3rd Division (Imperial Japanese Army)

Yoshimichi Hasegawa Yusaku Uehara Nobuyoshi Muto Russo-Japanese War Siberian Intervention Shandong Incident World War II

• 6. Infantry regiment
• 18. Infantry regiment
• 6. Infantry brigade
  • 7. Infantry regiment
  • 19. Infantry regiment
• 3. Cavalry battalion
• 3. Artillery battalion
• 3. Engineer battalion
• 3. Logistics battalion
  • 6th Infantry Regiment
  • 68th Infantry Regiment
• 29th Infantry Brigade
  • 18. Infantry regiment
  • 34. Infantry Regiment
• 3. Field Artillery Regiment
• 1. Field heavy artillery brigade
  • 2. Field heavy artillery regiment
  • 3. Field heavy artillery regiment
• 4. Cavalry brigade
  • 3. Cavalry Regiment
  • 25. Cavalry Regiment
  • 26. Cavalry Regiment
• 3rd Engineer Regiment
• 3rd Transport Regiment
• 1. Anti-aircraft regiment
• 1. Air squadron (fighter)
• 2 .Air squadron (tactical bomber)
• 7. Air squadron (medium bomber)
  • 6. Infantry Regiment
  • 34. Infantry Regiment
  • 68. Infantry Regiment
• 3. Cavalry Regiment
• 3. Field Artillery Regiment
• 3. Construction (engineer) Regiment
• 3. Logistics Regiment
• 3. Signals company
• 3. Ordnance company
• 3. Epidemic Prevention and Water Purification Department
• 3. Field hospital
• 3. Veterinary department The 3rd Division was an infantry division in the Imperial Japanese Army. Its call sign was the Happiness Division.

History

The 3rd Division was formed in Nagoya in January 1871 as the Nagoya Garrison, one of six regional commands created in the fledgling Imperial Japanese Army. The Nagoya Garrison had responsibility for the central region of Japan. This region was known as the Chūbu district, and stretched from Aichi Prefecture to Ishikawa Prefecture. Upon the recommendations of the Prussian military advisor Jakob Meckel to the Japanese government, the six regional commands were transformed into divisions under the army reorganization of 14 May 1888.

As one of the oldest divisions in the Imperial Japanese Army, the 3rd Division participated in combat operations during the First Sino-Japanese War, the Russo-Japanese War, the Siberian Intervention, and the Shandong Incident.

Some of its more noteworthy commanders included Katsura Taro, Hasegawa Yoshimichi, Uehara Yusaku and Nobuyoshi Muto.

9 December 1938, the 3rd Division was subordinated to 11th Army and was subsequently one of the divisions assigned to the China Expeditionary Army (CGA) headquartered in Nanjing. As one of the most powerful units ("crack" units) in the theatre, the 3rd Division served in nearly every battle in central China. During the Zhejiang-Jiangxi Campaign it was converted into a triangular division on July 4, 1942. It later served for a time as a headquarters and garrison division for strategic Zhejiang Province.

Battles and Campaigns fought in China (1937–1945)

• Battle of West Henan-North Hubei (possibly messed up with 3rd Tank Division)

At the end of World War II, with the dissolution of the Imperial Japanese Army, the 3rd Division was formally disbanded in Zhejiang.