Fifty-First Army (Japan)

Japanese Fifty-First Army
Japanese Fifty-First Army
	Landing Map for Operation Downfall
Active	April 18, 1945 – August 15, 1945
Country	Empire of Japan
Branch	Imperial Japanese Army
Type	Infantry
Role	Corps
Garrison/HQ	Tsuchiura, Ibaraki
Nickname(s)	Ken (建, Build)
Engagements	Operation Downfall

The Japanese 51st Army (第51軍, Dai-gojyūichi gun) was an army of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II.

History

The Japanese 51st Army was formed on April 8, 1945, under the Japanese Twelfth Area Army as part of the last desperate defense effort by the Empire of Japan to deter possible landings of Allied forces in central Honshū during Operation Downfall. The Japanese 51st Army was based in Tsuchiura, Ibaraki Prefecture and was thus intended to guard the northern beachhead to Tokyo and the Kantō region. It consisted mostly of poorly trained reservists, conscripted students and Volunteer Fighting Corps home guard militia. The Japanese 51st Army was demobilized at the surrender of Japan on August 15, 1945, without having seen combat.

	Name	From	To
Commanding officer	Lieutenant General Kengoro Noda	8 April 1945	15 August 1945
Chief of Staff	Major General Yoshio Sakai	6 April 1945	1 September 1945

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