""Japanese Conduct of the Defense" " Topic

"When forced on the defensive the Japanese have striven to attain the element of surprise by means of silence and concealment; employed deceptive measures wherever possible; made extensive use of snipers; and attempted to disrupt the enemy advance by infiltration tactics. The following data on Japanese defensive tactics is taken from a recent British publication.

Unless attacked, Japanese troops occupying forward positions very seldom open fire, for fear of disclosing their location, even if the target offered is a good one. From the Japanese point of view, the defensive battle begins only when the assaulting troops are too close to be missed by their light and heavy machine guns. Carefully-concealed machine-gun positions then come to life when the assaulting troops are too close to the objective to receive support from their own artillery. If the assault is up hill the Japanese add showers of grenades.

Following normal practice the Japanese make the machine gun the principal weapon of defense. Automatic weapons are sited to fire along prepared lines, lanes being cut in the jungle if necessary. Heavy machine guns are sited well forward and are generally sub-allotted to platoon areas; they are often to be found on high ground or dug into the banks of "tanks," (water reservoirs); they are also sited to cover the main lines of approach; they are often placed singly, and frequently alternative positions are provided. An important point to remember is that during the defensive battle heavy machine guns sometimes fire along a line not more than ten yards from the forward edge of the Japanese main line of resistance, and assaulting troops, if unprotected by smoke or darkness, may therefore suffer heavy casualties just in front of the enemy position, particularly if they have become bunched in converging on the objective. Mortars and grenade dischargers come next in importance to the machine gun. Mortars of 3-inch or larger caliber may be allotted to rifle companies at the scale of one per company, but the weapon most frequently used by forward units is the 2-inch grenade discharger of which there are three in each platoon. This weapon throws a heavy grenade 700 yards. Once an attack is launched mortar and grenade discharger shelling is frequently directed on areas which cannot be reached by flat trajectory weapons. Particular attention is paid to probable lines of approach and likely assembly areas…."
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Amicalement
Armand

"Unless attacked, Japanese troops occupying forward positions very seldom open fire, for fear of disclosing their location, even if the target offered is a good one."

That was their biggest failure. Mutually supporting positions are only effective if they actually support each other…

Agree!.

Amicalement
Armand

Re Japanese use of mutually supporting positions, read -

"Killing Ground on Okinawa – The Battle for Sugar Loaf Hill" by James Hallas
"Peleliu – Tragic Triumph" by Bill Ross

My impression is that the Japanese knew their tactical craft quite well. Just sayin'.

B