The Japanese
40th Army was formed on January 8, 1945 in
Chiayi,
Taiwan, and subordinated to the
Japanese 10 Area Army 16 January 1945. As part of the last desperate defense effort by the
Empire of Japan to deter possible landings of
Allied forces in southern
Kyūshū during
Operation Downfall, the
40th Army headquarters were transferred to
Kagoshima 14 May 1945. The thus reformed
40th Army consisted mostly of poorly trained and poorly armed
reservists,
conscripted students and
home guard militia. In addition, the Japanese had organized the
Patriotic Citizens Fighting Corps — which included all healthy men aged 15–60 and women 17–40 — to perform combat support, and ultimately combat jobs. Weapons, training, and uniforms were generally lacking: some men were armed with nothing better than muzzle-loading
muskets,
longbows, or bamboo spears; nevertheless, they were expected to make do with what they had. :
One mobilized high school girl, Yukiko Kasai, found herself issued an awl and told, "Even killing one American soldier will do. … You must aim for the abdomen." It was
demobilized at the
surrender of Japan on August 15, 1945 without having seen combat. == List of Commanders ==