Ever since the 1904-1905 Russo-Japanese war tensions had run high between Russia and Japan in the far east. The installing of the new Soviet Union saw no change in this. Japanese intervention in the civil war and attempts to undermine the loyalty of the central asia territories were always in the minds of the Soviet government. Between 1932-1939 there were hundreds of "incidents" along the 3000 mile boarder. Several events would escalate these tensions. The 1936 Anti-Comintern pact between Japan and Germany fed Stalins fears of a 2 front war. The Soviets quickly signed a defense treaty with Mongolia ( a Soviet satillite state ). The next year further Japanese inroads into china led Stalin to begin strengthening the far east army. An open clash of arms actually broke out on the Amur river ( the boarder of Soviet Union and Manchukoa ) with Soviet troops easily pushed off 2 small islands on the river.
The Japanese Kwantung army believed they could exploit several "preceived"
weaknesses of the Soviet position.
1] all supplies to the far east army came over a single 10,000 mile long rail line ( trans siberian railroad ) from european russia.
2] Stalin's purge of the officer corps
3] the performance of Soviet troops at Amur island
4] Japanese intelligence estimates of only 2 Soviet divisions available to defend mongolia.
In the struggles between the Japanese military and the civilian governments during the 1920-1930's the most radical elements of the military were in the Kwantung army. They were of the "strike north" wing of the army--take China, take Russia, take what we need! The strike "south wing" wanted to go after the Dutch indies, British India, ect.. They often disobeyed orders from Tokyo or bent them to suit their needs. In the late 1930's they decided the Soviet presence in Mongolia and apparent weakness demanded action. The kwantung army was raised from 4 divisions to 9. Japanese intelligence failed to note a simular Soviet increase from 6 divisions to 20.( Japanese intelligence failure would be a recuring theme in the war ).
Japanese Kwantung army 1939
Japan had learned the lessions of 1918 well, Japanese infantry were among the best trained infantry of the time, trained to attack and suceded in trench warfare, hand to hand combat and the doctrine of attack. The problem was 1939 was not 1918, The Japanese army as a whole was not modern in either equipment or tactics. Japanese Armoured forces were weak in numbers and design to western powers, indeed no armoured formation existed tiil one was " thrown " together during the war. Japanese artillery was WW I era vintage and there was none or little mortorized transportation for troops or supply Ex.-during the days leading up to the climatic battle at Khalkl Gol, Japanese soldiers were either carrying supplies by hand or carts, the Soviets had over 4000 trucks bring theirs up to the front from the nearest railroads.
In 1938 at Changfeng hill ( near where the Soviet Union, Korea and Manchukoa meet ) the Japanese decided to test the Soviet again. The Imperial 19th division seized the heights in a night attack and held off counterattacks for 12 days. Japanese lose: 200 killed Soviet loses: 500 killed. As at Amur the Japanese read into the poor Soviet showing as weakness to be exploited.
On May 28th of 1939 the Japanese would get the excuse they were waiting for. A clash between Mongolian ( Russian satilites ) and Manchukuan (Japanese ) cavalry in the disputed Nomonhan sector provided a reason to occupy the area. General Komatsubara of the 23rd division sent the " Yamagate " brigade ( elite Japanese units were often named after their commander ) minus its artillery and anti tank weapons ( expected only Manchukuan 's ) to seize Nomonhan village. When they got there they were routed by Soviet Bt-7 tanks to which they had no defense. The Yamagate brigade left over a regiment of dead behind. In spite of the set back the Japanese decided these was a situation they could win based on logistics. The Japanese had a railroad spur that ran up to 60 miles of Nomonham, the nearest Soviet one was 434 miles away. The Kwantung command ordered bombers to bomb Soviet airbases inside the Soviet Union at Tameas and Bain Tuma ( against direct orders from Tokyo NOT to widen the war ) and soon Soviet bombers were ranging over Japanese lines retaliating.
comparisons
Soviet tanks
cannon-----armour
Bt-7--45mm--32mm
Bt-5--45mm--13mm
T-26--45mm--15mm
Su-76--122mm howitzer
Japanese tanks
cannon---------------------armour
89B-------57mm howitzer
Type 94-machine gun only-12mm
Type 95--45mm-----------12mm
Type 97--45mm-----------33mm (only handful in operation )
The Soviets had the advantage of quanity and quality.
As both sides marshalled their troops, Stalin sent a new commander to the far east army, Georgi Zhukov. Arriving in early June he immediately saw the threat to the trans siberian railroad and requested reinforcements. Soon 500 more tanks, 500 aircraft and 50 infantry and cavalry battalions were heading east. Before it arrived, the Japanese attempted to break the Soviet position along the Halkla river. An attack on Bain heights on July 2nd by the newly formed Japanese mechanized brigade is unsucessfull and thrown back by counterattacks by the 11th tank brigade and 7th armour brigade. The Japanese anti tank guns ( mostly 37mm ) are almost useless and they use molotov cocktails instead. The Japanese bring up 112 artillery pieces to pound Bain Heights into surrender, but the Japanese artillery-75mm and 100mm howitzers are out ranged by the newer Soviet 122mm and 150mm pieces. An attack on July 23rd is easily beaten off. Having lost the initiative, the Japanese begain to dig in.
AS of August 10th:
Soviet-----------------------------Japanese
artillery-542.....................................318
tanks-488........................................130
planes-515.......................................225
and a 3-2 edge in foot soldiers.
Early in the conflict the Japanese had air superiority with their Ki-27 fighters enjoying a 4-1 kill ratio. The Japanese pilots with their experience from China ruled the skys. This all changed with the coming of the Soviet I-16 fighters, manned by veterans of the Spanish civil war. Japanese loses that ran at 10% in May rose to 50% by September. Japan had lost control of the air.
comparisons
Soviet
speed...........armament
I-16 304mph .. 4 machine guns
I-153 280mph.. 4 machine guns
Japanese
speed..........armament
A5m 270mph..2 machine guns
Ki-10 248mph.. 2 machine guns
Ki-27 265mph.. 2 machine guns
The I-16 with its armoured cockpit could take considerable punishment from the lightly armed Japanese fighters.
By mid August Zhukov was ready, red army units were manuvered into position but made no threatening moves. Broadcasting in an older ( most certainly broken ) code he informs Moscow he is a month away from offensive actions. Soviet commanders are not informed of the attack till 3 hours before.
The Kwantung army is dug in a fortified position with bunkers and trenches. Their flanks are protected only by Manchukuan cavalry and have NO reserve units.
The Soviet army has the 6th Mongolian cavalry division,7th armoured brigade and 1/2 the 11th tank brigade on its left, 36th motorized and 82nd rifle divisions in the center. The 57th rifle, 8th Mongolian cavalry divisions and 1/2 the 11th tank brigade on the right. The 9th armour brigade, 6th tank brigade and 212 airborne are in reserve.
On August 20th a massive Soviet artillery bombardment began on the Japanese position. Soviet bombers bomb support and communication centers. armoured forces on both flanks push past the Manchukuan cavalry and into the Japanese rear. It was blitzkreig--but 33 days before the Germans in Poland. On August 24th the 9th armour brigade and 7th tank brigade meet behind the main Japanese lines--they are encircled. On the 26th the Soviets beat off a weak attempt to break the trapped troops out. The Soviets turn inward and crush the helpless infantry. The Kwantung army loses 18,000 killed, 20,000 wounded out of 60,00 men engaged. Zhukov had achieved a Soviet cannae.
To deter Soviet advances into Manchukoa the Japanese rush 6 fighter squadrons from China to the front. Throu out September air battles of up 200 planes at a time raged over the Manchukuan/Mongolian boarder. With the Kwantung army temporary unable to hold the Soviets back, Japan has no real choice but to seek terms. The Soviets too want terms, in Europe the Germans are racing across Poland and the Soviets fear they will lose their share of their agreement with them. By August 31st, Zhukov's tanks were already on trains heading west to Poland.
At the time it seemed unlikely that the Soviets could beat the Japanese, but hind sight shows us the Soviets had several key advantages. The Soviets enjoyed both numbers and design superiority in aircraft and tanks. The more modern Soviet transporation system kept theit troops supplied while the Japanese struggled. Finally the Soviets had a huge intelligence advantage--a mole. Richard Sorge was a Russian/German born member of the German embassy in Tokyo. But Sorges loyalty was to the motherland-not the fatherland. As a German attache and ally to Japan he freely came and went from the Japanese war councils and routinely sends Zhukov the Japanese order of battle, planned operations, units involved,ect... their strengths and weaknesses were known to Zhukov.
The disgrace of the " strike north" wing of the Japanese military would let the " strike south " faction control policy. Their goals in the further would be to the south.
Russian Tanks: 1939
BT-5
BT-7
T-26
The Japanese Kwantung army believed they could exploit several "preceived"
weaknesses of the Soviet position.
1] all supplies to the far east army came over a single 10,000 mile long rail line ( trans siberian railroad ) from european russia.
2] Stalin's purge of the officer corps
3] the performance of Soviet troops at Amur island
4] Japanese intelligence estimates of only 2 Soviet divisions available to defend mongolia.
In the struggles between the Japanese military and the civilian governments during the 1920-1930's the most radical elements of the military were in the Kwantung army. They were of the "strike north" wing of the army--take China, take Russia, take what we need! The strike "south wing" wanted to go after the Dutch indies, British India, ect.. They often disobeyed orders from Tokyo or bent them to suit their needs. In the late 1930's they decided the Soviet presence in Mongolia and apparent weakness demanded action. The kwantung army was raised from 4 divisions to 9. Japanese intelligence failed to note a simular Soviet increase from 6 divisions to 20.( Japanese intelligence failure would be a recuring theme in the war ).
Japanese Kwantung army 1939
Japan had learned the lessions of 1918 well, Japanese infantry were among the best trained infantry of the time, trained to attack and suceded in trench warfare, hand to hand combat and the doctrine of attack. The problem was 1939 was not 1918, The Japanese army as a whole was not modern in either equipment or tactics. Japanese Armoured forces were weak in numbers and design to western powers, indeed no armoured formation existed tiil one was " thrown " together during the war. Japanese artillery was WW I era vintage and there was none or little mortorized transportation for troops or supply Ex.-during the days leading up to the climatic battle at Khalkl Gol, Japanese soldiers were either carrying supplies by hand or carts, the Soviets had over 4000 trucks bring theirs up to the front from the nearest railroads.
In 1938 at Changfeng hill ( near where the Soviet Union, Korea and Manchukoa meet ) the Japanese decided to test the Soviet again. The Imperial 19th division seized the heights in a night attack and held off counterattacks for 12 days. Japanese lose: 200 killed Soviet loses: 500 killed. As at Amur the Japanese read into the poor Soviet showing as weakness to be exploited.
On May 28th of 1939 the Japanese would get the excuse they were waiting for. A clash between Mongolian ( Russian satilites ) and Manchukuan (Japanese ) cavalry in the disputed Nomonhan sector provided a reason to occupy the area. General Komatsubara of the 23rd division sent the " Yamagate " brigade ( elite Japanese units were often named after their commander ) minus its artillery and anti tank weapons ( expected only Manchukuan 's ) to seize Nomonhan village. When they got there they were routed by Soviet Bt-7 tanks to which they had no defense. The Yamagate brigade left over a regiment of dead behind. In spite of the set back the Japanese decided these was a situation they could win based on logistics. The Japanese had a railroad spur that ran up to 60 miles of Nomonham, the nearest Soviet one was 434 miles away. The Kwantung command ordered bombers to bomb Soviet airbases inside the Soviet Union at Tameas and Bain Tuma ( against direct orders from Tokyo NOT to widen the war ) and soon Soviet bombers were ranging over Japanese lines retaliating.
comparisons
Soviet tanks
cannon-----armour
Bt-7--45mm--32mm
Bt-5--45mm--13mm
T-26--45mm--15mm
Su-76--122mm howitzer
Japanese tanks
cannon---------------------armour
89B-------57mm howitzer
Type 94-machine gun only-12mm
Type 95--45mm-----------12mm
Type 97--45mm-----------33mm (only handful in operation )
The Soviets had the advantage of quanity and quality.
As both sides marshalled their troops, Stalin sent a new commander to the far east army, Georgi Zhukov. Arriving in early June he immediately saw the threat to the trans siberian railroad and requested reinforcements. Soon 500 more tanks, 500 aircraft and 50 infantry and cavalry battalions were heading east. Before it arrived, the Japanese attempted to break the Soviet position along the Halkla river. An attack on Bain heights on July 2nd by the newly formed Japanese mechanized brigade is unsucessfull and thrown back by counterattacks by the 11th tank brigade and 7th armour brigade. The Japanese anti tank guns ( mostly 37mm ) are almost useless and they use molotov cocktails instead. The Japanese bring up 112 artillery pieces to pound Bain Heights into surrender, but the Japanese artillery-75mm and 100mm howitzers are out ranged by the newer Soviet 122mm and 150mm pieces. An attack on July 23rd is easily beaten off. Having lost the initiative, the Japanese begain to dig in.
AS of August 10th:
Soviet-----------------------------Japanese
artillery-542.....................................318
tanks-488........................................130
planes-515.......................................225
and a 3-2 edge in foot soldiers.
Early in the conflict the Japanese had air superiority with their Ki-27 fighters enjoying a 4-1 kill ratio. The Japanese pilots with their experience from China ruled the skys. This all changed with the coming of the Soviet I-16 fighters, manned by veterans of the Spanish civil war. Japanese loses that ran at 10% in May rose to 50% by September. Japan had lost control of the air.
comparisons
Soviet
speed...........armament
I-16 304mph .. 4 machine guns
I-153 280mph.. 4 machine guns
Japanese
speed..........armament
A5m 270mph..2 machine guns
Ki-10 248mph.. 2 machine guns
Ki-27 265mph.. 2 machine guns
The I-16 with its armoured cockpit could take considerable punishment from the lightly armed Japanese fighters.
By mid August Zhukov was ready, red army units were manuvered into position but made no threatening moves. Broadcasting in an older ( most certainly broken ) code he informs Moscow he is a month away from offensive actions. Soviet commanders are not informed of the attack till 3 hours before.
The Kwantung army is dug in a fortified position with bunkers and trenches. Their flanks are protected only by Manchukuan cavalry and have NO reserve units.
The Soviet army has the 6th Mongolian cavalry division,7th armoured brigade and 1/2 the 11th tank brigade on its left, 36th motorized and 82nd rifle divisions in the center. The 57th rifle, 8th Mongolian cavalry divisions and 1/2 the 11th tank brigade on the right. The 9th armour brigade, 6th tank brigade and 212 airborne are in reserve.
On August 20th a massive Soviet artillery bombardment began on the Japanese position. Soviet bombers bomb support and communication centers. armoured forces on both flanks push past the Manchukuan cavalry and into the Japanese rear. It was blitzkreig--but 33 days before the Germans in Poland. On August 24th the 9th armour brigade and 7th tank brigade meet behind the main Japanese lines--they are encircled. On the 26th the Soviets beat off a weak attempt to break the trapped troops out. The Soviets turn inward and crush the helpless infantry. The Kwantung army loses 18,000 killed, 20,000 wounded out of 60,00 men engaged. Zhukov had achieved a Soviet cannae.
To deter Soviet advances into Manchukoa the Japanese rush 6 fighter squadrons from China to the front. Throu out September air battles of up 200 planes at a time raged over the Manchukuan/Mongolian boarder. With the Kwantung army temporary unable to hold the Soviets back, Japan has no real choice but to seek terms. The Soviets too want terms, in Europe the Germans are racing across Poland and the Soviets fear they will lose their share of their agreement with them. By August 31st, Zhukov's tanks were already on trains heading west to Poland.
At the time it seemed unlikely that the Soviets could beat the Japanese, but hind sight shows us the Soviets had several key advantages. The Soviets enjoyed both numbers and design superiority in aircraft and tanks. The more modern Soviet transporation system kept theit troops supplied while the Japanese struggled. Finally the Soviets had a huge intelligence advantage--a mole. Richard Sorge was a Russian/German born member of the German embassy in Tokyo. But Sorges loyalty was to the motherland-not the fatherland. As a German attache and ally to Japan he freely came and went from the Japanese war councils and routinely sends Zhukov the Japanese order of battle, planned operations, units involved,ect... their strengths and weaknesses were known to Zhukov.
The disgrace of the " strike north" wing of the Japanese military would let the " strike south " faction control policy. Their goals in the further would be to the south.
Russian Tanks: 1939
BT-5
BT-7
T-26
