36th Division (Imperial Japanese Army)

The 36th Division was an infantry division in the Imperial Japanese Army. Its call sign was the Sword Division (剣兵団, Kenhei-dan).

The 36th Division was formed on February 7, 1939, in Kumamoto, as a triangular division under the command of Lieutenant General Shiro Kikuchi. It was initially assigned to the China Expeditionary Army as a reserve force, later attached to the 11th Army in September 1939 and deployed in the Jiangxi Province as part of the operations related to the Second Sino-Japanese War.

Throughout 1940 and 1941, the 36th Division participated in various campaigns in China. In December 1941, following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the division was transferred to the Southern Expeditionary Army Group and prepared for operations in Southeast Asia.

The division played a crucial role in the invasion of Burma (present-day Myanmar) in 1942, participating in the battles of Sittang Bridge and Toungoo. It continued fighting in Burma throughout the war, engaging in intense combat against Allied forces.

In 1944, during the Battle of Imphal, the 36th Division, under the command of Lieutenant General Kotoku Sato (later Major General Tetsujiro Tanaka), formed the main thrust of the Japanese offensive. However, the campaign ended in a disastrous defeat for the Japanese, with the 36th Division suffering heavy casualties.

Following the Imphal campaign, the remnants of the 36th Division continued to fight in Burma. With the Japanese position in Burma becoming increasingly precarious, the division was eventually forced to retreat.

The 36th Division was dissolved in Burma following the Japanese surrender in August 1945.