Manchukuo

**Manchukuo** was a puppet state of the Empire of Japan in China and Inner Mongolia from 1932 to 1945. It was first a republic, but in 1934. it became a constitutional monarchy. It had little international recognition and was under the _de facto_ control of Japan. Japan also took Inner Mongolia in 1936 and renamed it Mengjiang in 1936.

## Names

Manchukuo means Manchuria in Japanese 満州国 (_Manchukoku_). The Mongolians called it (Mongolian : Манеж-Го, _Manjugo_). The Soviets called it (Russian : Маньчжоу-Го, _Man’chzhou-Go_). The Chinese called it (Chinese : 满洲国, _mǎnzhōuguó_). The Koreans called it (Korean : 만주국, _Manjugug_).

## History

Manchuria was the place of the Manchus, including the kings of the Qing dynasty. In 1931, Japan occupied Manchuria after the Mukden Incident.  A pro-Japanese government was created one year later, and Puyi, the last Qing emperor, was the nominal regent and later emperor.

Manchukuo's government was removed in 1945 at the end of World War II. The Soviet Union invaded in August 1945 and formally transferred the territory to Chinese administration in the following year.

Although the territories came under the jurisdiction of the Nationalist government, the brief Soviet occupation helped make the region a base for the Chinese Communist troops led by Mao Zedong. The People's Liberation Army got Japanese equipment and a strategic advantage against the National Revolutionary Army, led by Chiang Kai-shek.

Manchus were a minority in Manchukuo, and the largest ethnic group were Han Chinese. The number of Koreans increased in Manchukuo, and there were also Japanese, Mongols, White Army Russians, and other minorities. The southern part of the Liaodong Peninsula was ruled by Japan as the Kwantung Leased Territory.

Manchukuo had a Japanese death camp, called Unit 731, where up to half a million died from medical experiments and other causes. That is similar to the Nazi concentration camp of Auschwitz, in German-occupied Poland.

In August 1945 Stalin invaded Manchukuo, Mengjiang, and norhern Korea. America occupied southern Korea since the two large countries had divided Korea into two. The Soviet leader, Joseph Stalin, controlled Manchuria until 1946. The same year, Stalin began to help Mao win the Second Chinese Civil War (1946-1949).

## Infobox (country)

- **conventional long name**: State of Manchuria (Manchukuo) <hr />Empire of (Great) Manchuria

- **common name**: Manchukuo
- **status**: Client state/Puppet state of the Empire of Japan
- **empire**: Empire of Japan, Japan
- **government type**: One-party state, One-party constitutional monarchy under an authoritarian-personalist dictatorship
- **event start**: Proclaimed
- **year start**: 1932
- **date start**: 18 February
- **event end**: World War II#War ends in Pacific, Surrender of Japan
- **year end**: 1945
- **date end**: 15 August
- **p1**: Republic of ChinaRepublic of China
- **flag p1**: Flag of the Republic of China.svg
- **s1**: Soviet occupation of Manchuria
- **flag s1**: Flag of the Soviet Union (1936-1955).svg
- **image flag**: Flag of Manchukuo.svg
- **image coat**: Emblem of the Emperor of Manchukuo.svg
- **symbol type**: Imperial Seal
- **image map**: Manchukuo in the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere (orthographic projection).svg
- **image map caption**: Manchukuo (dark red) within the Empire of Japan (light red) at its furthest extent
- **national anthem**: National Anthem of Manchukuo
 (1933–1942 version)
 (1942–1945 version)
- **national motto**: "Five Races Under One Union (Manchukuo), Five Races Under One Union"
- **capital**: Changchun, Hsinking <small>(Changchun)</small>

Tonghua

- **common languages**: Japanese language, Japanese
Manchu language, Manchu
Mandarin Chinese, Mandarin
Mongolian language, Mongolian
- **title leader**: Chief Executive of Manchukuo, Chief Executive
- **leader1**: Puyi, Aisin-Gioro Puyi
- **year leader1**: 1932–1934
- **title representative**: Emperor of Manchukuo, Emperor
- **representative1**: Puyi, Aisin-Gioro Puyi
- **year representative1**: 1934–1945
- **title deputy**: Prime Minister of Manchukuo, Prime Minister
- **deputy1**: Zheng Xiaoxu
- **year deputy1**: 1932–1935
- **deputy2**: Zhang Jinghui
- **year deputy2**: 1935–1945
- **legislature**: Legislative Council (Manchukuo), Legislative Council
- **stat year1**: 1940 est.
- **stat pop1**: 35,000,000
- **stat area1**: 1192081
- **currency**: Manchukuo yuan
- **religion**: State Shinto