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Manchuria is a region (ca. 1,550,000 sq. km) in northeastern China. The literal translation of Manchuria in Chinese is Manzhou (滿洲), but Chinese never refer to the region as that name which is considered slightly offensive, when used in Chinese, because of its separatist connotations and because it invokes the memory of the Japanese occupation and puppet state of Manchukuo. Instead, Chinese almost universally refer to the region as the Northeast.

The region borders Mongolia in the west, Russia in the north and North Korea in the east. Since 1956 it has been comprised of the Jilin, Heilongjiang, and Liaoning provinces.

Geography

The region is the original homeland of the Manchu rules of China during the Ming and Qing dynasty. The region was separated from China proper by the willow palisade a ditch and embankment planted with willows intended to keep the Manchus out during the Ming dynasty and intended to keep Han Chinese out of Manchuria during the Qing dynasty.

The area was invaded by the Soviet Union in 1945 as part of its declaration of war against Japan. From 1945 to 1948, Manchuria was a base area for the People's Liberation Army in the Chinese Civil War.

Brief History

The Manchuria was the home of nomatic tribes of Manchu, Evenki, and Mongol. The government of Han Chinese loosely controlled southern Manchuria up until Song Dynasty. During Song Dynasty, a Mongol tribe set up the Liao Dynasty in Manchuria. Later, Manchus overthrow Liao and formed Jin Dynasty.

During World War II, Manchuria was colonized by Japanese and set up as Manzhouguo. During Chinese Civil War, Manchuria was used as staging ground for the Chinese Communists.