April 1938 660:1 April 1938 635:1 April 1938 619:served with 478: 471:2nd Division 463:1st Division 458: 456: 428: 422: 409: 369: 363: 307:Headquarters 292: 290: 267:Headquarters 256: 254: 229:Headquarters 209:Headquarters 189: 188: 178: 174: 170: 162: 152: 143: 119: 117: 104:armoured car 102:included an 97: 92: 81: 58: 40: 36: 32: 20: 18: 991:1 July 1940 980:1 July 1940 966:1 July 1940 955:1 July 1940 944:1 July 1940 773:1 June 1938 697:1 July 1940 676:New Britain 671:1 July 1944 646:1 July 1940 616:1 July 1940 605:1 July 1940 591:1 July 1940 577:1 June 1939 555:1 July 1940 544:1 June 1942 519:1 June 1939 508:1 July 1940 399: / 364:During the 159:Pacific War 155:Nanshin-ron 85:Pacific War 59:During the 45:Pacific War 1074:Categories 1005:1 May 1944 994:fought in 933:1 May 1944 911:1 May 1943 900:1 May 1943 889:1 May 1943 784:1 May 1943 674:formed on 134:tankette, 118:While the 625:14th div. 621:18th div. 500:Comments 627:in 1943 387:118°35′E 341:and 2 x 1046:3(tank) 1035:2(tank) 1024:1(tank) 461:of the 441:Taungoo 431:of the 384:47°53′N 372:of the 198:Colonel 505:Guards 492:Number 437:Yangon 427:, the 368:, the 138:, and 467:Ormoc 445:Bhamo 194:Major 668:17/2 657:17/1 495:From 457:The 126:and 19:The 1013:119 1002:107 1076:: 1052:- 1019:- 1008:- 988:57 983:- 977:56 963:54 958:- 952:53 941:51 930:50 925:- 919:48 908:46 897:43 886:42 872:39 861:38 850:37 839:36 828:35 817:34 806:33 795:32 781:30 770:27 759:26 745:24 727:23 716:22 705:21 694:20 683:19 643:16 632:15 613:14 608:- 602:12 588:10 569:- 558:- 547:- 536:- 511:- 263:. 239:, 161:, 110:. 51:. 41:SO 574:8 563:7 552:5 541:4 530:2 516:1

Index

Japanese language
Imperial Japanese Army
Pacific War
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force
Second Sino-Japanese War
maneuver warfare
Japanese cavalry regiments
First World War
mechanized cavalry
Pacific War
Imperial Guard division
Imperial Guard division
armoured car
1st Tank Division (Imperial Japanese Army)
Armoured fighting vehicles
Motorized infantry
Type 92 Heavy Armoured Car
Type 94 tankette
Type 97 Te-Ke
Battles of Khalkhin Gol
Nanshin-ron
Pacific War
Japanese conquest of Burma
Major
Colonel
Type 92 Heavy Armoured Car
Type 94 6-Wheeled Truck
Type 95 reconnaissance car
Type 97 motorcycles
Japanese self-propelled guns

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