Customer Reviews

Rays of the Rising Sun, Volume 1: Japan's Asian Allies 1931-45, China and Manchukuo

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There has been very little written about the various 'puppet' forces raised by the Japanese following the September 1931 Manchurian Incident, and Philip Jowett's book is a welcome arrival. Drawing from a wide range of sources, Mr. Jowett covers not only the major 'puppet' forces of Manchukuo and the Nanking Army, but also the Inner Mongolian Army, White Russians in Japanese service and a number of the smaller forces in North China. In addition to the written information there are a good selection of photos, organisational charts and four pages of colour plates showing uniforms and aircraft colour schemes. Volume two of the series is eagerly awaited.

Philip S. Jowett's Rays Of The Rising Sun: Armed Forces Of Japan's Asian Allies 1931-45, Volume 1: China And Manchukuo is also an excellent recommendation for military collections, covering a puppet government set up in China by the Japanese and the armed forces which served this government. These 'puppet' armies were large and held over a million before 1945, and influenced the course of the Japanese war effort in China and Asia. Despised by both the Chinese and the Japanese, the troops have been largely under-represented in World War II coverages, until now. Details of their organization, training, actions, and uniform and battles make for an important study.