Editing Axis powers (section)

===Manchuria (Manchukuo)===
{{Main|Manchukuo}}
[[File:Military exercise of Manchukuo Imperial Army.JPG|thumb|Manchurian soldiers training in a military exercise]]
[[File:Manchukuo Air Force.JPG|thumb|Manchurian pilots of the Manchukuo Air Force]]

Manchukuo, in the [[Northeast China|northeast region of China]], had been a Japanese puppet state in [[Manchuria]] since the 1930s. It was nominally ruled by [[Puyi]], the last [[Emperor of China|Chinese Emperor]] of the [[Qing Dynasty]], but was in fact controlled by the Japanese military, in particular the [[Kwantung Army]]. While Manchukuo ostensibly was a state for ethnic [[Manchu people|Manchus]], the region had a [[Han Chinese]] majority.

Following the [[Mukden Incident|Japanese invasion of Manchuria]] in 1931, the independence of Manchukuo was proclaimed on 18 February 1932, with Puyi as head of state. He was proclaimed the Emperor of Manchukuo a year later. The new Manchu nation was recognized by 23 of the [[League of Nations]]' 80 members. Germany, Italy, and the Soviet Union were among the major powers who recognised Manchukuo. Other countries who recognized the State were the [[Dominican Republic]], [[Costa Rica]], and [[El Salvador]]. Manchukuo was also recognised by the other Japanese allies and puppet states, including Mengjiang, the Burmese government of [[Ba Maw]], [[Thailand]], the Wang Jingwei regime, and the Indian government of [[Subhas Chandra Bose]]. The League of Nations later declared in 1934 that Manchuria lawfully remained a part of China. This precipitated Japanese withdrawal from the League. The Manchukuoan state ceased to exist after the [[Soviet invasion of Manchuria]] in 1945.

Manchukuo signed the Anti-Comintern Pact in 1939, but never signed the Tripartite Pact.