Kempeitai was military police force of imperial japan. They were responsible for managing order in army and occupied territories like philipines, china etc… counter espionage and supply requisitions, area security .
Subgroups known as field kempeitai were active in occupied tertories.
Like comissars in soviet army.
In southwest pacific Sixth Field Kenpeitai was active in rabaul.
Captured soviet soldier with a kempeitai
Why implement military police?
If you want to see unique squads, there are other unique things like army paratroopers, navy paratroopers and navy landing party
They should be added also. I think we also have a German MP squad in one of the other campaigns. The more squads the merrier
We even have volkstrum which in reality was consisted of poorly equipped children and olds. Why not military police ?
It’s just police and normally they have only sword and pistols. At warfare they equipped carbines but it is certain that it is not a unit to fight in a front line.
Counterpart of volkstrum is 国民義勇戦闘隊 (National Volunteer Combat Corps). They enlist all men between 14-60 and all women between 17-40. They fought in South Sakhalin during invasion by soviet. (in that time there was a mainland [内地] of Japan)
In case of Battle of Okinawa it was not exist, but 鉄血勤皇隊 (Iron and blood royalist corps) were consisted with children between 14-16.
I was unaware of this, I am a fan of the history of militia units used through both World Wars. may I have more information?
And how will these squads be different and interesting? Yeah i thought so too
well, in case of Japanese military polices, they wear MP’s mantle and arm band that different to normal soldiers so clothes are unique.
Eh, MPs aren’t significant enough to care about one way or another imo.
It’s just another unit designation, plus armbands like any other MP corps.
I don’t know well but I made simple summary of them. Sorry for delay.
Student Corps (学徒隊 / Gakutotai)
This unit was consisted with teachers, student boys between 14-19 and student girls between 15-19. (However, In fact, a 13-year-old boy was also killed in action.)
In Okinawa, all 21 high schools (旧制中学校) were mobilized and mortality was approximately 50%.
Elder boys were deployed to Iron Blood Imperialist Corps (鉄血勤皇隊 / Tekketsu Kinnōtai) and younger boys were deployed to signal units. Also, all girls were deployed as nursing assistant.
In case of Iron Blood Imperialist Corps (鉄血勤皇隊 / Tekketsu Kinnōtai), due to their small size, they were used for messenger missions such as passing through enemies, and missions such as self-destruction by being run over by a tank carrying a bomb.
Also, Okinawa 3rd high school and fisheries high school corps were deployed to Homeland Defense Corps (護郷隊 / Gokyōtai), a guerilla unit. They known for harsh training, such as shooting children who are late.
Japanese Wikipedia
Information by Okinawa prefecture (Japanese language):
English Wikipedia / Himeyuri students corps
Defense Corps (防衛隊 / Bōeitai)
This unit was consisted with adult man live in frontline area. In case of Okinawa, about 22000-25000 men were mobilized and 13000 men were dead. They had little combat training and often used bamboo spears because there’s no enough equipment.
English Wikipedia
National Volunteer Corps (国民義勇隊 / Kokumin Giyūtai)
It was home guard in Japan established in March 1945 established by absorbing Imperial Rule Assistance Association (大政翼賛会 / Taisei Yokusankai),Greater Japan Assistance Middle Age Men’s Corps (大日本翼賛壮年団 / Dainihon Yokusan Sōnendan), and Greater Japan Women’s Association (大日本婦人会 / Dainihon Fujinkai).
Generally speaking, purpose of this unit was civil defense. They were consisted with all men between 15-60 and women between 14-40, and each platoon were basis on neighborhood association, town halls, schools and factories.
National Volunteer Fighting Corps (国民義勇隊 / Kokumin Giyū Sentōtai)
They were recruited by lawful means under the volunteer military service law of June 1945 different to student corps or defense corps. It was basis on National Volunteers and when district commander order to it, it reorganized to National Volunteer Fighting Corps at the wartime.
At the Battle of Karafuto (Sakhalin) all corps were mobilized and participated warfare.
Police Fire Group (警防団 / Keibōdan)
Civil defense unit reorganized from volunteer fire departments. In addition to firefighting, air defense surveillance, warning issuance, light control, security, traffic control, and relief were added as duties.
Strangely English Wikipedia says it was militia in Occupied Dutch East Indies but actually it was civil defense unit in mainland Japan. I guess the organization created by the military authorities in Indonesia for the occupation may have been called by the same name by chance or for camouflage.
