21st Division (Imperial Japanese Army)

The 21st Division (第21師団) was an infantry division in the Imperial Japanese Army. Its call sign was the Attack Division (討兵団).

History
The 21st Division was raised in 1938 in Kanazawa, and was initially assigned to the Japanese 12th Army which was engaged in counter-insurgency in Northern China. Whilst in Northern China it took part in the Battle of South Shanxi, and fought against the Hundred Regiments Offensive. In 1942 it took part in the Philippines Campaign, landing at Lingayen Gulf on 26 February 1942. After the completion of the campaign in the Philippines, it was then shipped to Vietnam, where it served as the garrison for Hanoi under the Japanese 38th Army, and was used to crush the French in the Second French Indochina Campaign.