The Japanese Monographs, Japanese Studies on Manchuria, and Japanese Night Combat Study are three groups of publications written by Japanese officers, prepared by the Military History Section of the Headquarters, US Army Forces East, and distributed by the Office of the Chief of Military History, US Department of the Army. They have been described as: "An invaluable tool for the English-speaking audience to research Japan's version of the war [World War II] in China".[1]

Background

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Japanese Monographs

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The Japanese Monographs[2] are a series of operational histories, written by former officers of the Japanese army and navy, of Japanese actions in China during World War II. The 187 monographs were prepared under the direction of General Headquarters of the U.S. Far East Command beginning in 1945.[1]

Much of the series was extensively revised, some of it completely rewritten, to correct errors of both English and fact, mainly in the period 1955-1960. During this period, the "Japanese Studies on Manchuria" were added.

Japanese Studies on Manchuria

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"The Japanese Studies on Manchuria were prepared several years after the operational monographs and were written under the direction and guidance of the Japanese consultants of the Japanese Research Division. In general, these studies are superior to the monographs in organization, accuracy, and coverage."[3]

Japanese Night Combat Study

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In addition to editing and rewriting the monographs and Manchurian studies, the Japanese Research Division also prepared a special study on night combat as practiced by the Japanese Army. The latter was titled Japanese Night Combat Study.[3]

List of monographs

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No. Monograph Subtitle                        Period                         Type Service
1 Philippines Operations Record Phase I (November 1941 - June 1942) Invasion operation Army
2 Philippines Operations Record Phase I (December 1941 - April 1942) Invasion operation Army
3 Philippines Operations Record Phase III (December 1942 - June 1944) Defense preparation Army
4 Philippines Operations Record Phase III (July - November 1944) Defense preparation Army
5 Philippines Operations Record Phase III (July - December 1944) Defense operations Army
6 Philippines Operations Record Phase III (June 1944 - August 1945) Defense operations Army
7 Philippines Operations Record Phase III (January - August 1945) Defense operations Army
8 Philippines Operations Record Phase III (December 1944 - August 1945) Defense operations Army
9 Philippines Operations Record Phase III (December 1944 - August 1945) Defense operations Army
10 Philippines Operations Record Phase III (November 1944 - April 1945) Defense operations Army
11 Philippines Air Operations Record Phase I (December 1944 - May 1942) Invasion operations Army Air Force
12 Philippines Air Operations Record Phase III (August 1944 - February 1945) Defense operations Army Air Force
13 North of Australia Operations Record (1943 - 1945) Defense operations Army
14 Second Area Army Operations in the Western New Guinea Area (May 1944 - January 1945) Defense operations Army
15 Outline of the Battle for Morotai (15 September - 13 May 1945) Defense operations Army
16 Ambon (Amboina) and Timor Invasion operations (January - February 1942) Invasion operations Army
17 Homeland Operations Record (1941-1945) Army
18 Homeland Operations Record Volume II Combined with No. 17
19 Homeland Operations Record Volume III Combined with No. 17
20 Homeland Operations Record Volume III supplement Combined with No. 17
21 Homeland Operations Record Volume IV
Fifth Area Army
(Late 1943 - 1945) Defense preparations Army
22 Seventeenth Area Army Operations (1941 - 1945) Plans and preparations Army
23 Air Defense of the Homeland (1944 - 1945) Defense operations Army Air Force
24 History of the Southern Army (1941 - 1945) Over-all southern area operations Army
25 French Indo-China Area Operations Record (1940 - 1945) General coverage Army
26 Borneo Operations (1941 - 1945) General coverage Army
27 Jolo Island Invasion operations Record (December 1941) Invasion operations Army
28 Tarakan Invasion operations Record (January 1942) Invasion operations Army
29 Balikpapan Invasion operations Record (January 1942) Invasion operation Army
30 Bandjermasin Invasion Operations Record (February 1942) Invasion operation Army
31 Southern Area Air Operations Record (1941 - 1945) General coverage Army Air Force
32 Southern Area Air Operations Record (November 1942 - April 1944) Defense preparations Army Air Force
33 Southeast Area Operations Record Part 1
South Seas Detachment Operations
(3 January - 30 May 1942) Invasion operations Army
34 Southeast Area Operations Record Volume I (May 1942 - January 1943) Counteroffensive Army
35 Southeast Area Operations Record Volume II (February 1943 - August 1945) Defense operations Army
36 Southeast Area Operations Record Map Supplement Deleted
Maps combined with Nos. 34 and 35
Army
37 Southeast Area Operations Record
18th Army Operations
Volume I (January 1942 - June 1943) Invasion operations Army
38 Southeast Area Operations Record
18th Army Operations
Volume II (June 1943 - February 1944) Defense operations Army
39 Southeast Area Operations Record
18th Army Operations
Volume III (March 1944 - August 1944) Defense operations Army
40 Southeast Area Operations Record
18th Army Operations
Volume IV (September 1944 - June 1945) Defense operations Army
41 Southeast Area Operations Record
18th Army Operations
Volume V (June 1945 - March 1946) Defense operations Army
42 Southeast Area Operations Record
18th Army Operations
Chart Supplement (1943-1945) Defense operations Army
43 Southeast Area Operations Record
18th Army Operations
Map Supplement Deleted, maps combined with 37-41
44 History of the Eighth Area Army (November 1952 - August 1945) Defense operations Army
45 History of Imperial General HQ, Army Section (1941 - 1945) Over-all operations Army
46 Aleutians Operations Record (June 1942 - July 1943) Invasion and Defense operations Army
47 Northern Area Monthly Combat Reports (January - May 1943) Defense operations Army
48 Central Pacific Operations Record Volume I (December 1941 - August 1945) Invasion and Defense operations Army
49 Central Pacific Operations Record Volume II (April - November 1944) Defense operations Army
50 Central Pacific Air Operations Record (1944 - 1945) Defense operations Army Air Force
51 Iwo Jima and Ryukyu Islands Air Operations (February - June 1945) Defense operations Army Air Force
52 Formosa Area Operations Record (1943 - 1945) Defense operations Army
53 3rd Army Operations in Okinawa (March - June 1945) Defense operations Army
54 Malay Operations Record (November 1941 - March 1942) Invasion operations Army
55 Southeast Area Air Operations Record Phase I (November 1941 - February 1942) Invasion operations Army Air Force
56 Southeast Area Air Operations Record Phase II (July 1942 - June 1944) Offensive operations Army Air Force
57 Burma Operations Record Phase I (November 1941 - December 1942) Invasion operations Army
58 Burma Operations Record Phase II (1943 — 1944) Offensive operations Army
59a Burma Operations Record Phase III (1944 - 1945) Defense operations Army
59b Burma Operations Record Phase III (April 1944 - August 1945) Defense operations Army
60a Burma Operations Record Map Supplement Deleted - combined with No. 57 Army
60b Burma Operations Record Map Supplement Deleted - combined with No. 58 Army
61 Burma Operations Record Supplement No. 2 (October - November 1943) Defense operations Army
62 Burma Operations Record Supplement No. 2 (April 1944 - January 1945) Defense operations Army
63 Burma Operations Record Map Supplement Deleted - maps included with No. 62 Army
64 Burma Air Operations Record (January 1942 - August 1945) Over-all operations Army Air Force
65 Southeast Area Air Operations Record Phase III (July 1944 - August 1945) Defense operations Army Air Force
66 The Invasion of the Netherlands East Indies (November 1941 - March 1942) Invasion operations Army
67 Palembang and Bangka Islands Operations Record (January - February 1942) Invasion operations Army
68 Report On Installations and Captured Weapons, Java and Singapore 1942 Army
69 Java-Sumatra Area Air Operations Record (December 1941 - March 1942) Invasion operations Army Air Force
70 China Area Operations Record (Revised) (July 1937 - November 1941) Invasion operations Army
71 Army Operations in China (December 1941 - December 1943) Offensive operations Army
72 Army Operations in China (January 1944 - August 1945) Offensive operations Army
73 Combat in the Tao-Erh-Chuang Area (February - June 1938) Offensive operations Army
74 Operations in the Kun-Lun-Kuan Area (November 1939 - February 1940) Offensive operations Army
75 Operations at Changsha Deleted - contents included in No. 70
76 AIR OPERATIONS IN THE CHINA AREA (July 1937 - August 1945) Over-all coverage Army Air Force
77 Japanese preparations for Operations in Manchuria (1931–1942) Plans and preparations Army
78 The Kwantung Army in the Manchurian Campaign (1941–1945) Plans and preparations Army
79 Burma and Andaman Invasion Naval Operations (March - April 1942) Invasion operations Navy
79A Sumatra Invasion and Southwest Area Naval Mopping-Up Operations (January - May 1942) Invasion operations Navy
80 Operational Situation of the Japanese Navy in the Philippines Invasion Operations (December 1941) Invasion operations Naval Air Force
81 Philippines Area Naval Operations Part III (December 1944 - January 1945) Defense operations Navy
82 Philippines Area Naval Operations Part I (January - September 1944) Defense preparations Naval Air Force
83 Okinawa Area Naval Operations (January - June 1945) Defense operations Naval Air Force
84 Philippines Area Naval Operations Part II (October - December 1944) Defense preparations Navy
85 Preparations for Operations in Defense of the Homeland (July 1944 - July 1945) Plans and preparations Navy
86 5th Air Fleet Operations (February - August 1945) Defense operations Naval Air Force
87 Western New Guinea and North of Australia Area Naval Operations (April - September 1944) Defense operations Navy
88 Aleutian Naval Operations (March 1942 - February 1943) Offensive operations Navy
89 Northern Area Naval Operations (February 1943 - August 1945) Defense operations Navy
90 The "A-Go" Operations (May - June 1944) Defense operations Navy
91 The "A-Go" Operations LOG, supplement (May - June 1944) Defense operations Navy
92 Southwest Area Naval Operations (April 1942 - April 1944) Consolidation Navy
93 Midway Operations (May - June 1942) Offensive operations Navy
94 Iwo Jima Operation (February - March 1945) Defense operations Naval Air Force
95 Submarine Operations in the Philippines Area (September 1944 - March 1945) Defense operations Navy
96 Eastern New Guinea Invasion Operations (March - September 1942) Invasion operations Navy
97 Pearl Harbor Operations: General Outline of Orders and Plans (5 November - 2 December 1941) Offensive operations Navy
98 Southeast Area Naval Operations Part I Defense operations Navy
99 Southeast Area Naval Operations Part II (February - October 1943) Defense operations Navy
100 Southeast Area Naval Operations Part III (October 1943 - February 1944) Defense operations Naval Air Force
101 Naval Operations in the Invasion of Netherlands East Indies (December 1941 - March 1942) Invasion operation Navy
102 Submarine Operations (December 1941 - April 1942) Offensive operations Navy
103 Outline of Administration in Occupied Areas (1942 - 1945) Consolidation Army
104 Sources of Materials Used in Preparation of Japanese Monographs Army
105 General Summary of Naval Operations Southern Force (November 1941 - April 1942) Offensive operations Navy
106 Naval Operations Against Soviet Russia (1941 - 1945) Plans and preparations Navy
107 Malaya Invasion Naval Operations (Revised) (December 1941 - February 1942) Invasion operations Navy
108 Submarine Operations in First Phase Operations (December 1941 - April 1942) Offensive operations Navy
109 Homeland Defense Naval Operations Part I (December 1941 - March 1943) Plans and preparation Navy
110 Submarine Operations in Second Phase Operations Part I (April - August 1942) Offensive operations Navy
111 Submarine Operations in Second Phase Operations Part II (August 1942 - March 1943) Defense operations Navy
112 Southeast Area Naval Operations Part IV (February - April 1944) Defense operations Navy
113 Task Force Operations (November 1941 - April 1942) Offensive Operation Naval Air Force
114 Philippine Area Naval Operations Part IV (January - August 1945) Defense operations Navy
115 Borneo Area Naval Operation (February - July 1945) Defense operations Navy
116 The Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II (1941 - 1945) Navy
117 Outline of Third Phase Operations (February 1943 - August 1945) Defense operations Navy
118 Operational History of Naval Communications (December 1941 - August 1945) Navy
119 Outline of Operations prior to the Termination of War and activities connected with the Cessation of Hostilities (July - August 1945) Surrender Navy
120 Outline of Southeast Area Naval Air Operations Part I (December 1941 - August 1942) Invasion operations Naval Air Force
121 Outline of Southeast Area Naval Air Operations Part II (August - October 1942) Offensive operations Naval Air Force
122 Outline of Southeast Area Naval Air Operations Part III (November 1942 - June 1943) Defensive Operations Naval Air Force
123 Homeland Defense Naval Operations Part II (March 1943 - August 1945) Defense operations Navy
124 Homeland Defense Naval Operations Part III (June 1944 - August 1945) Defense operations Naval Air Force
125 SURFACE ESCORT OPERATIONS December 1941 - August 1945) Over-all operations Navy
126 BORNEO OPERATIONS RECORD Volume II Deleted - material included in No. 26
127 Southeast Area Operations Record Part IV (November 1942 - August 1945) Defense operations Army
128 Southeast Area Operations Record Supplement,
Part IV
(September 1943 - April 1944) Defense operations Army
129 China Area Operations Record Command of the China Expeditionary Army (August 1943 - August 1945) Offensive operations Army
130 Burma Operations Record Sixth Area Army Operations (July 1944 - August 1945) Offensive operations Army
131 Burma Operations Record Operations in Hukawng Area (August 1943 - July 1944) Defense operations Army
132 Burma Operations Record 28th Army Operations in Akyab Area (November 1943 - September 1945) Defense operations Army
133 Burma Operations Record Outline of Burma Area Line of Communications (1943 - 1945) Logistic Operations Army
134 Burma Operations Record 15th Army Operations in Imphal Area and Withdrawal to Northern Burma (January 1943 - January 1945) Over-all operations Army
135 Okinawa Operations Record (March - June 1945) Defense operations Army
136 North of Australia Operations Record (January 1944 - August 1945) Defense operations Army
137 Philippines Operations Record Phase III, Volume IV, General Outline of Mindoro Operations (September 1944 - August 1945) Defense operations Army
138 Japanese preparations for Operations in Manchuria (January, 1943 - August 1945) Plans and preparations Army
139 Outline of South Seas Naval Operations and General Situation (December 1941 - March 1943) Invasion operations Navy
140 Outline of Southeast Area Naval Air Operations Part IV (July - November 1943) Offensive operations Naval Air Force
141 Okinawa Area Naval Operations Supplement (January - August 1945) Deleted, combined with No. 83.
142 Outline of Southeast Area Naval Air Operations Part V (December 1943 - May 1944) Defense operations Naval Air Force
143 Southeast Area Operations Record Part I (January - May 1942) Invasion operations Army
144 Political Strategy Prior to Outbreak of War Part I (September 1931 - January 1940)
145 Outline of Naval Armament and Preparations for War Part I (1922 - 1934) Plans and preparations Navy
146 Political Strategy Prior to Outbreak of War Part II (January - December 1940)
147 Political Strategy Prior to Outbreak of War Part III (January - December 1941)
148 Burma Area Operations Record 33rd Army Operations (April 1944 - August 1945) Defense operations Army
149 Outline of Naval Armament and Preparations for War Part II (1934 - 1939) Plans and preparations Navy
150 Political Strategy Prior to Outbreak of War Part IV (January - December 1941)
151 Air Operations Record Against Soviet Russia (June 1941 - September 1945) Plans and preparations Army Air Force
152 Political Strategy Prior to Outbreak of War Part V (1940 - 1941) Plans and preparations Navy
153 Homeland Operations Record Volume IV
Operations in Karafuto and China Area
(9–22 August 1945) Defense operations Army
154 Record of Operations against Soviet Russia Eastern Front Archived 2012-09-11 at the Wayback Machine (August 1945) Defense operations Army
155 Record of Operations against Soviet Russia Northern and Western Fronts (August - September 1945) Defense operations Army
156 Historical Review of Landing Operations of Japanese Forces (1904 - 1945) Offensive operations Army
157 Homeland Air Defense Operations Record (Revised) (July 1944 - August 1945) Defense operations Army Air Force
158 Homeland Air Defense Operations Record CENTRAL SECTOR Material included with No. 157
159 Homeland Air Defense Operations Record WESTERN SECTOR Material included with No. 157
160 Outline of Naval Armament and Preparations for War Part III (1939 -1941) Plans and preparations Navy
161 Inner South Sea Islands Area Naval Operations Part I, Gilbert Islands (November 1941 - November 1943) Offensive operations Navy
162 Southwest Area Operations Record (April 1944 - August 1945) Defense operations Army
163 Submarine Operations in Third Phase Operations Part I (March - November 1943) Offensive operations Navy
164 Railway Operations Record (1941 - 1945) Transportation Operations Army
165 Java Operations Record Part II (Early 1944 - August 1945) Plans and preparations Army
166 China Incident Naval Air Operations (July - November 1937) Offensive operations Naval Air Force
167 Malay Operations Record (January 1944 - August 1945) Defense preparations Army
168 Homeland Antiaircraft Defense Operations Record Tokai Sector (December 1944 - August 1945) Defense preparations Army
169 Outline of Naval Armament and Preparations for War Part IV (1942) Naval Construction Navy
170 Homeland Antiaircraft Defense Operations Record Kanto Sector (June 1944 - August 1945) Defense preparations Army
171 Submarine Operations in Third Phase Operations Part II (November 1943 - March 1944) Offensive operations Navy
172 Outline of Naval Armament and Preparations for War Part V (March 1943 - April 1945) Naval Construction Navy
173 Inner South Seas Islands Area Naval Operations Part II Marshall Islands (December 1941 - February 1944) Defense operations Navy
174 Outline of Naval Armament and Preparations for War Part VI (March - June 1945) Defense operations Navy
175 Homeland Antiaircraft Defense Operations Record Central Sector (September 1944 - July 1945) Defense preparations Army
176 Homeland Antiaircraft Defense Operations Record Western Sector (June 1944 - August 1945) Defense preparations Army
177 Thailand Operations Record (1941 - 1945) Over-all operations Army
178 China Area Operations Record North China (July 1937 - May 1941) Offensive operations Army
179 China Area Operations Record Central China (1937 - 1941) Offensive operations Army
180 China Area Operations Record South China (1937 - 1941) Offensive operations Army
181
182
183
184 Submarine Operations in Third Phase Operations Part III
Part IV
Part V
(March 1944 - August 1945) Defense operations Navy
185 Sumatra Operations Record 25th Army (March 1942 - August 1945) Over-all operations Army

List of studies on Manchuria

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Vol. Study
I Japanese Operational Planning against the USSR (1932–1945)
II Imperial Japanese Army in Manchuria (1894–1945) Historical Summary
III Strategic Study On Manchuria Military Topography and Geography Terrain Study
IV Air Operations (1931–1945) Plans and Preparations
V Infantry Operations
VI Armor Operations
VII Supporting Arms and Services
VIII Logistics in Manchuria
IX Climatic Factors
X Japanese Intelligence Planning against the USSR (1934–1941)
XI Small Wars and Border Problems
XII Anti-Bandit Operation (1931–1941)
XIII Study of Strategic and Tactical Peculiarities of Far Eastern Russia and Soviet Eastern Forces (1931–1945)

Notes

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  1. ^ a b Phillips, S. (2004) The Sino-Japanese War, 1937-1945 : The Military Struggle -Research Guide and Bibliography
  2. ^ The Japanese Monographs, Prepared by the Military History Section of the Headquarters, Army Forces East, Distributed by the Office of the Chief of Military History, Department of the Army
  3. ^ a b Guide to Japanese Monographs and Japanese Studies on Manchuria 1945-1960, Office of the Chief of Military History, U.S. Department of the Army, Washington, 1962, 1980.
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