[1] Boeitai units were established in the Japanese home islands, Okinawa, Korea and Formosa.
[2] Unlike regular Japanese Army soldiers, Boeitai personnel were not indoctrinated to fight to the death or consider themselves to be imperial subjects.
[2] Around 20,000 local Boeitai were involved in the Battle of Okinawa during 1945, with most initially serving as labourers or in support roles but some augmenting frontline Army units.
[2] In addition, several Okinawan Boeitai groups fought as partisans armed mainly with spears and grenades.
As a result, around 20 percent of Boeitai personnel on Okinawa deserted or surrendered to American forces.