Russian Invasion of China - Operation August Storm 1945
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- čas přidán 18. 08. 2022
- In August 1945, the USSR suddenly attacked Japanese-occupied Manchuria in Northern China. The huge operation would be the last battle of WWII.
Dr. Mark Felton FRHistS, FRSA is a well-known British historian, the author of 22 non-fiction books, including bestsellers 'Zero Night' and 'Castle of the Eagles', both currently being developed into movies in Hollywood. In addition to writing, Mark also appears regularly in television documentaries around the world, including on The History Channel, Netflix, National Geographic, Quest, American Heroes Channel and RMC Decouverte. His books have formed the background to several TV and radio documentaries. More information about Mark can be found at: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Fe...
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My great grandfather participated in this! He was a soviet officer and engineer. He was born in 1917 and died in 2004. Rest in peace.
Nothing to be proud off, just another useless war just like the one in Ukraine now.
RIP.
@@Redax1990 you are talking bullshet the soviets invasion of Japanese Manchuria was decided at Teheran conference on 3 December 1943 between 3 superpowers united Kingdom united states and soviet union and it was agreed by three superpowers that 90 days after Germany capitulation soviet union would attack Manchuria and the soviets invasion of Manchuria reduced the war in the pacific by 1 year because meny more American soldiers would died if the soviets had not invaded Manchuria the war would had ended in 1946 so it wasn't an useless war it saved millions of Japanese lives and it saved hundreds of thousands of American soldiers lives
It's Ok You Have Dad And Mom 😢
Вечная память!
Fun fact: the last battle in Europe was at Odzak, it was Yugoslav Partisans Vs Croatian Ustashe and Chetniks. Just 17 days after WW2 in Europe officially ended
not surprising lmao
it is Odžak, and it is in my country Bosnia and Herzegovina ❤️
I’m guessing Tito’s partisans whooped them bad
and another fun fact is that Fu Manchu wasn't a fictional character on our TV screens in the 1970s and 80s. 👍 📺🌟
@@wrpg9955 care to elaborate? Don't tell me you're a tito fan...
I have also read that Stalin saw this victory against the Japanese as a way to rectify the Russian defeat in the 1905 Russo-Japanese War.
He literally won in Mukden where Imperial Russian Army was defeated 40 years before.
I would suspect the nasty little border war in the mid-late 1930’s had more to do with it.
It was the reason for the Sino-Russian non aggression pact, not the 1905 war
Bingo
Stalin never give up any chances of vengeance, his behavior!
@@shawnmiller4781 That border skirmish wasn't anything other than a check on Japan's rogue army officers. Stalin was still worried Japan would invade when the Germans did. He kept sizable forces in Asia to stave that threat off, even when Germans were advancing seemingly unstoppable in the west. Invading Manchuria and retaking southern Sakhalin was the real deal.
A couple of details. Manchuria was extremely important for Japan. It was essentially the industrial heartland of the Japanese Empire. Just think of it: all the Japanese warships were built from Chinese ore. Add to that synthetic fuel plants. Second. The Soviet attack on the Japanese was a fulfillment of Stalin's promise to western allies that the USSR would start the war with Japan three months after the end of the war in Europe. And Stalin fulfilled his promise exactly up to a day: on the 8th August after the 8th of May. Third. It wasn't a treacherous invasion like German attack on Russia because several months before that the Soviets officially informed the Japanese about scrapping the treaty with them. So it wasn't unexpected for them. Fourth: what was the hopes of the Japanese? Having about 1 mln men army in China? They looked at their war with Czar's Russia in 1905, when very scarce transportation capabilities in Siberia didn't allow the Russians to adequately maintain and supply their troops on the vast expanses of Manchuria (the area much more large than European theater). So they considered that the land would be impassable for large mechanized formations and any Soviet troops getting to the plains of China would be crushed as in 1905. But the Soviets managed to move the whole tank army (the 6th tank army) through the mountains and for that Japanese had absolutely no par. It was 1941 in 1945. Aggravated by Japanese tanks were highly inferior to Soviet tanks and the Japanese have very little or no at all antitank weaponry.
I'd like to add a little bit more. Japan was very strong as a naval empire - no doubt. But it simply doesn't have enough resources to be equally strong as a continental power. The whole war in the Pacific theater was a war of rather small infantry formations. For instance, Guadalcanal: it was a battle around one airfield. Just one airfield. Lots of naval ships, not so much infantry and absolutely no mechanized formations. Jungles, yes, what kind of mechanized formation? In fact, Japan has no real mechanized formation at all: only at the very end of the war they tried to organize an experimental tank division around Tokyo, for its defense. But the plains of Manchuria is absolutely different from the jungle war. And here the Japanese confronted with the Red Army which amassed a really huge experience of mechanized war for the four years with such teachers as Germans. As with Germans even the composition and structure of a Soviet tank army went through several experimental changes - not always successful. Soviet mechanized corps at the beginning of the war and the tank army at the end of it - it was a huge difference. Not less important was the emergence of experienced and capable tank commanders who could manage these formations in real battle. You had to go through Stalingrad and Kursk battles, mobile operations of large formations in 1944 in Ukraine and Byelorussia (operation Bagration) to get this experience and knowledge. Being a good tank commander it's a very specific knowledge. No Japanese officer had this knowledge and experience. Hence the crushing defeat with lightning speed.
I had vaguely known about Manchuria’s importance in the war, but wasn’t aware of so many future consequences that are still with us over seventy five years later. History at its best as only Mark Felton can do it!
superb Video as always> Thank you Dr. Felton !
AGREED.
Even worse is the mess the victors left after partitioning up the World following WW1. A lot of today's problems can be plotted back to that.
China's fate to fall to Mao was sealed in 1944, when the Japanese launched Operation Ichi-Go, and utterly DESTROYED Chang Kai Cheks armies. It's one of the 3 deciding battles of the war together with D-Day and Bagration that shaped the post-war world. When the Nationalist armies that had been so painstakingly rebuild were destroyed that opened the door for Mao's communists to defeat them after the war.
In reflection, seeking a invasion from the Soviets against Japan was a mistake.
All I heard in school about the USSR role in the Pacific theater was that Stalin conveniently declared war on the Japanese *after* the bombs dropped. I was surprised to learn from your video that the Soviet campaign in Manchuria actually helped make that part of the world what it is today. Thank you!
Actually, Roosevelt also promised Hokkaido to soviets after the victory over Japan, and he also thought that it will be better if japan will surrender if its army will be knocked out by soviets, than to bomb civilians with atomic bomb. But Truman pretty much wrecked all his plans
@@Admin-gm3lc thank god. Can you imagine Hokkaido in Soviet hands - that’s part of main land Japan . The Allies never could miss a trick to hand over nations to dictatorships after spending a war fighting…..dictatorships.
@@xr6lad those who fail to learn history are... Oh whatever no one is stopping a freight train just because they know it's coming.
@@xr6lad That is why they handed over South Korea to a brutal dictatorship lol
This was really the conclusion of the battle of Khalkhin Gol 1939.
The Soviets also won its first battle in the war against the Japanese in 1939 at Khalkin Gol.
this really gives an insight on how much of a large scale this war was, it touched literally everywhere.
no wonder the name for ''World'' war
@@SHAHDIFMDKF yeah ik, but im saying it hits incredibly different knowing it quite literally affected the entire world
@@froot6086 i know what your saying, i felt the same way when i found out about the first naval battle of ww2… i assumed it would’ve taken place in the north Atlantic but it was off the coast of South America
@@whygodwhy1388 what
Oh dear. Millennial?
My Father served in the 6th USID in the Philippines. After the surrender in the Philippines the 6th boarded LSTs for S. Korea to receive the surrender there. The ramps went down and the GIs were greeted by Japanese forces on parade with tanks, artillery and flags waving. The raggedy GIs were dumbfounded. The Japanese flag was lowered and the American flag raised. The Japanese troops stacked rifles and returned to their barracks.
Quite an interesting story about the very early days of the US occupation of southern Korea. The Americans had no real ability to establish an effective military govt for the territory so continued relying on the Japanese colonial administration to administer Korea south of the 38th parallel.
The Americans soon placed ethnic Koreans into the positions of the Japanese colonial administrators who returned to Japan and continued using the pre-existing Japanese government apparatus to govern South Korea. In some ways South Korea today is a continuation of that former Japanese Korean state, even if Koreans today are loath to actually admit this. Many high-ranking civilian and military officials of "the Republic of Korea" had previously served under the Imperial Japanese.
Sounds like east and west Germany
@@mlc4495 Really?
Same story for my father.
The emperor told them to surrender. Japanese were very obedient.
From Norway to Manchurian. The scale of WW2 was insane.
Do not forget El Alamein!
Well it was called a World War for a reason
Makes you wonder how the scale of WW3 will be like, doesn't it.
@@skwalka6372 One big flash!
@@rolfagten857 Agreed, the 'Perimeter' system. Ref: The Dead Hand, 2009.
We never stop learning on this channel! 🙂👍
"The Last Emperor" (Italian: L'ultimo imperatore) is a 1987 epic biographical drama film. In this film we see this happening sideways!
Exactly!! In spanish too (El último emperador). Well portrayed in the film.
Edit: in spanish have the same name.
Maybe try reading a book too.
Watching a movie may spark interest in the period and then read up on the subject.
@@simonkevnorris Fair enough.
This is well known , the last WW2 era Russian order of the gold star was earned ( hero of the Soviet Union) .. if you travel to the Mongolian area , you can still see wrecked tanks from both sides still rusting away
Paenitet me audire de morte tua. Requiescat in pace.
I wonder how many of the tank wrecks are from an earlier battle between the Japanese and Soviets, Khalkin Gol springs to mind.
Its just like Russia to enter the war right at the very end to act like they helped defeat Japan when Japan was already going to surrender. Plus, this was Russia's way of getting back at Japan for humiliating them in the Russo-Japanese War.
@@jimkeskey the soviets killed, wounded, or captured more japanese troops in 2 weeks than the US in 4 years
@@jimkeskey In the war with Japan, we did the same as you did in World War II when you opened the second front, not when it was possible, but when it was profitable. So if I were you, I would think before saying such things in such a dismissive tone.
"The Last Emperor" is a lavish movie from the 1980s, depicting the life of Emperor Pu Yi. It depicts him as a prisoner in his palace, surrounded by Japanese guards and "aides" and without authority to do anything other than what he is ordered to do. There's a great scene where we see invading Soviet paratroopers descend over an airfield, just as he is about to flee.
Great movie I really enjoyed it. Very sad about his life and how he was manipulated by everyone.
Pu Yi was trying to escape to Japan but his plane landed at an airfield in Manchuria with the pilot not being aware of the airfield being taken by the Red Army already. When in Soviet captivity he tries to save his skin by totally cooperating with the Soviets and even offered to joined the Soviet Communist Party, but the Soviet deported him to China anyway and he ended up in a Chinese labor camp. So sadly the labor camp also housed a number of Chinese Nationalist POWs many of whom had fought bravely for the country against Japan. Retribution was one of the saddest chapters of 50s China.
@@tng2057 If I remember correctly, the movie presents the Chinese re-education camp as mostly benign and helpful. Pu Yi learns gardening and becomes a better person. Not sure if this was the result of a left-wing director who romanticized communism or whether it was the studio eager to distribute the film in China.
I remember watching it in the theater! Pretty depressing, but a lavish production.
@@jasonthewatchmansson8873 Google is free.
Puyi came to Beijing on 9 December 1959 with special permission from Mao and lived for the next six months in an ordinary Beijing residence with his sister before being transferred to a government-sponsored hotel.[261] He had the job of sweeping the streets, and got lost on his first day of work, which led him to tell astonished passers-by: "I'm Puyi, the last Emperor of the Qing dynasty. I'm staying with relatives and can't find my way home".[262] One of Puyi's first acts upon returning to Beijing was to visit the Forbidden City as a tourist; he pointed out to other tourists that many of the exhibits were the things he had used in his youth.[263] He voiced his support for the Communists and worked as a gardener at the Beijing Botanical Gardens. The role brought Puyi a degree of happiness he had never known as an emperor, though he was notably clumsy.[264] Behr noted that in Europe, people who played roles analogous to the role Puyi played in Manchukuo were generally executed; for example, the British hanged William Joyce ("Lord Haw-haw") for being the announcer on the English-language broadcasts of Radio Berlin, the Italians shot Benito Mussolini, and the French executed Pierre Laval, so many Westerners are surprised that Puyi was released from prison after only nine years to start a new life.[265]
My history textbooks only spent two or three sentences on Soviet campaigns vs Japan at the end of the war. It’s a great story for the Soviet army really. Nice work Mark!
This is the problem. During the war it is a sidenote. The reality is you had a well equipped, supplied, battle-hardened army of some 1.5 million strong against a paper army of about 800k whose supplies had been siphoned off for the past 3 years to other areas of the war against the US.
Even then there were times that paper army shocked those veteran soldiers in their ferocity and suicide charges.
More accurate areas are places like Shumshu and the invasion of the Kuril Islands where the Soviets didn't fair quite as favorably in their victories and losses were higher for the Soviets than the Japanese.
In all, the Soviets actually got a bit lucky in Manchuria.
However, it should be taught later as to how it shaped future events, yes.
@@rizon72 Manchuria was where a lot of the manufacturing and ressources were for the Japanese and the forces stationed there naturally had priority in receiving equipment. Paper army, my ass…
@@ordenmanvrn7685yeah but they were siphoned off to fight the Americans in the pacific
There was Torgau Mark II at the 38th Parallel in Korea in August/ September 45 where the US troops met the Red Army, but in a more restrained atmosphere. Cold War had started. Unlike Torgau where the US advanced further than what they were supposed to as per Yalta, the Red Army who arrived in Korea first did not advance south of the 38th parallel and waited patiently for the US troops to come to meet them.
"As far as I know, Russians keep their word!" (Herman Wouk)
@@pauloivanfonseca 🤣
The difference was that Torgau -Europe the Germans were fighting around Berlin and the US was moving to take the surrender of the Wehrmacht elements in front of them as the British-E&C had done at Luneberg. There was little fighting in Korea.
The Cold War had not started in August 1945. Potsdam was still going on.
@@uingaeoc3905 There was an incident in 1944 Ukraine when American B-17 were temporarily based there. During a German aerial counterattack, American P-51 were denied to start and defend the B-17's airfield. A considerable number of B-17s' were destroyed or heavily damaged. The Americans were enraged about the Soviet denial to start Escort fighters. Some say this was the point Cold war found its' origin.
I myself know the Soviet army from a military mission. I think unless STAVKA gave approval of an order, there was only movement in the times then, when there was a real emergency for the Red Army.
@@tilohertel8523 this 'top down' and 'refer up' command structure of Russian - Soviet system is why they make such heavy weather of fighting and lose so many soldiers, they will not allow initiative at local level. There is no practical 'NCO' level in their military, it is just a rank for communication to below. The number of Generals killed by the Ukrainians is due to the Generals having to go and see what a situation is before allowing an operation. hey are then picked off.
I lived in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, for nearly 2 years and on a day found a few Japanese Army swords in their scabbards, for sale at the UB Black Market (NB This is not an illegal 'black-market') I bought the best one for around US$20.00 and spent hours cleaning it. The seller explained that it had come from 'Manchu', but at the time I did not understand, nor was I aware of Manchuria's WW2 era history. I left the sword with in-laws in UB for fear that it would be confiscated by Customs upon my return to South Africa. For collectors: Mongolia is still good for a wide variety of Mongolian, Russian, Chinese & Japanese military and historical collectables. One would need to travel May-July to avoid the intense cold (like -30C) & polluted air of UB and find an English speaking guide/interprator, well acquainted with the Black Market, regional history & places of interest. Best way into Mongolia is via Beijing, which has a wide range of historical, cultural, culinary, scenic & product attractions. The youngsters of Beijing are both friendly & curious & the 'little green men' smart & courteous. Finally a trip from Beijing to UB by train is a must for all levels of adventurers/explorers/historians & travellers afraid of flying 🤥.
When a 1938 army that was inactive gets attacked by the 1945 army that was veterans of 4 years fighting germany to the death.
Even if the japanease had equal ammounts of weapons or vehicles to the soviets this wouldnt have been anywhere close.
Yeah i don't think the Chi-Ha or Ha-Go tanks would of done anything against other armor, especially T 34 85.
@@oasis1282
They don't have to. The Soviet anti-tank rifle works better in the extreme condition.
The Soviets had already defeated the Japanese in 1939 at Khalkin Gol.
@@oasis1282 or even IS-3 and T-44-100
@@kidpagronprimsank05 The IS-3 and T-44 were not used in the Manchuria’s operation. There's enough was T-34-85 and IS-2. Against Japanese tanks, even anti-tank PTRD and PTRS rifles proved to be deadly weapons.
An almost forgotten part of the war
From a US/European centric view.
I see mark Felton video I click
Amen to that ⭐️
Imagine not knowing about Mark Felton Productions
A small, but valiant part in the Soviet offensive was played by a Mongolian contingent, part of a combined Mongolian-Soviet mechanized-cavalry corps commanded by General Pliev. The Mongolians achieved the deepest penetration into Manchuria. Mongol tsergiin, baby!👍
😃😃😃
This campaign isn't super well known but was incredibly instrumental in both the creation of North Korea and also the surrender of Japan. Most people think it was only the atomic bombings that forced Japan to surrender. However, this invasion was just as much a deciding factor, if not even more-so a deciding factor in Japan's surrender.
Had nothing to do with surrender of Japan
Was not a 'deciding factor' the Japanese were hoping for a negotiated surrender through the Soviets as neutrals rather than the unconditional surrender required by the Western Allies.
Absolutely deciding, you are right.
The book 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯 has much to say here
@@tomhenry897 Yes it did.
This channel is, refreshing, to say the least!
Thiz iz basic history
Nice video. Not many people care about the Soviets attacking the Japanese in China. Some say that another reason why Japan surrendered aside from the bombs, was because the Soviets were known for not leaving lands they fought on.
I read that Emperor Hirohito made 2 separate surrender speeches. One to the Japanese people and one to the Japanese military. The one to the people specified the atomic bombings and the destruction they cause. The one to the military stated the Soviet invasion of Manchuria and having to stop the war to prevent Communists from taking Japan.
“You can kiss any dream of exiling the government and royal family to Manchuria bye bye.”
yes its kinda funny how people forget about THE MOST SUCSESSFULL OPERATION IN HUMAN HISTORY (by ground covered per time)
@@georgyekimov4577 Yes when you out run your suply lines and have to wait 2 or 3 day's for it.... lol
Luckily the Japanese didn't respond or there would have been a lot more bloodshed then 30k people in the conflict lol!
The bulk of Japanese forces surrendered but about 1/3 to half at best of the soviet forces were 200km into Manchuria, and it's forward units 300km. The majority didn't even get to shoot at the enemy let alone see them.
@@brianlong2334 ah yes then how come they reached THE KOREAN BORDER?
Awesome as usual, thank you Dr. Felton!
Great piece on "August Storm." Another look with a more tactical focus would be great since the success in this campaign heavily influenced the structure and tactics of the Soviet Army during the Cold War. Again, great work as usual...
Despite some cinematic depictions, I've read that the battle hardened Russian's washed over the Japanese like a Tsunami.
Back in 2006 when I was in grad school in Changchun, I spent a few weeks in the summer and fall visiting the Japanese fortifications on the border. Most of them were damaged/demolished to certain extend, a handful are historical exhibitions to public, and a few intact ones are still used by Chinese military today. Turned away by the guards at one of the sites, I was walking down the mountain road in disappointment, but stopped halfway down by one guy riding motorcycle to the site. Turned out he was the commanding officer of that site, and invited me back and gave me a tour of the tunnels. Quite an experience.
Thanks Mark. Once again, an exposure to little known history
wow, I had no idea how significant this piece of history was. thank you so much for sharing
Dr Felton has provided yet another episode of his required watching series for anyone interested in WWII and indeed, world history in general. Fabulous vid.
Thank you Dr. Felton for this piece of history. I was actually born in the southern tip of the Manchuria region and did my undergrad at a university in Changchun, which was the “capital” of Manchukuo back then. And in front of my dorm is a landmark building that was said to be a living palace of the Manchukuo “emperor” Puyi. I still have a fresh memory that every time I went into the building to study, there would be a bathroom smell at the main entrance, which made perfect sense for what the building was for back then LOL
Marco1989 and lati long,
Thank you for sharing your interesting information.
The last WW2 battle. All I can say is thank goodness this isn't the last Mark Felton video.
*Soviet,* not Russian.
You MUST differentiate between Russia and the Soviet Union.
I think he’s doing it on purpose because of the war to further demonize Russians
Excellent video as always professor 👏
Literally the best WW2 channel on youtube, I've been playing as japan in HOI4 and China is the main theatre of battle in the start of that war, very interesting to listen to this to learn more while I play.
Check out tic
I personally really like this channel full of facts..np speculating from Mark...greeting from across the pond!
Thank you Mark!
You never cease to amaze me with things from that time in history that I've never heard about. Thank you!
Good video. I've always wanted to know more about the Soviet 'Flying Tigers' fighting for the Republic of China in Polikovs.
Japan as a nation essentially opted for the same strategy that countless Wehrmacht soldiers had in Europe. Which is to say they surrendered to the Americans to avoid surrendering to the Soviets. A move that paid dividends almost immediately and continues to do so till this day.
Nazis didn't like communists, even until today.
Keep 'em coming Mark!
Amazing, Professor. I am very proud of you and your incredible work. Out of every video, I enjoy all of them! ♥
I have made Mark's channel mandatory watching for my Sky Warriors battle clan. Between Mark's channel and Simon Whistlers multiple channels I haven't needed a TV in years lol
I was born in Haerbin. My Grand parents have to learn Japanese while in High School.
Always informative and entertaining, thanks Mark
Great work Sir thank you
hardest working man on yt. I look forward to your videos each week. thanks
Seoul Brother Number One?
SIR YOU ARE THE BEST AT WHAT YOU DO!
Thank you sir for this video. It is gratifying to see the unknown facets of history come to light. Please accept my thanks as I had requested you to look at this part of WW2 and others. Look forward to seeing stories about the other unknown campaigns of WW2.
I automatically hit the thumbs up at the start of the video every time. Keep up the good work Mark!
I was about to give up on CZcams for a bit, then this shows up and I was happy.
Absolutely riveting explanation of how North Korea came to be. Brilliant once again from The Guvnor.
Great videos as always!
Excellent as always!
Original idea, before atomic bomb, was that Soviets land on Hokkaido when Anglo-American forces attack from south and force Japan to split forces.
I love how such a vital piece of history was able to fit into 6 mins.
One of the real reasons why Japan surrendered. Why China and North Korea is communist today and the reason behind several previous wars and possible future wars
Enjoyed your video and I gave it a Thumbs Up
Thanks for the video
Dr. Felton, could you make a video about what the outcome of a Soviet invasion of Hokkaido at the end of WWII would have been? Thanks for the great work.
Molotov told the Japanese Ambassador onn8th August at 11pm Trans-Baikal time that they were going to be at war in just over a hours time. This was aboutb4 months after the Japanese had been told by the Soviets that the Neutrality Pact was not going to be extended. The Japanese knew that the Soviets might attack so they kept a large army in Manchuria.
Excellent...Thank you!
Excellent work, Mark!
1:02 just a little point, Manchuria was actually made up of 3 provinces initially (Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning), then the province of Jehol (Rehe) was incorporated into Manchukuo after the Rehe campaign in 1932. Totaling 4 provinces.
And then between 1945 and abt 1948 the map was redrawn and there were NINE northeastern provinces.
A good start to begin my work after having a short night sleep here in the other side of the world... Thank you sir...
thank you for these informative formats dr felton.
would you please make videos on concepts such as weltanschauungskrieg and the extent of their importance during and after ww2.
Very interesting. Great video!
This is an important part of World War 2 that's not given enough attention considering it lead to the Korean war and CCP rule over China which still has huge effects today.
Fun Fact: The manchukuo army had better infantry weapons than the japanese, weapons like the czech ZB-26 LMG, German MP-18, Austrian MP-34 and Swiss SIG MKPS / Model 1930 were standard issued in the manchukan army, and copies of these weapons were manufactured in manchukuo. Japan ordered over 180,000 rifles and machine guns from manchukuo during the war. Manchukuo also manufactured their own warships in Harbin.
I don't believe that these weapons would have been available in the hundreds of thousands. If they were it would have been more widely known.
Very fascinating video.
Going through an intense shroom trip rn and lowkey started freaking out so to base myself I clicked on some mark felton productions and my anxiety disappeared. So thanks for your awesome theme music and insanely calming voice
I do believe this Soviet invasion was the primary catalyst for the Japanese capitulation, not the two atomic bombs. Most of the major Japanese cities had already been devastated by fire bombing. Hiroshima and Nagasaki were just to more. The quick defeat of the Kwantung army by the Soviets sent shock waves and fear amongst the Japanese High command and the Japanese Government.
good point mark
Hirohito's "surrender" broadcast did not mention the Soviet invasion as a catalyst for ending the war, but definitely referenced the atomic bombs. I believe both of the events forced the surrender, otherwise the Japanese would have fought on. The US would have to invade Japan with millions of casualties.
The Japanese feared what the Soviets would do if they invaded the mainland. Like another poster said, once the Soviets occupied land they never left it. Hirohito knew that his country stood a better chance of survival if he capitulated and surrendered to the Americans before the Soviets had a chance to advance any further.
@@DK-gy7ll not really the Soviet Union didn’t have much of a navy at the time. The reality is the Japanese hoped to get a better surrender deal with the Soviet Union instead of the unconditional surrender of the US and Britain. When the Soviet Union ended their non aggression pact with Japan and declared war they realized that there was no chance of a separate peace deal. It was either unconditional surrender or destruction.
I used to think I was well read on WWII but Mark Felton continues to inspire new trips to book stores thanks to his wonderful coverage of some very interesting historical events. Thank you Mark!
Great stuff 💯 from the good doctor
💛👍
Thank you!
There were 600000-650000 Japanese soldiers surrendered to the Soviet red army, fighting ended in 30th September 1945. Some Japanese soldiers refused to surrender due to the fear of vengeance. The 650000 Japanese soldiers were sent to Siberia gulag for 10 years until Khruschev came to power. The massive amount of weapons captured from the Japanese army were given to the Chinese communist party, the Soviet occupied territories were transferred to CCP as well. This war was short about 50 days but it has the following consequences:
1. Satisfied Stalin's desire to take revenge on Japan. Get back the Sahalin Island and the four stragetic islands known as "The Kuriles".
2. The rise of the Chinese communist party and the establishment of People's Republic of China that is today's China!
3. The United States under Truman decided to rule the whole Japan under US occupation which denied the Soviet's right to get Hokkaido,Stalin was very upset over this and he launched the catastrophic Korean War by supporting North Korea attacking South Korea which almost caused World War 3!
Yes, that wicked Stalin wanted to not only Hokkaido, but his master plan was to advance down to the Honshu, the largest main island out of 4 main Japan's island. But actually, Gen. Douglas Macarthur whom ruled Japan until his departure in 1952 from Japan strongly convinced Soviet generals and leaders not to even think about such endeavor.
@@TSUTENKAKU007 MacArthur convinced? Lmao It was Truman who convinced the Soviets. Also, I highly doubt the Soviets wanted to advance down to Honshu and take it. Your making stuff up. 😂
Fun fact I actually own a Soviet metal of this operation with Stalin's head
@K Kr I mean its up too my kids my grandfather gave it too me
Keep it in your heart.
thanks for sharing ...this informative and excellent introduced video
Another interesting video. 👌
Soviet invasion of Japanese occupied Manchuria...
Japan had the worst of it by the end. Facing Britain under Slim and USSR under Vasilevskiy. A good shout for the two best commanders of the war.
Erich von Mannstein
@@vadimpm1290 Was unable to capture Leningrad or save the troops trapped at Stalingrad. Plus screwed up at Kursk. That said, did as best he could at The Dnieper and Kharkov was a masterpiece.
@@marktaylor6491 Maybe because Leeb wasted literally half his tanks on Leningrad since he wanted to be known as "The conqueror of Leningrad"
@@marktaylor6491 your comments are not as false as the lies of the disgusting anatolian regime, but there are far away
as an exemple, it was the american who forced the japanese to surrender with the atomic bombs (along with the other bombing and offensive in philippines).
Furthermore, the soviet couldn't fight again nazi germany without the crucial lend lease provided by the western allied.
wow this is new to me.. more like this? please. amazing Dr. Mark . Gracias
Had never heard that story
Thanks Mark.
Fascinating how the impact of these decisions has on today - perhaps an oversimplification, but had the Soviets not attacked Japan (granted it was in their interest to do so regardless of US and UK's request), China and North Korea likely would have fallen in favour of democratic leadership (and possibly avoided the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, and the challenges of today's geopolitics in the area, namely Taiwan), thank you Mark, terrific insight to such a consequential chapter!
Had August Storm not happened the war would have gone on. Japan's military leadership was hellbent on fighting on, and they correctly guessed that the US only had a limited supply of nuclear bombs. And the average mass B-29 air raid with firebombs was just as deadly anyway. China's fate was already sealed though when Japan launched Operation Ichi-Go in 1944, one the three big offensives of 1944 together with D-Day and Bagration that shaped the post-war world. D-Day ensured that Western Europe would end up in the US sphere of influence, Bagration that Eastern Europe would end up in the Soviet sphere, and Ichi-Go so utterly savaged the Nationalist armies that when the Chinese civil war re-erupted after the war they had no chance to defeat the communists. Ichi-Go made sure China would go communist. August Storm probably sped it up by a year.
What would happen in North Korea, who knows? Kim's communist guerillas might be in the best position to take over control if Japanese control were to collapse. And they might take over the south as well. After all, it was the US-USSR agreement to hold on the 38th parallel that divided the country. Kim and his guerallas on their own are not bound by such an agreement.
As for Vietnam, oddly enough the US were supplying Ho Chi Minh's communist guerillas with arms and advisors. If the war lasts longer that relationship might become more cemented. Of course France wanted its colonies back.
The most interesting things to happen if the war went on would be the US invasion of southern Kyushu in fall of 1945, the first stage in the invasion of Japan. And Operation Zipper, the British-Indian invasion of Malaya. And if the British take Malaya and Singapore back that cuts off the Japanese in Indonesia. Especially since the Australians had already taken Borneo in the summer of 1945.
I would think both China and Korea would flip communist pretty quickly. While the CCP received aid from the USSR it’s unfair to say it was impossible for a ccp victory without it. The only reason the Korean war happened was because the US set up a military dictatorship in the South. This dictatorship was extremely unpopular and literally collapsed during the start of the Korean war. Ofc the US then stepped in.
You think China would go democratic or even stay united under Chiang kaishek?
@@cockatyusha2359 Someone would've eventually ousted any government led by Chiang Kai-shek and replaced it with a government which redistributed wealth, etc, i.e. Communist.
China became communist because the Chinese people wanted it. Chiang Kai shek and his corrupt regime had no public support whatsoever.
My father was assigned to Hiroshima as part of a army police detachment not long after the bombing. Didn't talk much about it though.
Finally. Very few people cover August storm.
I never heard of this battle, thanks for pointing it out
Let's not forget Soviet Army essentially looted all of Manchuria too by dismantling and taking multiple industrial plants back to the Soviet Union,
Indeed, it is wise to remember that the Soviets looted on a titanic scale all of the the lands where the Red Army went.
In my high school they taught us that the United States single-handedly defeated the Japanese Empire and the only thing the the Soviets did was steal some islands from Japan at the end of the war. I didn't learn about the Soviet and British actions against Japan before I got cable television.
I seriously doubt that.
@@alexmasonick7502 How would you know?
@@nimdaqa I haven´t seen any history book American or otherwise saying the Americans single handedly defeated any of the axis powers. In any case Russia tends to downplay the Allies´ role in the war.
@@nimdaqa usa never downplay that soviet union occupied germany.
Thank you
Mark, I have to admit you have the most badass intro music out here.
A small quibble: the Japanese didn't 'rename' Manchuria; 'Manchukuo' is simply the ordinary Japanese name for the region. The distinction between Manchuria and Manchukuo is purely Western (reflecting the changing political reality).
Manchuria was the geographic name. (these days being only referred to as China North East). Manchukuo was the official name of the puppet state.
@@tng2057 Manchuria is the geographic name in English (it still is as a matter of fact); Manchukuo is the geographic name in Japanese.
@@patavinity1262 Don’t mean to be a language teacher. In both Chinese and Japanese Hanji, Man Chu Kuo means ‘Manchu State’, and the word Manchukuo was never used by Chinese and Japanese to describe this region other than referring to the puppet state which existed between 33 and 45. In China it is also referred to as ‘Fake Man Chu Kuo’. Please feel free to verify this with billions of Chinese and Japanese around the world.
@@tng2057 Nonsense. The term derives ultimately from 'manshu' and 'koku' ('land' [of the] 'Manchus') and is attested as a place name in Japanese as far back as the Edo period. The English name 'Manchukuo' is an Anglicization of a Sinicization of this Japanese name. The English name 'Manchuria' is a Latinization of the *same Japanese name* dating back to at least the 18th century via Dutch.
It is well that you don't mean to be a language teacher because you are clearly not up to it.
@@patavinity1262 Well, insulting people who knows more than you do is not going to make you a better person. I am not going to respond to you anymore. Time wasting.
Russia moved 1.5 million troops and 5500 tanks via rail? Impressive if what I've heard about their rail system of the time is true.
That's Trans-Siberian railways and some waterborne transportation
You are awesome Mark.
Hey mark could you talk about the battle of Odžak in your next video. As always love your content ❤️
The Russians took back the Kuriles and Sakhalin, which they had lost in 1905.
Now that is the part of WWII history I was so looking forward to from Dr. Felton, China is probably the only country which would stand with a country that took it's land, repeatedly!
A communist will stand with another communist.
Very interesting thanx and hat's off!!
Thank you. Now I understand.