Japanese Army Handbook 19391945 Author:George Forty The redoubtalble Japanese Imperial Army grew from 1.5 million men in 1939 to 5.5 million by the end of the war. Their highly successful campaigns in the Far East and Pacific theaters at the beginning of WW II were every bit as spectacular as those of the Germans in Europe, their troops earning an enviable reputation as expert jungle fighters. ... more »Their code of honor also made theme extremely cruel enemies to prisoners and civilians alike, while their Kamikaze suicidal tendencies meant they would automatically fight to the last without any thought of surrender.« less