In a extremely round-about way I came across something I know nothing about but sounds very interesting: the Soviet invasion of Manchuria (1945). Embarrassingly while I knew of the earlier Russo-Japanese conflicts, I never knew the Soviets were involved on the PTO. Even more interestingly I read on a rather questionable source that politically speaking, the conflict remains unresolved since Japan and Russia failed to sign a peace treaty at the end of WWII.

So my question is has anyone modelled this WW2 offensive in diorama or other? Any pics?

Rudi

There are definitely some islands that are in contention between Russia and Japan, though I'm sure it's probably moot by now.

I thought someone had done something for a campaign maybe.

The last minute conflict between Japan and Russia is covered in AJ Press' Japanese Armor Vol 5.

Hi Rudi,

To answer your question: No I haven't. I have thought though that it may make an interesting background for a JS-3 build (I have one of Tamiya-San's in the stash), as they are said to have been used there in small numbers.

I find these obscure theatres of WWII quite interesting. Some years ago I came across a very interesting book all about them in a bricks & mortar book store in the UK, and to my lasting regret didn't buy it, as I've been unable to track it down anywhere else since.

Recently however I picked up a DVD cheap on eBay called "Manchuria The Forgotten Victory" about the Soviet incurson there in 1945. It's part of the "Battlefield" series that's been shown on the History or Discovery Channel (can't remember which) here. It promises to be quite interesting, though I haven't got round to watching it yet.

- Steve

Hi gents,

Thanks for the responses and the suggested further reading/viewing.

Strangely enough the round-about (there's the pun ) way I came upon this topic was on seeing a Kugelwagen II (by Attack I think) on the site of a distributor. Apparently the Soviets captured it from the Japanese during this conflict.

Rudi

No, and it's a pity. It's a conflict which ISN'T well documented at ALL. The majority of the references are unfortunately (or understandably) published in Russian. Quite a lot of M4a2 Shermans were used in it as well..




It would be, but, from what I can gather it WASN'T used at all. T34s & M4a2s made up the bulk of the tanks. The idea of a JSIII crashing though a Manchurian jungle does have a certain style though

I haven't seen any dioramas around... but then I haven't been in the modelling scene very long.

I find Japanese military history very diverse due to campaigns like this. There Japanese are best known for their jungle fighting, and zooming over the Pacific Ocean in the Zekes during WW2. However, at the same time they fought in the snows of Manchuria while also fighting in near desert conditions at the Burma/ India border.

If you are looking for more information about the Japanese in Manchuria (fighting both the Russians and Chinese), Osprey's "The Japanese Army 1931-45" parts 1 and 2 detail uniforms and the campaign quite well.

An interesting thing about it was that on the 5th of April 1945, the USSR issued Japan a warning to get out of Manchuria within a year. The next day, the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, and the day after, the USSR declared war and attacks the Japanese with 4500 tanks! It all happened so fast.

Cheers and thanks for the cool discussion (NPI).

Chas

I remember reading about it years ago in a book I had. I can't remember the details too much, but I know the Japanese took a mauling. I think the Russians routed the Kwantung army in about two weeks and the ones that survived the onslaught were shipped off to gulags. Also, the Russians pretty muched stripped Manchuria of a lot of its industries. Whole factories were sent back lock, stock and barrel.
Apparently, the speed of the Soviets progress unnerved the Americans; thus adding another reason for the US to drop the A-bomb.
The JS 3s weren't used as far as I know, but were used as pill boxes on the border with China and the Kurile Islands which used to belong to the Japanese.

Never modeled it, but there is some interesting coverage of the assault in the last section "Commanding the Red Army's Sherman Tanks; the World War II Memoirs of Hero of the Soviet Union Dmitriy Loza," edited and translated by James F. Gebardt, published in 1996. It's a Russian tank officer's memoirs, a tanker who started out in Lend Lease Matildas (mentioned only fleetingly), before transitioning to the M4A2 (since the unit started out in foreign tanks, they were deemed experts in foreign tanks, apparently). He saw extensive service against the Germans, and then went east with the Red Army, as Stalin had promised to open a front against the Japanese three months after hostilities ceased in Europe. Though primarily text, the book does feature some operational photos in the center section, including some M4A2E8 Shermans in action against the Japanese.

Here's the book and a 1/48 dio I did recently in the Russian Forum:

If my memory is right, the Russian invasion of Manchuria makes an appearance in the 1987 film The Last Emperor.