Handbook on Japanese Military Forces
War Department Technical Manual TM-E 30-480 Handbook On Japanese Military Forces dated 15 September 1944 was the US Army's guide to the Japanese armed forces for the use of troops in the field. The "E" stands for "enemy." It was 8" × 10½", bound in two removable olive pasteboard covers to facilitate the addition and deletion of material. It was originally 401pp., with 412 illustrations including diagrams, photos, charts. color plates of uniforms & medals. It detailed most of the known information about the Imperial Japanese Military as of the publication date. It  superseded the original TM E 30-480 dated 14 May 1941 and the second edition dated 21 September 1942. The handbook was classified "Restricted" (the lowest of the four wartime security classifications) to enable its dissemination to the widest possible audience. Readers should take care when consulting TM-E 30-480 as there are many inaccuracies shown by post war research. It is a wartime publication subject to the limitations of wartime intelligence collection and dissemination. TM-E 30-480 has been reprinted several times by several different publishers. The 1995 edition includes an Introduction by David Isby and an  afterword by Jeffrey Ethell, Louisiana State University Press, Baton Rouge Louisiana 70803, , 403 pp., illus, in colour and b/w, maps, wraps. None of these editions is complete. Contents. CHAPTER I. RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING. CHAPTER II. JAPANESE MILITARY SYSTEM. CHAPTER III. FIELD ORGANIZATION. CHAPTER IV. JAPANESE AIR SERVICE. CHAPTER V. Special Forces. CHAPTER VI. JAPANESE MILITARY POLICE. CHAPTER VII. TACTICS OF THE JAPANESE ARMY. CHAPTER VIII. SUPPLY, MOVEMENTS, AND EVACUATION. CHAPTER IX. WEAPONS. CHAPTER X. EQUIPMENT. CHAPTER XI. UNIFORMS, PERSONAL EQUIPMENT, AND INSIGNIA CHAPTER XII. CONVENTIONAL SIGNS AND ABBREVIATIONS CHAPTER XIII. MILITARY TERMS AND CHARACTERS APPENDIX SUPPLEMENTAL DATA Changes. TM  E 30-480 Handbook on Japanese Military Forces had five Changes which were as follows: