51st Division (Imperial Japanese Army)
| 51st Division | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1940–1945 |
| Country | Japan |
| Branch |
 Imperial Japanese Army
|
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | 16000 |
| Garrison/HQ | |
| Nickname(s) | Base division |
| Engagements |
Second Sino-Japanese War Battle of Hong Kong Battle of the Bismarck Sea New Guinea campaign |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Yi Un Hidemitsu Nakano |
The 51st Division (第51師団 Dai-gojūichi Shidan?) was an infantry division of the Imperial Japanese Army. Its call sign was the Base Division (基兵団 Moto Heidan?).It was formed on 10 July 1940 at , simultaneously with 52nd, 54th, 55th, 56th, and 57th divisions. The 51st division was initially assigned to the Eastern District Army and placed under command of Lieutenant General Kenichiro Ueno.
To participate in the (actually a mobilization for the possible large-scale conflict with the Soviet Union) 2 July 1941 Prince Yi Un took over as commander of the division, leading them to China when they were transferred to the Kwantung Army in August 1941. The preparations for the war with the Soviet Union were officially cancelled 9 August 1941 though. In September 1941, the 51st division was transferred to Guangdong under command of 23rd army. Araki detachment of the 51st division, comprising 66th infantry regiment was used that time for the rearguard duties in Battle of Hong Kong. In November 1941, Yi Un handed over command to Lieutenant General Hidemitsu Nakano, who would remain in command of the division until after the end of the war.
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