Shun Iwasa

Shun Iwasa
Born 16 October 1888
Fukuoka prefecture, Japan
Died 12 July 1969(1969-07-12) (aged 80)
Allegiance Empire of Japan
Service/branch Imperial Japanese Army
Years of service 1910–1945
Rank Major General
Battles/wars Second Sino-Japanese War
World War II

Shun Iwasa (岩佐俊, Iwasa Shun, 16 October 1888 – 12 July 1969) was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army, commanding Japanese ground forces on Bougainville of 1945 in the closing months of the war.[1]

Biography

Iwasa was born in Fukuoka prefecture. He graduated from the 22nd class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in May 1910. He was promoted to colonel in June 1937.

During the Second Sino-Japanese War, Iwasa was commander of the IJA 61st Infantry Regiment from July 1938. This regiment was a garrison force based at Liaoyang and Jiamusi in Manchukuo until June 1940, when it was transferred to Hubei in central China. In August 1940, Iwasa was promoted to major general and assigned to the staff of the IJA 9th Division, back in Machukuo.

In April 1942, Iwasa was appointed commander of the IJA 3rd Independent Garrison Unit, but from December 1942, he was reassigned to the staff of the Japanese Eighth Area Army in the Japanese-occupied Solomon Islands and New Guinea.[2] It had its headquarters at Rabaul, New Britain. In June 1943, Iwasa was appointed commander of the IJA 65th Infantry Brigade, responsible for the defenses of Rabaul. However, only a month later, he was transferred to command the IJA 6th Infantry Brigade on Bougainville. During the Battle of Bougainville, he successfully opposed the landings of the United States Marine Corps during the Koiari Raid.

References

  • Fuller, Richard (1992). Shokan: Hirohito's Samurai. London: Arms and Armor. ISBN 1-85409-151-4.
  • Tanaka, Kengoro (1980). Operations of the Imperial Japanese Armed Forces in the Papua New Guinea Theater During World War II. Tokyo: Japan Papua New Guinea Goodwill Society.
  • McGee, William L (2002). The Solomons Campaigns, 1942-1943: From Guadalcanal to Bougainville--Pacific War Turning Point, Volume 2. BMC Publications. ISBN 0970167873.
  • Ammenthorp, Steen. "Iwasa Shun". The Generals of World War II.

Notes

  1. ↑ Iwasa Shun, www.generals.dk
  2. ↑ McGee, The Solomons Campaigns, 1942-1943


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