Fifty-Third Army (Japan)

Japanese Fifty-Third Army
Active	April 8, 1945 – August 15, 1945
Disbanded	August 15, 1945
Country	Japan
Branch	Imperial Japanese Army
Type	Infantry
Role	Corps
Engagements	World War II Operation Downfall

The Japanese 53rd Army (第53軍, Dai-gojyūsan gun) was an army of the Imperial Japanese Army during the final days of World War II. ^[1]

The Japanese 53rd Army was formed on April 8, 1945, under the Japanese 12th 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.^[2] The Japanese 53rd Army was based in Isehara, Kanagawa Prefecture and was thus intended to guard the western approaches and beachheads to Tokyo along Sagami Bay.^[3] It consisted mostly of poorly trained reservists, conscripted students and Volunteer Fighting Corps home guard militia. It was demobilized at the surrender of Japan on August 15, 1945, without having seen combat.

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• Frank, Richard B (1999). Downfall: The End of the Imperial Japanese Empire. New York: Random House. ISBN 0-679-41424-X.
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• Marston, Daniel (2005). The Pacific War Companion: From Pearl Harbor to Hiroshima. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-84176-882-0.
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• Wendel, Marcus. "Axis History Factbook". Japanese Fifty-Third Army.