Following are the units and commanders involved in the Hainan Island Operation, fought 10 February 1939 as part of a campaign by the Empire of Japan during the Second Sino-Japanese War to blockade the Guangdong mainland of the Republic of China and prevent it from communicating with the outside world and from receiving imports of much-needed arms and materials.
Japan
Hainan Conquest Forces
Vice Admiral Kondō Nobutake
Ground
4th Base Force [IJN]
Yokosuka 4th SNLF
Kure 6th SNLF
Sasebo 8th SNLF
5th Garrison Unit [IJA]
Taiwan Mixed Brigade
Major Gen. Iida
Taiwan 1st Infantry Regiment
Taiwan 2nd Infantry Regiment
Taiwan Mountain Gun Regiment
Naval
Cruisers
1 Myoko-class heavy cruiser (10 × 8-in. main battery, 16 × 24-in. torpedo tubes, 33.75 knots) Myoko (flagship) 2 Nagara-class light cruisers (7 × 5.5-in. main battery, 8 × 24-in. torpedo tubes, 36 knots) Nagara Natori 23rd Destroyer Group 4 Mutsuki-class destroyers (4 × 4.7-in. main battery, 6 × Type 12 torpedo tubes, 37.25 knots) Mochizuki, Mutsuki, , 28th Destroyer Group 2 Kamikaze (1922)-class destroyers (4 × 4.7-in. main battery, 6 × 21-in. torpedo tubes, 37.25 knots) Yūnagi, Asanagi 45th Destroyer Group 2 Kamikaze (1905)-class destroyers (2 × 12-pdr. main battery, 2 × 18-in. torpedo tubes, 29 knots) , 12th Minesweeper Group 1st Air Sentai 1 fleet carrier: Akagi 1 light carrier: Chiyoda 1st Air Unit 14th Kōkūtai 16th Kōkūtai
China
Defense of Hainan
Wang Yi
5th Security Brigade – Wang Yi
2 Security Regiments – About 1,600 men
7 Guard Battalions (newly formed from residents) – 1,750 men
Communist Independent Battalion – 300 men
Xiuying Battery Garrisons (still undergoing organization) – 250 men
Sources
Hainan Island
Hainan Island
