Japan's Asian Allies 1941–45

Japan's Asian Allies 1941–45 cover

Description

During the Japanese occupation of large parts of Asia and the Pacific in 1941–45, Japan raised significant numbers of troops to fight alongside them, as well as militias to guard their conquests. The total number of these soldiers is estimated at no fewer than 600,000 men. These ranged from the regular troops of Manchukuo (200,000 men), Nanking China (250,000), Thailand, and recruits from the 'puppet' Burmese Independence Army (30,000) and Indian National Army (40,000), to constabularies and spear-wielding militias in the Philippines (15,000), Borneo, Indonesia and New Guinea.

Many of the recruits from former European colonies hoped for independence as part of the 'Greater East-Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere' proclaimed by Japanese propaganda, but Japan's intentions were entirely cynical. They formed alliances to deny the Allied powers access to territory that they could not actually occupy, and raised these large numbers of auxiliary troops to relieve the manpower burden of occupation, or simply as 'cannon-fodder'.

This extensively researched study examines each of these armies and militias in detail, exploring their history and deployment during World War II, and revealing the intricacies of their arms and equipment with stunning full-colour artwork and previously unpublished contemporary photographs.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Manchukuo, 1933-45
"Nanking China," 1940-45
Inner Mongolia, 1937-45
Thailand, 1941-45
Indian National Army, 1942-45
Burma, 1941-45
Indonesia, 1942-45
Malaya, 1942-45
The Philippines, 1942-45
Other Pro-Japanese Forces
Empire of Vietnam, 1945
Plate Commentaries
Index

Product details

Published 25 Jun 2020
Format Ebook (PDF)
Edition 1st
Extent 48
ISBN 9781472836946
Imprint Osprey Publishing
Series Men-at-Arms
Short code MAA 532
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

About the contributors

Author

Philip Jowett

Philip Jowett was born in Leeds in 1961 and has be…

Illustrator

Stephen Walsh

Stephen Walsh studied art at the North East Wales…

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