When the Japanese Empire went to war with the Allies in December 1941, it had already been fighting in China for 10 years. During that time it had conquered huge areas of China, and subjugated millions of people. The Japanese needed to control the Chinese population in these occupied territories, and for this reason they set up governments from amongst the leaders of the Chinese who were willing to co-operate with them. These so-called ‘puppet’ governments were designed to rule on behalf of the Japanese while firmly under their overall control. In turn, the ‘puppet’ governments needed their own ‘independent’ armed forces. These ‘puppet’ armies were large in number, reaching a total of well over 1 million before 1945. Although poorly-armed and equipped, these forces had an influence on the Japanese war effort through sheer numbers.

The Chinese ‘puppet’ soldiers ranged from the well-drilled and trained regular Army of the Last Emperor of China, Pu Yi, who ruled the newly-formed state of Manchukuo, 1932-45, to the irregular Mongol cavalry who served alongside Japanese troops in the ‘secret war’ waged in the Mongolian hinterlands.

The troops were dismissed as traitors by the Chinese fighting the Japanese, and they were equally despised by the Japanese themselves. The troops were motivated by a range of reasons, from simple survival to a loyalty to their commander. The fact that so many Chinese were willing to fight for the Japanese was embarrassing to all sides, and for this reason has been largely ignored in previous histories of the war in the East. In the first of a three volume series, Philip Jowett tells the story of the Chinese who fought for the Japanese over a 14 year period.

• Cover
• Title Page
• Dedication
• Copyright
• Author’S Note and Acknowledgements
• Chapter One: Introduction
  • Chronology
  • Chinese ‘Puppet’ Soldiers 1931–45
• Chapter Two: the Manchukuoan Army 1932–45
  • Organisation of Units in Manchukuoan Army
  • Manchukuoan Military Training
    • Manchukuoan Central Training School – Mukden
    • Mongol Military Academy
    • Japanese Advisors in the Manchukuoan Army
  • Mongolians in the Manchukuoan Army
  • Manchukuoan Army Equipment
    • Heavy Equipment of the Manchukuoan Army
    • Manchukuo Armoured Forces
    • The Automobile Corps
  • The Bandit Problem in Manchukuo 1931–38
    • Anti-Japanese Armies in Manchukuo
    • Manchukuoan Anti-Bandit Operations 1932–33
    • Manchukoan Army Anti-Bandit Operations
  • Military Campaigns Of The Manchukuoan Army
    • The Invasion of Jehol, 23 February–28 March 1933
    • Soviet-Japanese Border Disputes 1931–45
    • Manchukuoan Army Conscription
    • White Russian Units in the Manchukuo Army
    • The ‘Asano’ Brigade
    • Manchukuoan Army 1937
  • Elite & Special Units of the Manchukuoan Army 1932–45
    • Capital Guard Units
    • The ‘Chinganyuchitui’ – Special Guard Corps
    • ‘Eastern Jewels’ Anti-Bandit Force
    • The ‘Hsing an Chun’ – Mongolian Independence Army
    • ‘Ching An Tui’- Pacification Brigade
    • Unit 53 or Unit 868
    • ‘Chien Tao Tui’ – Korean Support Infantry Detachment
    • ‘Tesseki Butai’ – Iron Stone Unit
  • The Manchukuoan Army 1940–45
    • Strength of Manchukuoan Army 1940–45
    • Soviet Invasion of Manchukuo, August 1945
• Chapter Three: Chinese ‘Puppet’ Governments and Armies 1931–40
  • Japanese Intrigues in northern & Eastern China 1933–37
    • General LI Chi-chun
    • General Shih Yu-san
    • General Liu Kuei-tang
  • East Hopei 1935–37
    • The East Hopei Army 1935–37
    • The Tungchow Mutiny
  • Provisional Government Army 1938–40
    • Provisional Government Army
    • Conditions of Service
  • Reformed Government Army 1938–40
  • Inner Mongolia 1935–40
    • The Inner Mongolian Army 1929–36
    • LI Shou-hsin’s Invasion of Northern Chahar 1935
    • Preparations for Suiyuan Campaign 1936
    • The Suiyuan Campaign 1936
    • Inner Mongolian Equipment 1936
    • Inner Mongolia 1937–40
    • Inner Mongolian Military School
    • Wang Ying and the Great Han Righteous Army
  • The ‘Great Way’ Government Army 1937–40
    • The ‘Ta-Tao’ Paramilitary Police
  • White Russians and ‘Semi-puppets’ 1932–40
    • White Russians in China
    • Ataman Semenov
    • Local Governments of Central China 1937–40
    • Local Militia & Police
    • Missed Opportunities
• Chapter Four: Chinese ‘Puppet’ Governments and Armies 1940–45
  • The Nanking Army 1940–45
    • The Formation of the Nanking Government
    • The Nanking Army 1940–45
    • Organisation of the Nanking Army 1940–45
    • The Nanking Government 1940–45
    • Weaponry of the Nanking Army
    • Nanking Army Special Units 1940–45
    • The Pacification Role of The Nanking Army 1940–45
    • Anti-Guerrilla Units
    • Nanking Army Operations 1940–45
    • Selected Nanking Army Units 1940–45
  • Autonomous Nanking Forces 1940–45
    • Self-Governing Army of Kinhwa
    • Hainan Island ‘Puppet’ Forces
    • The Western Suiyuan Army
  • Army of the North China Political Council 1940–45
    • North China Armed Militia
  • The Inner Mongolian Army 1940–45
    • Inner Mongolian Army Reorganisations 1939–44
    • The Soviet Invasion of Inner Mongolia, August 1945
• Chapter Five: ‘Puppet’ Air Forces and Navies 1931–45
  • Manchukuoan & Chinese ‘Puppet’ Air Forces 1932–1945
    • Manchurian Paramilitary Airline (MKKK)
    • Manchukuo Aircraft Manufacture
    • The Manchukuo Air Force 1932–45
    • China Aviation Company – A ‘Puppet’ Airline
    • Reformed Government Air Force 1938–40
    • Nanking Air Force 1940–45
  • The Manchkuoan and Nanking Navies 1931–45
    • The Chinese Navy
    • The Manchukuoan Navy 1931–45
    • Nanking Navy 1940–45
• Chapter Six: Uniforms of Manchukuoan and Other ‘Puppet’ Chinese Armed Forces 1931–45
  • Manchukuo Army Uniforms 1931–45
    • Later Manchukuoan Uniforms
    • Manchukuoan Collar Insignia
    • Other Insignia
    • Cap Badges
    • Manchukuoan Army Equipment
    • Manchukuoan Auxiliaries
    • Japanese Adviser Uniforms
    • White Russian Uniforms
    • Manchukuoan Dress Uniforms 1932–45
  • Provisional Government Army and North China Political Council Uniforms 1938–45
  • Reformed Government Army Uniforms 1938–40
  • Nanking Army Uniforms 1940–45
    • Enlisted Men’s Summer Uniform
    • Non-Regulation and Regional Nanking Uniforms
    • Japanese Model Uniforms
    • Nanking Army Headgear
    • Winter Uniforms
    • Nanking Army Insignia
    • Nanking Army Ranks
    • Nanking Officers’ Uniforms
    • Nanking Air Force Uniforms
    • Nanking Navy Uniforms
    • Other Uniforms
    • Military Cadets
  • Inner Mongolian Army Uniforms 1936–45
  • Uniforms Of Minor ‘Puppet’ Governments 1935–45
    • East Hopei 1935–37
    • The ‘Great Way’ Government 1937–40
    • Peace Preservation Corps 1933–37
    • Other ‘Puppet’ Uniforms 1933–37
    • ‘Puppet’ Army Equipment
  • ‘Puppet’ Unit Flags
    • Manchukuo Unit Flags
    • Inner Mongolian Army Flags
    • Provisional Government Army Flag
    • Nanking Army Unit Flags
• Orders of Battle
• ‘Puppet’ Military and Civil Leaders 1931–45
• Nanking Army Commanders 1940–45
• Japanese Officers Involved in China and Manchukuo 1931–45
• Bibliography
• Colour plate section with notes on plates