Soviet–Japanese War
At the Tehran Conference in November 1943, Joseph Stalin agreed that the Soviet Union would enter the war against Japan once Germany was defeated. An Anglo-American delegation visited Moscow on the 15th of October 1944 to discuss the terms of this entry. British participants included Winston Churchill and Anthony Eden alongside Field Marshal Sir Alan Brooke. The American representative was W. Averell Harriman. Stalin noted that the offensive might require American material assistance due to limited freight capacity on the Trans-Siberian Railway. At the Yalta Conference in February 1945, Stalin secured Allied agreement for his Far Eastern territorial desires in exchange for entering the Pacific War within three months of Europe's defeat. On the 26th of July 1945, the Potsdam Declaration issued an ultimatum calling for Japanese surrender with a threat of prompt and utter destruction if ignored. The date of the invasion fell between the US atomic bombings of Hiroshima on the 6th of August and Nagasaki on the 9th of August. Stalin had been told virtually nothing about the atomic bomb program by Allied governments. Marshal Aleksandr Vasilevsky reported to Stalin on the 3rd of August that he could attack on the morning of the 5th of August if necessary. The timing enabled the Soviet Union to enter the Pacific Theater as previously agreed before the war ended.
The Far East Command under Marshal Vasilevsky devised a plan for the conquest of Manchuria that was simple but huge in scale. It called for a massive pincer movement over all of Manchuria using three Red Army fronts. The Transbaikal Front from the west would form one half of the pincer while the 1st Far East Front from the east formed the other. The 2nd Far East Front attacked the center of the pocket from the north. Each front had front units attached directly instead of traditional armies. The forces totaled 89 divisions with 1.5 million men, 3,704 tanks, and 1,852 self-propelled guns. There were 85,819 vehicles and 3,721 aircraft available for the operation. One third of its strength was dedicated to combat support and services. Naval forces contained 12 major surface combatants and 78 submarines plus numerous amphibious craft. The Amur River flotilla consisted of gunboats and small craft. The Soviet plan incorporated experience in maneuver warfare acquired fighting Germans. They used new improved weapons such as the RPD light machine gun and the T-44 main battle tank. A small number of JS-3 heavy tanks also entered the field.
At 5 p.m. Moscow time on the 8th of August 1945, Soviet foreign minister Vyacheslav Molotov informed Japanese ambassador Naotake Satō that the Soviet Union declared war on Japan. From the 9th of August the Soviet Government considered itself at war with Japan. At one minute past midnight Trans-Baikal time on the 9th of August 1945, just over an hour after the declaration, Soviets commenced their invasion simultaneously on three fronts. The Khingan, Mukden Offensive Operation ran from the 9th of August to the 2nd of September 1945. The Harbin, Kirin Offensive Operation covered the same dates. The Battle of Mutanchiang occurred during this period. The Siege of Hutou Fortress lasted until the 2nd of September 1945. Subsequent operations included the South Sakhalin Operation from the 11th of August to the 25th of August 1945. The Soviet assault on Maoka took place between 19 and the 22nd of August 1945. Chongjin Landing Operation occurred from 13 to the 16th of August 1945. The Kuril Landing Operation ran from the 18th of August to the 1st of September 1945 including the Battle of Shumshu. Since 1983, the operation has sometimes been called Operation August Storm after United States Army historian Lieutenant Colonel David Glantz used this title for a paper. It was also referred to by its Soviet name as the Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation.
The Kwantung Army under General Otozō Yamada consisted of two Area Armies plus three independent armies responsible for northern Manchuria and North Korea. Combined forces in Manchuria and the Seventeenth Area Army in Korea came close to one million men. They had no fewer than 31 divisions and 13 brigades including two tank brigades. In Manchuria alone there were approximately 700 armored vehicles and 5,000 guns and mortars. The Imperial Japanese Navy did not contribute surface forces to the defense of Manchuria. Despite its large size, the Kwantung Army was badly trained and poorly equipped with limited supplies. Overall ammunition stockpiles were sufficient to meet needs of only 13 divisions for 3 months compared with 24 divisions then in Manchuria. Most heavy equipment and best troops transferred to the Pacific Front over previous three years. Second-rate units raised to replace them reduced it to a light infantry counterinsurgency force. Japanese military intelligence failed to determine nature, location, and scale of Soviet buildup. They believed Soviets would not have sufficient forces before end of August or likely attack in autumn 1945 or spring 1946. The withdrawal of elite forces for redeployment into Pacific Theatre made new operational plans prepared by summer 1945. These called for redeploying most forces from border areas held lightly with delaying actions.
On the 18th of August several Soviet amphibious landings conducted ahead of land advance included three in northern Korea, one in South Sakhalin, and one in Chishima Islands. In Korea at least Soviet soldiers waited for troops coming overland. Karafuto and Chishimas saw sudden establishment of Soviet sovereignty. On the 10th of August US government proposed dividing occupation of Korea between them at 38th parallel north. Americans surprised that Soviet government accepted this proposal. Soviet troops moved freely by rail with nothing stopping them from occupying whole peninsula. Soviet forces began amphibious landings in northern Korea by the 14th of August and rapidly took northeast of peninsula. On the 16th of August they landed at Wonsan. On the 24th of August Red Army entered Pyongyang establishing military government over Korea north of 38th parallel. American forces landed at Incheon on the 8th of September taking control of south. As agreed at Yalta, Soviet Union entitled to annex territories of South Sakhalin lost to Japan after Russo-Japanese War plus Kuril Islands. They also gained preeminent interests over Port Arthur and Dalian via China Changchun Railway. Territories on Asian mainland transferred to full control of People's Republic of China in 1955. Other possessions still administered by successor state Russia. Division of Korea led to creation of separate states North and South Korea precursor to Korean War five years later.
The Soviet invasion marked start of traumatic period for more than one million residents of puppet state Manchukuo who were of Japanese descent. Situation clear for Japanese military occupants but Japanese colonists born in Manchukuo now stateless and homeless. Non-Japanese Manchurians wanted rid of these foreigners. Many residents killed while others ended up in Siberian prisons for up to 20 years. Some made way to Japanese home islands where treated as foreigners. Soviet forces captured Japanese soldiers and physically fit Japanese men transferring them to Siberia to perform slave labor. Many died from cold weather there. From Soviet perspective this seen as revenge for Russia defeat in Russo-Japanese War of 1905. Japanese evacuees fled to Beijing telling stories of Soviet mistreatment sparking panic among Japanese populace. Russians stayed out of China proper according agreement with Chiang Kai-shek. Manchuria cleansed by Soviet forces of any potential military resistance. With Soviet support spread communism provided main base operations for Mao Zong's forces proving victorious following four years Chinese Civil War. Military successes in Manchuria and China led Soviet Union giving rights bases promised Western Allies since land deemed Chinese turned over People's Republic of China.
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Common questions
When did the Soviet Union declare war on Japan in 1945?
Soviet foreign minister Vyacheslav Molotov informed Japanese ambassador Naotake Satō that the Soviet Union declared war on Japan at 5 p.m. Moscow time on the 8th of August 1945. The Soviet Government considered itself at war with Japan from the 9th of August.
Who commanded the Soviet Far East Command during the invasion of Manchuria?
Marshal Aleksandr Vasilevsky led the Far East Command and devised the plan for the conquest of Manchuria. He reported to Stalin on the 3rd of August that an attack could commence on the morning of the 5th of August if necessary.
What were the total forces involved in the Soviet invasion of Manchukuo?
The Soviet forces totaled 89 divisions with 1.5 million men, 3,704 tanks, and 1,852 self-propelled guns. There were 85,819 vehicles and 3,721 aircraft available for the operation along with naval forces containing 12 major surface combatants and 78 submarines.
How many days did the Khingan and Mukden Offensive Operation last?
The Khingan, Mukden Offensive Operation ran from the 9th of August to the 2nd of September 1945. This timeframe covered the same dates as the Harbin, Kirin Offensive Operation which included the Battle of Mutanchiang.
Why was the Kwantung Army unable to effectively resist the Soviet invasion?
The Kwantung Army under General Otozō Yamada was badly trained and poorly equipped with limited supplies despite its large size. Most heavy equipment and best troops had transferred to the Pacific Front over previous three years leaving second-rate units to replace them.