Imperial Manchurian Guard
The Imperial Manchurian Guard ( Chinese 禁 衛隊 / 禁 卫队 , Pinyin Jīnwèiduì , W.-G. Chinweitui , Japanese Reading Kin'eitai ) was an elite unit of the armed forces of the Japanese puppet state Manchukuo , which was set up in 1933. Their task was to protect the Manchurian Emperor Kangde and the members of the government. The guard was based in the capital, Xinjing , near the imperial palace.
history
The Imperial Guard was modeled on the Imperial Guard of Japan and was founded primarily to protect the Imperial family. It consisted of selected soldiers who had to belong to the Manchu ethnic group and were trained independently of the Manchurian army . Although they were mainly for ceremonial purposes and armed with sabers, they were also given the latest weapons. Their uniforms were gray or black with silver or gold insignia and five-colored, five-pointed stars on their helmets and caps . The colors were yellow, red, blue, white and black and symbolized the five ethnic groups of Manchukuos: Manchu, Mongols , Han Chinese , Koreans and Japanese .
Originally the guard consisted of 200 soldiers, but later an independent brigade was attached to it, the Jing'an guerrilla unit ( Chinese 靖安 游擊隊 / 靖安 游击队 , Pinyin Jìng'ān yóujīduì , W.-G. Ching-an yu-chi-tui ). This was mainly used for secret operations and special missions and was more of a fighting unit.
After numerous missions against guerrilla forces, the Imperial Guard last fought against the Soviet invasion of Manchuria in August 1945 , but were hopelessly defeated. It was dissolved after Manchukuo was broken up.
literature
- Philip S. Jowett: Rays of the Rising Sun. Armed Forces of Japan's Asian allies, 1931-45. Volume 1: China and Manchukuo . Helion and Company Ltd., Solihull 2005, ISBN 1-874622-21-3 .
