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How did communist forces obtain weapons in Manchuria after World War II?
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Chinese Civil War
Nationalist Army soldiers preparing to defend Shanghai from Communist forces, c. 1949.
Following the surrender of Japan at the end of World War II, communist forces in Manchuria obtained weapons primarily by seizing Japanese military stocks that had been captured by the Soviet Union.12
Under the protection of the Soviet army, which had occupied the region, Chinese communist guerrillas united with forces from North China to form the United Democratic Army. These forces were equipped with the Japanese arms turned over to them by the Soviets. Additionally, the communist forces under General Lin Biao incorporated former puppet troops of the Japanese-controlled Manchukuo regime, further bolstering their military capacity as they moved to secure the region.12