33rd Division (Japan)

33rd Division
Soldiers of the 33rd division occupying the oilfields at Yenangyaung, 1942
Active	1939–1944
Country	Empire of Japan
Branch	Imperial Japanese Army
Type	Infantry
Role	Garrison
Size	Division
Garrison/HQ
Nickname(s)	Bow Division
Engagements	First Battle of Changsha Battle of Yenangyaung Battle of Imphal
Commanders
Notable commanders	Shozo Sakurai

The 33rd Division (第33師団, Dai-sanjūsan Shidan) was an infantry division of the Imperial Japanese Army. Its call sign was the Bow Division (弓兵団, Yumi Heidan). The 33rd Division was raised in Utsunomiya, , simultaneously with 32nd, 34th, 35th, 36th and 37th Divisions. Its headquarters were initially in Sendai. It was raised from conscripts largely from the northern Kantō prefecturers of , Ibaraki and Gunma.

Initially the 33rd division was assigned to the 11th army in central China and sent to Hubei. It saw combat at the First Battle of Changsha from 14 September 1939. In April 1941, the 33rd division was transferred to Shanxi, and its reconnaissance regiment was disbanded.

The 33rd division was transferred to the 15th army on 6 November 1941, and took part in the invasion of British Burma, under Lieutenant General Shozo Sakurai. Initially 33rd division have landed in Bangkok in January 1942 and proceed inland. It lost a battalion at the Battle of Yenangyaung, but completed the conquest of Burma in May 1942 nonetheless. Later in December 1942, the 33rd division was instrumental to defeat an Allied forces in a Arakan Campaign 1942–43.