Die Spezial Marinelandekräfte (SLKM; 海軍特別陸戦隊 Kaigun Tokubetsu Riku Sentai) waren die Infanterieeinheiten der Kaiserlich Japanischen Marine und waren Teil der Bodenstreitkräfte der Marine. Sie kamen im Zweiten Japanisch-Chinesischer Krieg und im Pazifikkrieg 1941 - 1945 zum Einsatz.
|
Spezial Marinelandekräfte | |
|---|---|
 Flagge der japanischen Streitkräfte | |
| Aktiv | 1932 bis 1945 |
| Staat |  Japanisches Kaiserreich
|
| Streitkräfte |  Kaiserlich Japanische Marine
|
| Teilstreitkraft | Spezial Landekräfte der Marine (SLKM) |
| Typ | Infanterie, Fallschirmjäger |
| Ehemalige Standorte | Kure, Maizuru, Sasebo, Yokosuka Shanghai, Hankou |
| Schlachten | Zweiter Japanisch-Chinesischer Krieg Zweiter Weltkrieg |
Geschichte
Seit der späten Meiji Ära hatte die japanische Marine Streitkräfte für Landungsunternehmen (陸戦隊 (Riku Sentai)), die aus Schiffsbesatzungen, die eine besondere Infanterieausbildung bekommen hatten und bei Spezial- oder temporären Einsätzen zur Verwendung kamen. Darüber hinaus konnten Truppen der Kaiheidan genannten Truppen Marinestützpunkte eine Marinelandungstruppe bilden. Kaiheidan (海兵団, Marinekorps) waren Einheiten der kaiserlichen japanischen Marine, die hauptsächlich für die Ausbildung von Mannschaften und Unteroffizieren verantwortlich waren. Insbesondere schulten sie die neuen Rekruten, nachdem sie von den örtlichen Rekrutierungszentren in ganz Japan rekrutiert worden waren. Jeder der vier Marinebezirke (Yokosuka, Kure, Sasebo und Maizuru) hatte seinen eigenen Kaiheidan. Darüber hinaus fungierten sie auch als Basisverteidigungsstreitkräfte.[1]
Diese Truppen in den Marinebezirken Kure und Maizuru wurden nach dem Washingtoner Flottenabkommen von 1922 deaktiviert und 1939 wieder reaktiviert während die Truppen in Sasebo und Yokosuka weiterhin bestenden und Teile von ihnen 1927 unter dem Namen Shanghai Marinelandungstruppe zusammengefasst und in der Schlacht um Shanghai im Jahre 1932 eingesetzt. Danach, im Oktober 1932, wurde die Shanghai Marinelandungstruppe offiziell aufgestellt und die erste Einheit der SLKM. 1936 wurden auch die SLKM Einheiten der Marinebasen offiziell gegründet und in der zweiten Schlacht um Shanghai im Jahre 1937 und vielen anderen Schlachten und Aktionen im Zweiten Japanisch-Chinesischen Krieg eingesetzt.[2]
Die Stärke de einelnen Einheiten der SKLM betrug zwischen 200 bis zu über 3.000 Mann. Fast alle Einheiten waren Battailone mit einer variierenden Anzahl von Kompanien.
Die SLKM waren keine Marineinfanteristen sondern Seeleute, die eine Grundausbildung im Infanteriekampf bekommen hatten und seit dem Russisch-Japanischen Krieg und dem Boxeraufstand wurden sie bei Landungsoperationen eingesetzt.[2]
In 1941, the 1st and 3rd Yokosuka SLKM were converted to Fallschirmjägereinheiten. The SLKM paratroopers were successfully used during the attack on Celebes and the Schlacht von Manado. Aside from the paratroopers, there were also planned elite units to conduct reconnaissance and raid operations.
Like all landing forces they often experienced heavy casualties when faced with determined resistance, such as at the Schlacht um die Milne-Bucht. This was due to their poor training and unwillingness to surrender, and when completely out of ammunition, they sometimes resorted to hand-to-hand fighting with their swords and bayonets. After the failure to capture Milne Bay the Special Naval Landing Forces became a defensive force and very few units were raised. Naval Guard Units became much more common IJN infantry units in the Pacific.
The SLKM gained the distinction of being the first foreign forces to establish a foothold on American soil since the Britisch-Amerikanischer Krieg 1812, when troops of the Maizuru 3rd SLKM landed on Kiska, Alaska without opposition on June 6, 1942 and occupied the island as part of the Schlacht um die Aleuten during World War II. After a year of occupation, with reinforcements from thousands of Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) soldiers, they completely evacuated on July 28, 1943 two weeks before Allied forces landed.
In a well known last stand in 1943, approximately 1,700 men of the 7th Sasebo SLKM and 2,000 base personnel (mostly the 3rd Special Base Force) at the Schlacht um die Gilbertinseln accounted for over 3,000 U.S. Marine Corps casualties.
Einheiten
Infanterie Einheiten
- Marinewerft Kure
- 1. Kure SLKM-At Hainan Naval District, 3rd China Fleet
- 2. Kure SLKM
- 3. Kure SLKM
- 5. Kure SLKM
- 6. Kure SLKM
- 7. Kure SLKM
- Marinewerft Maizuru
- 1. Maizuru SLKM
- 2. Maizuru SLKM
- 4. Maizuru SLKM
- 5. Maizuru SLKM
- Marinewerft Sasebo
- 1. Sasebo SLKM
- 2. Sasebo SLKM-Under 32nd Special Base Force, 3rd Fleet
- 5. Sasebo SLKM
- 6. Sasebo SLKM
- 7. Sasebo SLKM
- 8. Sasebo SLKM
- Sasebo kombiniertes SLKM (Combined 1. and 2. Sasebo SLKM)
- Marinewerft Yokosuka
Organigramm der 1. und 3. Yokosuka SLKM von 1941 bis 1943.[3] - 1st Yokosuka SLKM (Originally an SLKM Para formation)
- 2nd Yokosuka SLKM (Originally an SLKM Para formation)
- 3rd Yokosuka SLKM (Originally an SLKM Para formation)
- 4th Yokosuka SLKM
- 5th Yokosuka SLKM
- 6th Yokosuka SLKM
- 7th Yokosuka SLKM
Schutztruppen für zivile Häfen
- Shanghai SLKM (~2000 men): special naval guard based in Shanghai port, China belonged in China Theater Fleet.
- Hankou SLKM: detachment of the Shanghai SLKM. (Unofficially known as SLKM).
Fallschirmjäger
siehe auch Japanische Fallschirmjäger
- Yokosuka Naval Base
Einheiten mit gepanzerten Fahrzeugen
- Shanghai SLKM Tank Company
- Milne Tank Platoon of Kure 5th SLKM
- Tarawa Tank Unit of Sasebo 7th SLKM
- Navy tank unit Yokosuka 1st SLKM
- Itoh Armored Detachment SLKM (unofficial SLKM)
Training
- Kaiheidan at the main bases of Kure, Maizuru, Sasebo and Yokosuka provided basic infantry training to all new navy recruits.
- Tateyama IJN Ordnance School provided ground and armor training for naval personal.
- Amphibious armor school: Established in the IJN aquatic armour unit at Q-Base on Nasake-jima island in 1943 and the first trained units were sent to Rabaul (New Guinea) and the Marshall Islands in October of same year. Later units were sent to Saipan, Shimushu and Palau.Vorlage:Sfn
Uniformen
Service dress
The uniforms of SLKM troops were exactly the same as those worn by members of the Imperial Japanese Navy Land Forces. The single exception was the SLKM Paratroopers who had their own specialized uniforms.
When on board ships, the sailors of the SLKM wore their standard IJN blue or white uniforms, but on land the SLKM wore a uniform similar to that of the Imperial Japanese Army. Originally they wore their shipboard dress during ground combat as well, but in the mid 1930s it was replaced with a specialized land uniform. The land uniform consisted of a green single breasted tunic with a stand and fall collar with three buttons which ran down the front, which is often referred to as Rikusenfuku (陸戦服). These uniforms were also worn by regular Naval troops temporarily deployed on land. The SLKM usually wore this uniform with the collar open over the IJN's white trimmed teeshirt, or a heat resistant khaki button-up shirt later in the war. Towards the end of the war, the three-button uniform was replaced by a similar four-button green uniform known as the Class III (三種), which was intended to be the standard combat dress for all members of the Imperial Japanese Navy. In the final stages of the war, what was left of the SLKM could be seen wearing the previously mentioned uniforms, a green five button work uniform, or even a button-up undershirt and trousers. Officers wore their uniform with a shirt and tie, sometimes omitting the tie during combat or in hot weather. The tie was originally dark blue, but was later changed to green. Green long trousers or pantaloons were worn as standard along with the wool puttees or canvas gaiters for enlisted and leather gaiters for officers. All, except mounted troops (who wore breeches and high leather boots), wore this uniform with horsehide, pigskin or leather ankle-boots.
SLKM Paratroopers wore two types of green uniform made from rip stop parachute silk with built in bandoleers and cargo pockets, being better designed than other paratrooper models of the time.
Originally, green rank insignia was used for SLKM officers. These were worn on either shoulder boards or collar tabs. Enlisted men wore red on green, or red on blue round ratings on the upper sleeves. Later the standard black Japanese Naval collar rank was adopted and worn by officers. The enlisted men went to a black on yellow shield rating. During the war, most enlisted men wore a cloth name tag affixed above their left or right breast pocket bearing information such as their name, rank and unit.
The ankle boots had either a hobnailed hard leather sole with metal heel J-cleat or a rubber sole with rubber cleats. When off duty, sailors could wear tabis, although they sometimes wore them in combat as well.
SLKM officers were not usually issued uniforms so they had to procure their own, thus there was a wide variety in the details, color and texture of their uniforms, with uniform colors ranging from pale to dark green. Collars were stiffer and materials were of a higher quality.
Helme
The SLKM used a mix of models.
- Adrian helmet - These included two variations of an Adrian-styled army helmet, the first which had a metal anchor on the front and was nicked-named the "star vent" helmet as it had several open vents on the top in the shape of a star. The second variation was an improved star vent helmet with a metal sakura attached above the vents to prevent rainwater from entering the helmet. The Type 1 star vent and sakura helmets continued to be sporadically used by rear units until about 1941.
- Brodie style - an IJN navy-designed prototype helmet bearing some resemblance to the Brodie helmet, and was extensively utilized during the January 28 incident.
- Type 90 Army helmet - Army issue Type 90 helmets were also occasionally seen in use during the early to mid 1930s. In 1932 the IJN adopted their own version of the IJA's Type 90 helmet and gave it the designation of 'Type 2'. The previously aforementioned star vent, sakura and navy prototype helmets were then grouped under the designation of Type 1. The new Type 2 helmet was officially called tetsubo (steel cap) but was called tetsukabuto ("steel helmet") by troops. It was made in the shape of a dome with a short protruding rim all the way around it evenly, unlike the frontally flared rim on the IJN's Type 1 helmets. This helmet was made of a thin inferior chrome-molybdenum steel with many proving to be fragile, being easily pierced by shrapnel and/or gunfire. An anchor for the IJN was fixed to the front with two bendable prongs attached to the back of the badge. They passed through a slit in the front of the shell and were then bent over to secure the badge to the helmet. The helmet and anchor were then painted in an earth brown color. Late into the war the IJN simplified their helmet production and removed the metal anchor from the design, replacing it with a rivet and a yellow anchor painted on the front. A tan cover known as a first pattern was adopted around the middle of 1938, it featured a two layer, fiber reinforced olive linen cover with a wool/felt two piece anchor sewn on the front. The second pattern cover had a one piece embroidered anchor insignia sewn on the front. The third pattern was further simplified with a bevo woven anchor insignia sewn onto its front. Nets were then used to add a camo effect. The helmet was secured to the head by an elaborate set of straps descended from those of the Kabuto samurai helmet, although IJN helmet tapes were tied differently from the way the IJA tied them. It was also able to be worn over a field cap, which was commonly done in the field for comfort. Camouflage nets were widely worn over the helmet especially in the Southern theatre and Pacific island campaign.
Sonstiges
The SLKM carried a variety of items, some of it IJN produced material and others being borrowed from the IJA.
- Ammunition belt – A leather belt with a brass buckle was worn by enlisted members of the SLKM. For riflemen it carried two front ammunition pouches and a rear pouch with an oiler, along with a bayonet attached to the left side. Secondary support troops in the SLKM generally wore the belt with only a bayonet attached on the left side, accompanied by a pistol holster secured by a secondary belt that went over the right shoulder.
- Haversack – Enlisted troops were issued a haversack similar to IJA troops, but the material differed and it was a slightly smaller size. The haversack was normally worn with the strap tucked under their ammunition belt on the left hip, and carried rations and items necessary for daily use.
- Canteen – The Japanese Navy issue canteen, distinct in appearance from the IJA canteen, was standard for all SLKM troops. The canteen had a metal body with a khaki or olive green canvas cover, along with an aluminum cap that was gold, silver or black in color, connected to a shoulder strap by a small chain. For enlisted men the canteen was commonly worn on the right hip and with the strap tucked under the ammunition belt.
- First aid kit – Most of the SLKM troops were initially intended to carry a small medical pouch marked with a red cross on the top, held by an adjustable shoulder strap. Inside were medical items for troops to conduct emergency first aid if an injury were to occur during combat.
- Gas mask – Some troops carried a Japanese Navy issue gas mask with them. The gas mask was stored in a canvas bag secured by a small belt. A flexible tube ran from the gas mask to a canister worn on the back with adjustable canvas straps supporting it. The two common gas masks were the Type 93 and Type 97, which saw use by the SLKM extensively during the late 1930s, with sporadic use continuing throughout the entire Pacific War.
- Signal Flags – In SLKM units some of the troops were issued two signal flags, one red and one white, stored in a canvas pouch worn on the belt. These flags were intended to be used for communication with Japanese aircraft operating within the area.
- Bugle – The SLKM initially had many troops carry bugles for communication, though this practice became less common in late war units. They carried the same three-looped Type 90 bugle as the IJA and in some cases older double-looped bugles predating the Type 90. Unlike the IJA who held their bugles sideways while playing, SLKM held their bugles straight.
- Heat Resistant Fatigues – Light-khaki cotton fatigues consisting of an open collared three button tunic with a single breast pocket along with shorts were adopted as a work uniform for hot weather, though in some rare circumstances these were also worn in combat. The fatigues were often worn with white tube socks and a white cotton navy cap or a khaki bucket hat.
- Tenugui (手ぬぐい) is a multi purpose cloth or towel in the Japanese culture, usually made of white cloth, printed with an anchor or patriotic phrases often accompanied by patriotic symbols as well. These were sometimes worn under the helmet or during work as a "Hachimaki" (鉢巻) headband.
- Senninbari (千人針) were a red-sash 1,000 stitch belt sometimes worn around the waist of their uniforms. They were supposed to bring good luck, confer courage, and make the wearer immune from bullets.
Geschütze
- 75 mm Regimentsgeschütz
- 70mm Typ 92 Geschütz
- 76 mm Schiffsgeschütz auf Radlafette
- Typ 97 81-mm-Infanterie-Mörser
- Typ 11 37-mm-Infanteriegeschütz
- 37-mm-Panzerabwehrkanone Typ 94
- Typ 1 37-mm-Pak
- 47-mm-Panzerabwehrkanone Typ 1
- Type 92 13.2 mm Maschinengewehr auf Doppellafette
- 25 mm Schiffsgeschütz für Landeinsatz
Panzer
- Type 88 tankette (Carden-Loyd Tankette)
- Typ 92 Jū-Sōkōsha Typ 92 Schwerer Panzerwagen
- Typ 89 I-Gō mittlerer Panzer
- Typ 95 Ha-Gō leichter Panzer
- Typ 97 Chi-Ha mittlerer Panzer
- Typ 97 Shinhōtō Chi-Ha mittlerer Panzer
- Typ 97 Shinhōtō Chi-Ha mit 120 mm Geschütz
- Typ 2 Amphibienpanzer Ka-Mi
- Type 3 Amphibienpanzer Ka-Chi
- Typ 5 Amphibienpanzer To-Ku - nur Prototypen
Gepanzerte Fahrzeuge
- Typ 4 Ka-Tsu amphibischer Panzerwagen
- Type 2592 Chiyoda Panzerwagen
- Sumida Typ 91 Panzerwagen
- Panzerwagen Typ 93 Type 2593 Hokoku, Type 93 Kokusanor or "Type 92" naval armored car
- Vickers Crossley Panzerwagen
Amphibische und Land LKW
- Kurogane Type 95
- Toyota Amphibien-LKW "Su-Ki"
Infanteriewaffen
- Type 92 Maschinengewehr
- 13.2 mm Hotchkiss schweres Maschinengewehr
- Schweres Maschinengewehr Typ 3
- Schweres Maschinengewehr Typ 92
- Typ 11 Leichtes Maschinengewehr
- Arisaka Gewehre
- Typ I Rifle
- Hamada Pistole, Nambu Pistole Typ 14 and Typ 26 Revolver
- Sugiura Pistole
- MP 18 Maschinenpistole
- Typ 100 Maschinenpistole
- Model 2 Maschinenpistole
- Typ 89 Granatwerfer
- Typ 97 Handgranate
- Granatwerfer
- Gewehrgranaten
- Flammenwerfer
- Guntō Schwerter
Siehe auch
Literatur
- Mike Hewitt: Uniforms and Equipment of the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. Schiffer Publishing Ltd; Illustrated Edition, 2002, ISBN 0-7643-1680-X (englisch).
- L. Klemen: Japanese Uniforms, 1941-1942. In: Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941-1942. 1999 (englisch).
- L. Klemen: Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941–1942. 2000 (englisch).
- Militärgeschichtliches Büro, Verteidigungsforschungsinstitut, Verteidigungsbehörde: Army and Navy Chronology, Commentary on Weapons and Military Terms. Asakumo Shimbun Publishing, 1980 (japanisch).
- Militärgeschichtliches Büro, National Defense College: Naval War Prepares - After the Beginn of the War. Asagumo Shimbun (War History Series), 1975 (japanisch).
- Tadao Nakata, Thomas B. Nelson: Imperial Japanese Army and Navy Uniforms and Equipment. Ironside International Publishers,U.S., 1989, ISBN 978-0-935554-04-5 (englisch).
- Gordon L. Rottman, Akira Takizawa: World War II Japanese Tank Tactics. Osprey Publishing, 2008, ISBN 978-1-84603-234-9 (englisch).
- Akira Takizawa: Taki's Imperial Japanese Army Page. 2021 (englisch).
- Yaklitch, Alsleben & Takizawa: Japanese Special Naval Landing Forces. In: The Netherlands East Indies 1941-1942. (englisch).
- Steven J. Zaloga: Japanese Tanks 1939–45. Osprey Publishing, 2007, ISBN 978-1-84603-091-8 (englisch).
Einzelnachweise
- ↑ Vorlage:Cite magazine
- ↑ a b Pacific Files
- ↑ Leland Ness: Rikugun: Guide to Japanese Ground Forces 1937-1945: Volume 1. Helion and Company, 2015 (englisch).
- ↑ a b Graham Donaldson: The Japanese paratroopers in the Dutch East Indies, 1941-1942. In: Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941-1942. 1999 (englisch).