Manchukuo Imperial Army

The Manchukuo Imperial Army (Chinese: 滿洲國軍; pinyin: Mǎnzhōuguó jūn) was the army of Manchukuo, a puppet state established by the Empire of Japan in Manchuria. Established in 1932, it was primarily involved in counterinsurgency operations against Communist and Kuomintang guerrillas in Manchukuo, and also fought against the Red Army on several occasions. Initially consisting of National Revolutionary Army deserters who had served under Zhang Xueliang and were recruited en masse after the Japanese invasion of Manchuria, the Manchukuo Imperial Army was gradually expanded using a mixture of volunteers and conscripts.

From 1933 to 1945, it expanded in size from approximately 111,000 personnel to an estimated strength of between 170,000 and 220,000 at its peak in 1945. The Manchukuo Imperial Army's ethnic makeup was diverse, consisting of Han Chinese, Manchu, Mongol, Korean, Japanese and White Russian personnel. Throughout its existence, the majority of the Manchukuo Imperial Army's units were considered to be mostly unreliable by their Japanese officers and advisers due to poor training and equipment along with low morale. It was officially disbanded in 1945 with the end of World War II in Asia and disestablishment of Manchukuo.