Editing Axis powers (section)

===China (Reorganized National Government of China)===
{{Main|Wang Jingwei regime}}
During the [[Second Sino-Japanese War]], Japan advanced from its bases in Manchuria to occupy much of East and Central China. Several Japanese puppet states were organized in areas occupied by the [[Imperial Japanese Armed Forces]], including the [[Provisional Government of the Republic of China (1937–1940)|Provisional Government of the Republic of China]] at [[Beijing]], which was formed in 1937, and the [[Reformed Government of the Republic of China]] at Nanjing, which was formed in 1938. These governments were merged into the [[Reorganized National Government of China]] at Nanjing on 29 March 1940. [[Wang Jingwei]] became head of state. The government was to be run along the same lines as the Nationalist regime and adopted its symbols.

The Nanjing Government had no real power; its main role was to act as a propaganda tool for the Japanese. The Nanjing Government concluded agreements with Japan and Manchukuo, authorising Japanese occupation of China and recognising the independence of Manchukuo under Japanese protection. The Nanjing Government signed the Anti-Comintern Pact of 1941 and declared war on the United States and the United Kingdom on 9 January 1943.

The government had a strained relationship with the Japanese from the beginning. Wang's insistence on his regime being the true Nationalist government of China and in replicating all the symbols of the [[Kuomintang]] led to frequent conflicts with the Japanese, the most prominent being the issue of the regime's flag, which was identical to that of the [[Republic of China (1912–1949)|Republic of China]].

The worsening situation for Japan from 1943 onwards meant that the Nanjing Army was given a more substantial role in the defence of occupied China than the Japanese had initially envisaged. The army was almost continuously employed against the communist [[New Fourth Army]]. Wang Jingwei died on 10 November 1944, and was succeeded by his deputy, [[Chen Gongbo]]. Chen had little influence; the real power behind the regime was [[Zhou Fohai]], the mayor of Shanghai. Wang's death dispelled what little legitimacy the regime had. On 9 September 1945, following the defeat of Japan, the area was surrendered to General [[He Yingqin]], a nationalist general loyal to [[Chiang Kai-shek]]. Chen Gongbo was tried and executed in 1946.