During the anti-Japanese was the Japanese aggressors who had occupied north China reorganized in their areas stragglers and disbanded soldiers of the Kuomintang army, who had surrendered to Japan, and armed bandits for the purpose of "using Chinese to subdue Chinese". Known as the Imperial Army's assistant forces, their task was to assist Japanese troops in garrisoning communication lines and strongholds and support their attacks on the anti-Japanese base areas led by the Chinese Communist Party.