Manchukuo Imperial Army

The Manchukuo Imperial Army (Chinese: 滿洲國軍; pinyin: Mǎnzhōuguó jūn) was the ground force of the military of the Manchukuo, a puppet state established by Imperial Japan in Manchuria, a region of northeastern China. The force was primarily used for fighting against Communist and Nationalist guerrillas in Manchukuo but also took part in battle against the Soviet Red Army on several occasions. It initially consisted of former National Revolutionary Army troops of the "Young Marshal" Zhang Xueliang who were recruited after the Japanese invasion of Manchuria en masse, but eventually expanded to include new volunteers and conscripts. The Imperial Army increased in size from about 111,000 troops in 1933 to an estimated strength of between 170,000 and 220,000 soldiers at its peak in 1945, being composed of Han Chinese, Manchus, Mongols, Koreans, Japanese, and White Russians. Throughout its existence the majority of its troops were considered to be mostly unreliable by their Japanese officers and advisers, due to poor training and low morale.

Manchukuo Imperial Army

1932–1945

Manchukuo

Emperor of Manchukuo (de jure)
Empire of Japan (de facto)

Army

111,000 (1933)
170,000–220,000 (1945)

Second Sino-Japanese War

Soviet-Japanese Border Wars

World War II

Soviet-Japanese War
- Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation

Puyi

See list

Aisin-Gioro Xiqia
Zhang Haipeng
Zhang Jinghui
Yu Zhishan

Subjugation of the Anti-Jilin Army (March–June 1932): A campaign undertaken by Japanese forces and several Manchukuoan units to clear out 20,000 Nationalist troops from the region. The units involved were the 7th and 8th Infantry Brigades along with the 2nd and 3rd Cavalry Brigades, for a total of 7,000 men. Several ships of the River Defense Fleet also took part. The Nationalists were pushed back to the north of the province and the Sungari River was secured.^[7]

Jilin

First Dongbiandao Clearance (May–June 1932): When a Manchukuoan commander revolted and surrounded the Japanese consulate in Donghe a force of Japanese police was sent to relieve it, along with 1st and 2nd detachments of the Fengtian Guard Army as support. They totaled 4,000 men. Although the mutineers were forced to retreat, the Manchukuoan troops performed poorly and took considerable losses.

[7]

Ma Zhanshan Subjugation (April–July 1932): A campaign that was launched against the headquarters of Ma Zhanshan. Manchukuoan forces numbered 5,000 men and included detachments from the Guard Army. They fought alongside Japanese troops during the operation. The poor performance of the Manchukuoans during the fight allowed his guerrillas to escape.^[7]

Heilongjiang

Li Haijing Subjugation (May 1932): An attack launched by a force of 6,000 troops from the 1st Infantry and 2nd Cavalry Brigades of the Heilongjiang Guard Army, the 1st Cavalry Brigade of the Jilin Guard Army, and the 1st, 4th, and 7th detachments of the Army. It fought against a group of 10,000 insurgents in the southern Heilongjiang province. The joint Japanese-Manchukuoan force successfully drove out the insurgents.^[7]

Taoliao

First Feng Zhanghai Subjugation (June 1932): A series of skirmishes between the units of the Jilin Guard Army and local guerrillas. Manchukuoan forces included the Jilin Railway Guards, Cavalry Corps and the 1st Infantry Brigade, in total 1,600 men. The Manchukuoans lost 150 men killed while claiming to have killed 1,000 guerrillas.

[7]

Second Feng Zhanghai Subjugation (June–July 1932): An operation to clear out several districts from anti-Japanese fighters. The Manchukuoan contingent included units from the Taoliao and Jilin Guard Armies. The force totaled 7,000 men, and with Japanese assistance managed to drive out 15,000 insurgents.

[7]

Mongolian Bandit Subjugation Operation (August 1932): Mongolian bandits attacked the Sidao railway line and captured a small town. A small force of Manchukuoans was sent to reclaim the area and forced the Mongolians to retreat.

[7]

Third Feng Zhanghai Subjugation (September 1932): A force of 7,000 men of the Jilin Guard Army attacked 10,000 bandits who were retreating from their earlier defeat in July. They were attempting to cross the border out of Manchukuo into the Chinese province of . Although they were surrounded, the majority of the bandits were able to escape.^[7]

Rehe

Su Bingwei Subjugation ("Mazhouli Incident") (September–December 1932): A unit that had pledged loyalty to Manchukuo under revolted against the Japanese. A force of 4,500 men took part in putting down the revolt and succeeded after heavy fighting, forcing Sun Bingwen to retreat into Soviet territory.^[7] Originally, the Manchu princess and soldier Yoshiko Kawashima wanted to negotiate with him, but the plans were cancelled. Japanese propaganda nonetheless published exaggerated tales of her exploits during the revolt.^[9]

Su Bingwen

Second Dongbiandao Subjugation (October 1932): The Fengtian Guard Army cleared a district of guerrillas, killing 270 men and taking another 1,000 prisoner. About 8,000 Manchukuoan troops acted as support for a much smaller Japanese force.

[7]

Li Haijing Subjugation (October 1932): A group of 3,000 insurgents attempted to attack the south Heilongjiang province before a joint Manchukuoan-Japanese force launched a counterattack. It then retreated into the Rehe province.

[7]

Ki Feng-Lung District Subjugation (November 1932): An operation to clear the Ki Feng-Lung district of insurgents, involving about 5,000 Manchukuoan troops.

[7]

Third Dongbiandao Subjugation (November–December 1932): An operation launched to eliminate the remnants of the bandit groups that remained after the second subjugation campaign. It involved about 5,000 Manchukuoan soldiers. The operation was a success and resulted in the capture of 1,800 bandits, some of whom may have been recruited into the Imperial Army.

[7]

Jilin Province Subjugation (October–November 1933): A large-scale operation that occurred in the Jilin province, attempting to free the entire region from insurgents and involving 35,000 Manchukuoan troops. It involved the whole of the Jilin Guard Army as well as units from several other formations. It was successful and led to the deaths of a number of prominent anti-Japanese leaders.

[7]

Type 38 75 mm Field Gun

Type 41 75 mm Mountain Gun

mountain guns

Krupp

Chinese 7 cm-caliber mortars

Chinese 75 mm field guns

(stick type)

Hand Grenade

Type 10 Grenade Discharger

Type 88 75 mm AA gun

River Defense Fleet (640 men)

Manchukuo Imperial Navy

Manchukuo Imperial Air Force

Collaborationist Chinese Army

Phyllis, Birnbaum (2015). . Columbia University Press. ISBN 978-0231152181.

Manchu Princess, Japanese Spy: The Story of Kawashima Yoshiko, the Cross-Dressing Spy Who Commanded Her Own Army

Douglas, Holland (2008). The State of Sovereignty: Territories, Laws, Populations. Indiana University Press. 978-0253220165.

ISBN

Glantz, David (2003). The Soviet Strategic Offensive in Manchuria, 1945: August Storm. Routledge. 978-0415408615.

ISBN

Harmsen, Peter (2018). Storm Clouds over the Pacific, 1931–1941 (War in the East). Casemate. 978-1612004808.

ISBN

Jowett, Philip (2004). Rays of the Rising Sun, Volume 1: Japan's Asian Allies 1931–45, China and Manchukuo. Helion and Company Ltd. 978-1-874622-21-5.

ISBN

Oberlander, Erwin (1966), The All-Russian Fascist Party (Journal of Contemporary History), Sage Publications, Ltd.

Paik, Sun Yup (1992), , Riverside, NJ: Brassey Inc., ISBN 978-0-02-881002-7

From Pusan to Panmunjom

Smirnov, Sergei (2015). "The Russian Officer Corps of the Manchukuo Army". . 28 (3).

Manchukuo Imperial Army