Combat troops of the U.S. Army are classified by the weapons and methods used in combat:
- There were 5 types of divisions: infantry, mountain, armored, airborne, and cavalry.
- 91 divisions were mobilized during the war: 68 infantry divisions, 1 mountain division, 16 armored divisions, 5 airborne divisions, and 2 cavalry divisions.
What country had the most casualties in World War 2?
World War II Countries With Most Death Casualties
- Soviet Union. The vast Soviet Union, also known as the USSR, was a collection of Communist states spearheaded by Russia.
- China. ...
- Nazi Germany. ...
- Poland. ...
- Dutch East Indies. ...
- India. ...
- Japan. ...
- French Indochina. ...
- Yugoslavia. ...
- Philippines. ...
What was the death count in World War 2?
World War 2 was the bloodiest conflict in human history. There were more than 60 million World War 2 casualties resulting in death which at the time was more than 2.5% of the overall world population. The war was notable for the Nazi-sponsored genocide of the Jewish peoples resulting in more than 5.9 million deaths, and the impact of “Total War” on the world’s population.
What are the different divisions of the US Army?
Divisions of the United States Army (1941 to present)
- Air assault divisions
- Airborne divisions
- Armored divisions. 1st Armored Division: 1940–1946; 1951–1957; 1962–present. ...
- Cavalry divisions
- Infantry divisions. 6th Infantry Division: 1939–1942* (6th Motorized Division); 1943–1949; 1950–1956; 1967–1968; 1984–1998.
- Motorized divisions
- Mountain divisions
- Reserve training divisions. ...
How many US casualties in World War 2?
There were more than 116,000 US military casualties during World War I and more than 400,000 American deaths during World War II. In addition, about 60,000 Americans died during the Vietnam War, and more than 3,000 lives lost during the September 11, 2001 terror attacks.
How many airborne divisions were there?
How many cavalry divisions were there in the Pacific?
What was the numerical advantage of the US in the war?
How many divisions of armor were there in Europe?
What theater was the US Army in?
Why was the Philippine Division formed?
Which country had the best logistics in WW2?
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About this website
How many divisions did the US Army have in 1945?
The number of Army divisions fell from 89 in 1945, to 16 in June 1946, to 12 in June 1947. By 1948, there were only 10 divisions in the active Army.
How many men were in a division during World War II?
A division contained from 12,000 to 25,000 men.
What are the 5 divisions of the Army?
Contents3.1 Airborne Divisions.3.2 Armored Divisions.3.3 Cavalry Divisions.3.4 Infantry Divisions.3.5 Mountain Divisions.3.6 Training Divisions.
How many divisions did Germany have in ww2?
The German army raised an incredible 315 infantry divisions during World War II—a stunning total, considering that America formed only sixty-six Army infantry divisions plus six for the Marine Corps. An additional eighteen or so Waffen SS infantry divisions augmented the Heer total.
Who had the largest army in ww2?
SOVIET UNION (21,000,000) The largest country on the planet, the Soviet Union also had the largest armed forces ever assembled under one flag. By 1945, there were as many veterans in the Soviet Union as there were people in Mexico.
What unit saw the most combat in ww2?
The 442nd Regiment is the most decorated unit for its size in U.S. military history....442nd Infantry Regiment (United States)442nd Regimental Combat TeamActive1944–1946CountryUnited StatesBranchUnited States ArmyTypeRegimental combat team (historical)11 more rows
What are the 9 levels of army units?
Teams can serve as a base-of-fire or as a maneuver element.SQUAD. Commanded By: Staff Sergeant. ... PLATOON. Commanded By: Lieutenant. ... COMPANY. Commanded By: Captain. ... BATTALION. Commanded By: Lieutenant Colonel. ... BRIGADE. Commanded By: Colonel. ... DIVISION. Commanded By: Major General. ... CORPS. Commanded By: ... FIELD-ARMY. Commanded By:More items...
How many soldiers make up a division?
Division. Divisions perform major tactical operations for the corps and can conduct sustained battles and engagements. One division is made up of at least three maneuver brigades with between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers, depending on the national army involved.
Who goes to war first?
The Marines are often the first on the ground in combat situations, leading the charge when conflict arises. They also serve on Navy ships, protect Naval bases and guard U.S. embassies.
How big was a ww2 Japanese division?
Division (~20,000 men) – Consisted of 3 infantry regiments, 1 cavalry regiment, 1 artillery regiment, 1 engineering battalion and 1 army service corps. Commanded by a Lieutenant-General. Independent Brigade (~5600 men) – Consisted of 5 battalions, along with other units.
How many divisions did Japan have in ww2?
This is a list of Japanese infantry divisions of the Imperial Japanese Army. During World War II, the IJA organized three Guards Divisions and over 220 infantry divisions of various types(A/Reinforced,B/Standard,C/Counter-insurgency).
How many divisions did Britain have in ww2?
The 85 divisional formations included 2 airborne, 12 anti-aircraft, 11 armoured, 1 cavalry, 10 coastal defence (known as County Divisions) and 49 infantry divisions. At the end of the war, in 1945, the British Army had 24 divisions.
How many soldiers are in a division?
DIVISION. Usually commanded by a major general, divisions are made up of three or four brigades and include 10,000 to 15,000 soldiers.
How big was a ww2 Japanese division?
Division (~20,000 men) – Consisted of 3 infantry regiments, 1 cavalry regiment, 1 artillery regiment, 1 engineering battalion and 1 army service corps. Commanded by a Lieutenant-General. Independent Brigade (~5600 men) – Consisted of 5 battalions, along with other units.
How many soldiers are in the 82nd Airborne division?
Fort Bragg, the home of the 82nd Airborne, is home to 57,000 service members and 11,000 civilian employees, making it one of the most populated U.S. military installations. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device.
How many soldiers are in a platoon?
Three or four squads make up a platoon, which has 20 to 50 soldiers and is commanded by a lieutenant. Two or more platoons make up a company, which has 100 to 250 soldiers and is commanded by a captain or a major.
List of current formations of the United States Army - Wikipedia
This is a list of current formations of the United States Army, which is constantly changing as the Army changes its structure over time. Due to the nature of those changes, specifically the restructuring of brigades into autonomous modular brigades, debate has arisen as to whether brigades are units or formations; for the purposes of this list, brigades are currently excluded.
U.S. Divisions of World War II - Warfare History Network
It is a pity this article does not give some cross comparison between a US Division and Divisions in other combatant countries. For example, by 1945 the US and USSR both had about 12 million men under arms, but the USA had only about 100 divisions whilst the USSR had about 500.
Number of German divisions by front in World War II - Axis History
by Ron Klages & John Mulholland The following accounting of German divisions by month from September 1939 to May 1945 by front was compiled from the works of Georg Tessin in his epic accounting of the Wehrmacht and Waffen SS titled: Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS 1939-1945.
How many airborne divisions were there?
There were 4 Airborne Divisions. 3 in Europe and 1 in the Pacific.
How many cavalry divisions were there in the Pacific?
Two cavalry divisions (1, 2). The 1st Cavalry Division served in the Pacific. It was unhorsed, but retained its cavalry structure of two brigades of two regiments. The 2nd Cavalry Division served in Europe. It was broken up twice. After forming in the USA, it was broken up in July 1942 to form armored divisions. Reformed in November 1943, it was broken up again in Europe in May 1944.
What was the numerical advantage of the US in the war?
In most of those US victories the American numerical advantage was something like 1.2 to 1- sometimes 1.5 to 1. While this numerical advantage helps the US was the on the offensive to giving Germany the tactical advantage.
How many divisions of armor were there in Europe?
16 Divisions of Armor fought in Europe. The Pacific had no Armor Divisions, but had tanks attached to Infantry units.
What theater was the US Army in?
About 75% of the US Army units were assigned to the European Theatre. The US Army units in the Pacific were supported by the the US Navy. The US Marines had 6 Divisions that were the main Amphibious force in the Central Pacific. Most of the US Army Divisions were assigned to General MacArthur in the South West Pacific.
Why was the Philippine Division formed?
The Philippine Division was formed in 1921, along with the Hawaiian Division, to guard American interests in the Pacific. The Philippine Division, which retained four regiments (one American and three Philippine Scouts) surrendered to the Japanese in April 1942. The Hawaiian Division is not included in the count because it was broken up in order to form the 24th (and parts of the 25th) Infantry Division.
Which country had the best logistics in WW2?
Logistics. Of all the nations in WW2 the US had the best logistics by a mile. US troops enjoyed more calories, more supplies, and more support than anyone else.
What was the most referred to unit in WW2?
Across the Allied and Axis armies, the battalion is likely to be the most referred to Army or Marine group or unit when studying WW2. Many countries preferred having at least three groups that made up the next unit in the army hierarchy, with four being optimal. These numbers allowed.
What Role did the Regiment have in World War 2?
The regiment has been in existence since at least the 17 th and 18 th centuries when it was the primary organizational unit for an army. Notionally in this timeframe, a regiment consisted of 1,000 personnel and was commanded by a Colonel. During WW2, although there were a number of regimental organizations that would be kludged together to form a division, many countries chose to center the training, administration, and tactical employment of subordinate units at the division level consisting of three or more battalions.
What Role did the Task Force Play in WW2?
During World War 2, a Task Force was a temporary grouping of one or more units for a specific operation. Meant to be temporary in nature, the Task Force ideal was shared across the various militaries that took part in the war; albeit, under slightly different names in some cases. For the Germans, the term was Kampfgruppe and the Americans used the term U.S. Combat Team at times during the ar.
How are divisions listed?
Divisions are listed by number and reflect their lineage where names or designations were changed over time.
What was the Luftwaffe field division?
Luftwaffe Field Divisions were ordinary infantry divisions organized from Luftwaffe personnel made available after mid-war due to the manpower crunch. They were originally Luftwaffe units but were later handed over to the Army, retaining their numbering but with Luftwaffe attached to distinguish them from similarly numbered divisions already existing in the Heer.
What was the first German airborne division?
To keep its existence secret, the first German airborne division was named as if a Flieger ("flier") division in the series of Luftwaffe divisions that controlled air assets rather than ground troops-named 7th Flieger Division (often translated 7th Air Division - which see: 1st Parachute Division (Germany)) The division was later reorganized to start a series of nominally airborne divisions. Though named Fallschirmjäger ("paratrooper") divisions, only some of them participated in airdrops in the early part of the war, and in practice most operated as ordinary infantry throughout their existence. The lower-numbered ones earned and maintained an élite status, but quality generally declined among the higher-numbered divisions.
What is an infantry wave?
Infantry divisions were raised in waves, sets of divisions with a standardized table of organization and equipment. In general the later waves (i.e., the higher-numbered divisions) were of lower quality than the earlier ones.
What does "number" mean in the military?
Translates to "Number." A "placeholder" name for a division with staff but with few, if any combat assets. Normally there was no initial type description in the name - this was added when the unit had received its designation of combat assets (i.e. Division Nr. 179 became Panzer Division Nr. 179).
When was the 20th Parachute Division formed?
20th Parachute Division (Formation ordered 20 March 1945 in the Netherlands, from Parachute Training and Replacement Division. However formation was not completed beyond cadre.) 21st Parachute Division (Formation ordered 5 April 1945 in the Netherlands, as a Field-Training Division.
What was the difference between the Cossack and the Cavalry?
According to Davies, the Cavalry divisions were mounted infantry and the Cossack divisions were " true cavalry " , modelled on the Russian cavalry divisions.
How many divisions did the British have in 1941?
The United Kingdom would provide 32 of these formations, and the remainder would be raised by the British Dominions and India . In 1941, this goal was adjusted to 57 divisions, with the United Kingdom to provide 36. By the end of 1941, the United Kingdom had met its intended obligation.
How many divisions were there in the Territorial Army?
At the beginning of 1939, the Territorial Army had twelve infantry divisions. Following the German occupation of the remnants of the Czechoslovak state in March 1939, the Territorial Army was ordered to double in size to 24 divisions.
Why was the 12th division raised?
For example, the 12th Division (SDF) was raised to protect the lines of communication behind fighting formations. Several divisions were created when a division of one type was converted into another, for example the 42nd (East Lancashire) Infantry Division was converted into the 42nd Armoured Division.
How many men were needed for the gliders in Operation Colossus?
The success of Operation Colossus, a small scale commando raid, prompted further expansion of this force, and resulted in an additional requirement for a glider force of 10,000 men to be created. The recruitment for the size of this force took through to 1943, by which time two divisions had been formed.
What was the 1st Anti-Aircraft Division assigned to defend?
For example, the 1st Anti-Aircraft Division was assigned to defend London, while the 3rd Anti-Aircraft Division was assigned to defend both Scotland and Northern Ireland.
What were the anti-aircraft divisions?
The anti-aircraft divisions were assigned to a particular area, which could cover hundreds or thousands of square miles. They varied dramatically in manpower, the number of brigades controlled, and the number of weapons assigned. For example, the 1st Anti-Aircraft Division was assigned to defend London, while the 3rd Anti-Aircraft Division was assigned to defend both Scotland and Northern Ireland. In September 1939, Anti-Aircraft Command 's seven divisions had a combined total of 695 heavy anti-aircraft guns compared to an intended 2,232, and 253 light anti-aircraft guns out of an establishment of 1,200. The divisions also had access to 2,700 searchlights, out of a recommended total of 4,700. By 1941, the divisions had 1,691 heavy guns, 940 light guns, and 4,532 searchlights. At the start of the war, the divisions and their command structure had a total of 106,690 men; manpower increased to 157,319 by July 1940, and was over 300,000 by mid-1941. All of the divisions were disbanded in October 1942 as part of a reorganisation of the anti-aircraft command structure. The divisions were replaced by seven groups, which were intended to reduce the overall number of formations, save manpower, and be more flexible.
How many men were in the British army?
The British Army was split into two branches: the regular army, which numbered 224,000 men with a reserve of 173,700 at the start of the war, and the part-time Territorial Army, which numbered 438,100 with a reserve of around 20,750 men.
How many divisions were in the Pacific?
There were three major theaters of operation during the war: Pacific (22 divisions were deployed to the Pacific), Mediterranean (15 divisions), and Europe (61 divisions). Seven divisions served in both the Mediterranean and European Theaters (1st, 3rd, 9th, 36th, 45th infantry divisions; 82nd Airborne; and 2nd Armored.)
What divisions were the Airborne Divisions?
The two airborne divisions, 82nd and 101st, were redesignated Regular Army when they converted from infantry to airborne divisions. The 25th was formed from troops of the Hawaiin division and was classified as an Army of the U.S. division.
What divisions were activated in the United States?
All divisions were activated in the United States except for the following divisions: Philippine (activated in the Philippines), Hawaiian (activated in Hawaii and renamed the 24th division), 25th (activated in Hawaii from troops of the Hawaiian division), and Americal (activated in New Caledonia.)
How many people were in the ground forces in 1945?
In March 1945, there was about 1,200,000 personnel assigned to divisions and 1,500,000 to non-divisional units. The core combat arm of the Army Ground Forces was organized around the division formation.
How many soldiers were in the Army Ground Forces?
According to the The Army Almanac, "Its mission was to provide ground force units properly organized, trained and equipped for combat operations.". About 4,400,000 personnel were part of the Army Ground Forces during the war. They sustained about 80% of the U.S. Army casualties.
What is non divisional forces?
Non-divisional forces included service units and some additional combat troops not initially assigned to a division. Note: most service units were allocated across all U.S. Army organizations. For example, both the Army Service Forces and Army Ground Forces had engineer units. In addition, engineer units were part of divisions while other engineer units were part of non-divisional personnel.
How many airborne divisions were there?
There were 4 Airborne Divisions. 3 in Europe and 1 in the Pacific.
How many cavalry divisions were there in the Pacific?
Two cavalry divisions (1, 2). The 1st Cavalry Division served in the Pacific. It was unhorsed, but retained its cavalry structure of two brigades of two regiments. The 2nd Cavalry Division served in Europe. It was broken up twice. After forming in the USA, it was broken up in July 1942 to form armored divisions. Reformed in November 1943, it was broken up again in Europe in May 1944.
What was the numerical advantage of the US in the war?
In most of those US victories the American numerical advantage was something like 1.2 to 1- sometimes 1.5 to 1. While this numerical advantage helps the US was the on the offensive to giving Germany the tactical advantage.
How many divisions of armor were there in Europe?
16 Divisions of Armor fought in Europe. The Pacific had no Armor Divisions, but had tanks attached to Infantry units.
What theater was the US Army in?
About 75% of the US Army units were assigned to the European Theatre. The US Army units in the Pacific were supported by the the US Navy. The US Marines had 6 Divisions that were the main Amphibious force in the Central Pacific. Most of the US Army Divisions were assigned to General MacArthur in the South West Pacific.
Why was the Philippine Division formed?
The Philippine Division was formed in 1921, along with the Hawaiian Division, to guard American interests in the Pacific. The Philippine Division, which retained four regiments (one American and three Philippine Scouts) surrendered to the Japanese in April 1942. The Hawaiian Division is not included in the count because it was broken up in order to form the 24th (and parts of the 25th) Infantry Division.
Which country had the best logistics in WW2?
Logistics. Of all the nations in WW2 the US had the best logistics by a mile. US troops enjoyed more calories, more supplies, and more support than anyone else.
The Development of The Modern Army Division
from Squares to Triangles
The Factor of Three
A Draft For The “Arsenal of Democracy”
Old Divisions vs New Divisions
- In 1917-1918, the AEF sent 43 divisions to France. Eight were RA, 17 were NG, and 18 National Army (NA) or divisions raised from regiments that had not existed before. These were all square divisions, but three NG and three NA divisions were converted into depot divisions for the Services of Supply. Likewise, two NG and one NA division were disband...
Raising New Divisions During World War II
The U.S. Armored Division
Specialized Infantry Divisions
The “90-Division Gamble”