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Nomonhan, The beginning and end of WWII Asahi Shimbun
Last edited Mon Feb 1, 2021, 01:42 PM - Edit history (1)
The Soviet Union was from the beginning the hypothetical enemy for Kwantung army which had control over the army of Manchukuo established in 1932 as a puppet state of Japan.
Along the 4800-km long border, over 1000 clashes occurred between Japan and the Soviet Union 1932-1939. Having completed the first five-year plan in 1932, Soviet Union had doubled its army in far east.
Along the 4800-km long border, over 1000 clashes occurred between Japan and the Soviet Union 1932-1939. Having completed the first five-year plan in 1932, Soviet Union had doubled its army in far east.
Little clashes develop to a critical level
‘I don’t want to pay even 5 dollars for this land.’
Said a foreign correspondent who was visiting the battlefield of Nomonhan, a wasteland as large as the lake Biwa in Japan. The initial clash was fought between Manchukuo patrol troops and Mongolian cavalry force. A month before, ‘Principles for the Settlement of Soviet-Manchukuoan Border Disputes’ declared if the Manchukuoan frontiers are violated by troops, Kwantung Army will make surprise attacks and destroy them. The principles were drafted by Major Masanobu Tsuji, Operation Section of KwAHQ.
Thus, the 23rd Division pushed out the Mongolian troops with armored cars and aircrafts. Soviet army in Mongolia fought back with artillery and armored cars. The reconnaissance group of the 23rd Division and 64th Infantry Regiment tried to make a pincer attack against the Soviet Army on 28th, but because of the poor communication, the reconnaissance group which first reached the battlefield found themselves isolated, encircled by Soviet Army and destroyed in the evening on 29th.
‘I don’t want to pay even 5 dollars for this land.’
Said a foreign correspondent who was visiting the battlefield of Nomonhan, a wasteland as large as the lake Biwa in Japan. The initial clash was fought between Manchukuo patrol troops and Mongolian cavalry force. A month before, ‘Principles for the Settlement of Soviet-Manchukuoan Border Disputes’ declared if the Manchukuoan frontiers are violated by troops, Kwantung Army will make surprise attacks and destroy them. The principles were drafted by Major Masanobu Tsuji, Operation Section of KwAHQ.
Thus, the 23rd Division pushed out the Mongolian troops with armored cars and aircrafts. Soviet army in Mongolia fought back with artillery and armored cars. The reconnaissance group of the 23rd Division and 64th Infantry Regiment tried to make a pincer attack against the Soviet Army on 28th, but because of the poor communication, the reconnaissance group which first reached the battlefield found themselves isolated, encircled by Soviet Army and destroyed in the evening on 29th.
https://www.asahi.com/special/nomonhan/en
Interesting interactive presentation with text, google earth mapping and diagrams. Looks like the main Japanese attack started on July 3, 1939 in response to earlier exchanges with the Russians. Chapter 2 lays out the order of battle and deficiencies in Japanese logistics, outfitting, and doctrine. Chapter 3 is The battlefield which links Nomonhan Incidentand the end of the WWII.
On 9th August 1945, the Soviet Union invaded Manchuria with 1.74 million soldiers in total. The largest was the Zabaikal divison coming from eastern Mongolia.
Nomanhan is the battle portrayed in the South Korean movie My Way, in which a Japanese army officer and Korean prisoner serving in the Japanese forces are captured by the Russians, impressed into the Red Army, later captured by German forces in Russia, impressed into the German Army, and ultimately end up in France experiencing the Normandy invasion. The story as portrayed in the movie is disputed, but the battle of Nomonhan along the Mongolian border is depicted along with other major WWII battles. The plot of the movie even if fiction, presents the horrors of war during the period across Eurasia.