The Peace Preservation Corps was disbanded and absorbed by the East Hopei Army and was trained by Japanese advisors, officers from the Kwantung Army, who drilled the men by day and gave them Anti-communist lectures by night. The Japanese officers had final say in all matters pertaining to the army. Trained for a year, the Japanese believed they had created a reliable and well trained force. Intended for local policing they were only equipped with rifles and sidearms, and had no machine guns or artillery.