Soviet-Japanese tensions dated back to 1931, when Japan occupied Manchuria and began showing interest in the Soviet Union's border areas, leading to several border clashes. Japan and its puppet Manchukuo claimed that the border between Manchukuo and Mongolia was the Khalkhin Gol River which flows into Lake Buir. The Soviet Union and the Mongolian People's Republic believed the border extended about 10 miles east of the river, just east of the village of Nomonhan.
The incident that would eventually escalate into a full-blown war began on May 11, 1939 when a 70-90 strong Mongolian cavalry force entered the disputed area in search of pasture for their horses. They were driven out by the Manchukuoan cavalry, who returned two days later with greater numbers and this time the Manchukuoans were unable to dislodge them. Lieutenant Colonel Azuma led the Reconnaissance Regiment and the 64th Infantry Regiment of the 23rd Infantry Division against the Mongols who had to request Soviet aid. In the resulting confrontation, Azuma's forces were destroyed on May 28 and after that, in June, both sides began to reinforce their forces in the region. The Japanese had around 30,000 men. The Soviets sent a new corps commander named Georgy Zhukov who arrived on June 5 with more motorized and armored forces (Ist Army Group). On June 27, the 2nd Air Brigade successfully attacked the Soviet air base at Tamsak-Bulak in Mongolia, an attack that had not been authorized by Tokyo. Tokyo attempted to subdue the Guandong Army, but ultimately ordered it to expel the "Soviet invaders." In July 1939, the Japanese assault began. The Japanese plan called for a two-pronged assault. The first attack would be carried out by three regiments plus part of a fourth: the 71st and 72nd Infantry Regiment (23rd Division), a battalion of the 64th Infantry Regiment and the 26th Infantry Regiment under Colonel Shinichiro Sumi (7th Infantry Division). This force would advance across the Khalkin Gol, destroy Soviet forces on Baintsagan Hill on the west bank, then turn left and advance south to the Kawatama Brid.The first Soviet probing attacks went poorly, but they ensured that Japanese casualties continued to mount and made the disorganized state of the Sixth Army a matter of major concern. That and the fact that Japan said it did not wish to escalate the incident allowed the Red Army to select elite units without having to worry about Japanese retaliation elsewhere. Soviet central units pinned down the Japanese units while Soviet armored units swept the flanks and achieved a double envelopment.
On August 31, Japanese forces on the Mongolian side of the border were destroyed, leaving the remains of the 23rd Division on the Manchurian side. The Soviets had achieved their objective. Lieutenant General Michitaro Komatsubara refused to accept the result and prepared a counteroffensive.Prime Minister Nobuyuki Abe planned to end this situation and defuse the border conflict, but Komatsubara appealed to the military's (admittedly declining) Kodoha political faction, known for supporting the "Northern Strike" strategy. against the USSR. Noboyuki was killed in mysterious circumstances that have never been clarified. He was replaced as prime minister by General Kenkichi Ueda, former commander of the Guandong Army. Ueda was a staunch supporter of the "Strike North" or "hokushin-ron" policy which held that communism was Japan's main enemy and that the nation's destiny lay in conquering the natural resources of the North Asian continent. , sparsely populated. He chose to send reinforcements to the Mongolian border for a counter-offensive.
When, after September 1939, it did not seem that the Japanese were going to put the past behind them and would instead escalate the situation even further, Stalin saw himself obliged to do something. On top of that, his pathological paranoia awoke again and he became convinced that Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan, Italy and their puppets would attack the USSR together. After all, Germany, Japan and Italy were the Axis powers, based on the explicitly anti-communist Anti-Comintern Pact.Furthermore, Hitler had explicitly written that he wanted to destroy communism and conquer living space at the expense of Russia. War with Germany was therefore inevitable at some point, while a war with Japan was de facto underway. It was at this point that Stalin finally decided that war with Imperial Japan was inevitable and therefore began preparations for the invasion of Japan. Japan's departure from the Axis only made the situation easier for Stalin and finally after months of preparation, on May 5, 1940 with 1.6 million men (1.5 million Soviet and 100,000 Mongolian) under Zhukov stood armored fighting vehicles, 15,000 artillery pieces and 3,900 aircraft on the border with Manchukuo while skirmishes with the Japanese continued in the period 1939-1940.
Soviet-Japanese tensions dated back to 1931, when Japan occupied Manchuria and began showing interest in the Soviet Union's border areas, leading to several border clashes. Japan and its puppet Manchukuo claimed that the border between Manchukuo and Mongolia was the Khalkhin Gol River which flows into Lake Buir. The Soviet Union and the Mongolian People's Republic believed the border extended about 10 miles east of the river, just east of the village of Nomonhan.
The incident that would eventually escalate into a full-blown war began on May 11, 1939 when a 70-90 strong Mongolian cavalry force entered the disputed area in search of pasture for their horses. They were driven out by the Manchukuoan cavalry, who returned two days later with greater numbers and this time the Manchukuoans were unable to dislodge them. Lieutenant Colonel Azuma led the Reconnaissance Regiment and the 64th Infantry Regiment of the 23rd Infantry Division against the Mongols who had to request Soviet aid. In the resulting confrontation, Azuma's forces were destroyed on May 28 and after that, in June, both sides began to reinforce their forces in the region. The Japanese had around 30,000 men. The Soviets sent a new corps commander named Georgy Zhukov who arrived on June 5 with more motorized and armored forces (Ist Army Group). On June 27, the 2nd Air Brigade successfully attacked the Soviet air base at Tamsak-Bulak in Mongolia, an attack that had not been authorized by Tokyo. Tokyo attempted to subdue the Guandong Army, but ultimately ordered it to expel the "Soviet invaders." In July 1939, the Japanese assault began. The Japanese plan called for a two-pronged assault. The first attack would be carried out by three regiments plus part of a fourth: the 71st and 72nd Infantry Regiment (23rd Division), a battalion of the 64th Infantry Regiment and the 26th Infantry Regiment under Colonel Shinichiro Sumi (7th Infantry Division). This force would advance across the Khalkin Gol, destroy Soviet forces on Baintsagan Hill on the west bank, then turn left and advance south to the Kawatama Brid.The first Soviet probing attacks went poorly, but they ensured that Japanese casualties continued to mount and made the disorganized state of the Sixth Army a matter of major concern. That and the fact that Japan said it did not wish to escalate the incident allowed the Red Army to select elite units without having to worry about Japanese retaliation elsewhere. Soviet central units pinned down the Japanese units while Soviet armored units swept the flanks and achieved a double envelopment.
On August 31, Japanese forces on the Mongolian side of the border were destroyed, leaving the remains of the 23rd Division on the Manchurian side. The Soviets had achieved their objective. Lieutenant General Michitaro Komatsubara refused to accept the result and prepared a counteroffensive.Prime Minister Nobuyuki Abe planned to end this situation and defuse the border conflict, but Komatsubara appealed to the military's (admittedly declining) Kodoha political faction, known for supporting the "Northern Strike" strategy. against the USSR. Noboyuki was killed in mysterious circumstances that have never been clarified. He was replaced as prime minister by General Kenkichi Ueda, former commander of the Guandong Army. Ueda was a staunch supporter of the "Strike North" or "hokushin-ron" policy which held that communism was Japan's main enemy and that the nation's destiny lay in conquering the natural resources of the North Asian continent. , sparsely populated. He chose to send reinforcements to the Mongolian border for a counter-offensive.
When, after September 1939, it did not seem that the Japanese were going to put the past behind them and would instead escalate the situation even further, Stalin saw himself obliged to do something. On top of that, his pathological paranoia awoke again and he became convinced that Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan, Italy and their puppets would attack the USSR together. After all, Germany, Japan and Italy were the Axis powers, based on the explicitly anti-communist Anti-Comintern Pact.Furthermore, Hitler had explicitly written that he wanted to destroy communism and conquer living space at the expense of Russia. War with Germany was therefore inevitable at some point, while a war with Japan was de facto underway. It was at this point that Stalin finally decided that war with Imperial Japan was inevitable and therefore began preparations for the invasion of Japan. Japan's departure from the Axis only made the situation easier for Stalin and finally after months of preparation, on May 5, 1940 with 1.6 million men (1.5 million Soviet and 100,000 Mongolian) under Zhukov stood armored fighting vehicles, 15,000 artillery pieces and 3,900 aircraft on the border with Manchukuo while skirmishes with the Japanese continued in the period 1939-1940.
With the Soviet Union in the axis camp, the British and French thought that Germany was dependent on oil exports from Moscow, which is why Operation Pike was created. Unable to invade the USSR, the allies bombed Baku and Grozny on May 7, 1940 the first city which produced 72% of Soviet oil passing through Turkey following this event the Soviets asked that Turkey prohibit Allied aviation from passing through this country this which the Turkish president accepted under the threat of Red invasion.
During the Russian Civil War the 3 Baltic states were created, however Moscow always wanted to regain control of its territories from the former Russian Empire.
In September and October 1939, the Soviet government forced the Baltic states to enter into mutual assistance agreements that gave it the right to establish Soviet military bases. In May 1940, the Soviets turned to the idea of intervention direct military power, but still intended to rule through puppet regimes.
On June 15, 1940, the Lithuanian government was extorted into accepting the Soviet ultimatum and allowing the entry of an unspecified number of Soviet troops. President Antanas Smetona offered armed resistance to the Soviets but the government refused, proposing its own candidate to lead the regime. However, the Soviets refused this offer and sent Vladimir Dekanozov to take charge of affairs while the Red Army occupied the 'State.
On June 16, 1940, Latvia and Estonia also received finals. The Red Army soon after occupied the two remaining Balti
c states.
