During the Second World War, the Kwantung Army was the most numerous and powerful military group of the Imperial Japanese Army. This army unit was concentrated in China. It was assumed that in the event of the outbreak of hostilities with the Soviet Union, it was the Kwantung Army that would play the main role in confronting the Soviet troops. It was also envisaged to use the troops of Manchukuo and Mengjiang, the satellite countries of Japan, as auxiliary units in the Kwantung Army. For a long time, it was the Kwantung Army that remained the most combat-ready formation of the Japanese armed forces and was used not only as a territorial grouping of troops, but also as a training base, where they trained and "run-in" privates, non-commissioned officers and officers of the imperial army. Japanese officers viewed service in the Kwantung Army as prestigious, promising a good salary and the possibility of quick promotion.
Before proceeding to the story of the Kwantung Army itself, it is necessary to briefly tell what the actual imperial armed forces of Japan were like in the first half of the twentieth century. First, it should be noted that their history in its modern form began after the Meiji Revolution, in the general context of modernizing the country's economy, culture and defense. In January 1873, samurai militias, traditional for old Japan, were disbanded and universal military service was introduced. The governing bodies of the imperial army were: the Ministry of the Army, the General Staff and the General Inspectorate for Combat Training. They were all subordinate to the Japanese emperor and had the same status, but different responsibilities. Thus, the Minister of the Army was responsible for administrative and personnel issues of the ground forces. The Chief of the General Staff exercised direct command of the army and was responsible for the development of military orders. Also in charge of the General Staff of the army were the training of staff officers. Initially, the importance of the General Staff of the Army was very great, but after a separate General Staff of the Fleet was created, its importance decreased, but a new General Staff of the Armed Forces was formed, it was also the Imperial Headquarters, which included the Emperor himself, the Minister of the Army, the Minister of the Navy, Chief of the General Staff of the Army, Chief of the General Staff of the Fleet, Chief of the Operations Department of the Army, Chief of the Operations Department of the Fleet and Chief Inspector of Combat Training. Finally, the chief inspector of combat training was in charge of training the personnel of the imperial army - both private and officer, as well as transport support for the imperial army and its material and technical supply. The chief inspector of combat training was actually the third most important senior officer of the Imperial Japanese Army and was part of the Imperial Headquarters. Therefore, the position of chief inspector was considered very prestigious and significant, as evidenced by the appointment of promising and honored generals. As we will see below, former commanders of the Kwantung Army became the chief inspectors of combat training, but there were also examples of reverse transfers. The main unit of the imperial army was the division, which, in the event of the outbreak of war, was transformed into an army. However, in the composition of the imperial army there were two exceptional formations - the Korean and Kwantung armies, which had a very large numerical strength even by the standards of the armies and represented the armed forces stationed in Korea and Manchuria and intended to protect Japanese interests and maintain Japanese power in Korea and the pro-Japanese puppet government of Manchukuo in Manchuria. The following ranks were introduced in the imperial Japanese army: generalissimo (emperor), general, lieutenant general, major general, colonel, lieutenant colonel, major, captain, lieutenant, junior lieutenant, ensign, senior sergeant, sergeant, corporal, foreman, private senior class, private 1 class, private 2 class. Naturally, the officers in the imperial army were staffed, first of all, by representatives of the aristocratic class. The rank and file were recruited by conscription. In addition, it should be noted that during the Second World War, numerous paramilitary formations recruited in the countries of East, Southeast and Central Asia occupied by the Japanese were under the operational subordination of the Japanese military command. Among the armed formations controlled by the Japanese, it should be noted, first of all, the Army of Manchukuo and the National Army of Mengjiang, as well as the armed formations in Burma, Indonesia, Vietnam, Indian units controlled by the Japanese, formed in Singapore, etc. In Korea, the military conscription of the Koreans has been in effect since 1942, when the position of Japan on the fronts began to seriously deteriorate, in addition to everything, the threat of a Soviet military invasion of Manchuria and Korea intensified.
Largest Japanese compound in Manchuria
The history of the Kwantung Army began in 1931, when the formation of a large military unit began on the basis of the army garrison, which had been deployed since the beginning of the 20th century. on the territory of the Kwantung region - the southwestern part of the Liaodong Peninsula. In 1905, following the results of the Russo-Japanese War, Japan as a "bonus", according to the Portsmouth Peace Treaty, received the right to use the Liaodong Peninsula for military purposes. In fact, the formation formed on the Liaodong Peninsula became the base for preparing an armed attack on Japan's main adversaries in the region - China, the Soviet Union and the Mongolian People's Republic. The Kwantung Army began directly to participate in hostilities against China on September 18, 1931. At this time, the army was commanded by Lieutenant General Shigeru Honjo (1876-1945), one of the prominent Japanese military leaders, a participant in the Russian-Japanese war and intervention in Russia during the Civil war. Shigeru Honjo, a professional soldier, commanded the 10th Infantry Division before being appointed commander of the Kwantung Army. After a sabotage on the railroad, Japanese troops invaded the territory of Manchuria and occupied Mukden on September 19. Jirin was occupied on September 22, and Qiqihar on November 18. The League of Nations tried in vain to prevent Japan from seizing a significant part of Chinese territory, but was unable to do anything. The Empire of Japan increased the strength of the Kwantung Army to 50,000 soldiers and officers in December 1931, and a little over two weeks later, by January 1932, the personnel of the Kwantung Army was increased to 260,000 troops. During this period, the army was armed with 439 tanks, 1193 artillery pieces and 500 aircraft. Naturally, the Chinese troops were significantly inferior to the Kwantung Army both in armament and in the level of organization and training, although they were slightly outnumbered. On March 1, 1932, as a result of the operation of the Kwantung Army, the creation of the independent state of Manchukuo was proclaimed on the territory of Manchuria. The last emperor of China, Pu Yi, a representative of the Manchu Qing dynasty, was proclaimed its ruler. Thus, it was the Kwantung Army that ensured the emergence of the state of Manchukuo on the territory of Northwestern China, which significantly changed the political map of East and Central Asia. Lieutenant General Shigeru Honjo, after the brilliant Manchurian operation, became a national hero of Japan and went up for promotion. On August 8, 1932, Shigeru Honjo was recalled to Japan. He was awarded the rank of general, the title of baron and was appointed a member of the Supreme Military Council, and then - the chief adjutant of the emperor of Japan. However, later the fate of the Kwantung army commander was tragic. From 1939 to 1945 He headed the Service of military hospitals, but then the military experience of the general was required by the empire in a more significant capacity, and in May 1945 Honjo was appointed a member of the Privy Council. After the end of the war, he was arrested by the American military but managed to commit suicide.
As commander of the Kwantung Army, Lieutenant General Shigeru Honjo was replaced by Field Marshal Muto Nobuyoshi (1868-1933). It is interesting that even at the beginning of the twentieth century. he was twice a military attaché in the Russian Empire, and during the Civil War in Russia he headed the Japanese military mission under Admiral Kolchak, and later commanded a Japanese division during the intervention in the Far East. Before being appointed commander of the Kwantung Army, Muto Nobuyoshi served as the chief inspector of the imperial army for combat training. By the way, Muto Nobuyoshi combined the post of commander of the Kwantung Army with the posts of commander of the army of the state of Manchukuo and the Japanese ambassador to Manchukuo. Thus, all the armed forces on the territory of Manchuria were under the command of the Japanese field marshal. It was the commander of the Kwantung Army who carried out the actual leadership of the puppet government of Manchukuo, which could not afford a single step without the knowledge of the Japanese administration. Muto participated in the actual creation of the Manchu state. However, in the same 1933, he died of jaundice in a military hospital in Xinjing. The new commander of the Kwantung Army was General Hishikari Takashi, who had already commanded the Kwantung Army at the beginning of 1931. It was during the reign of Muto and Hishikari that the foundations of the Kwantung Army were laid in the form in which it met the beginning of World War II. In fact, these Japanese senior officers were also at the origins of Japanese military policy in Manchuria, forming the armed forces of Manchukuo. By 1938, the strength of the Kwantung Army was increased to 200 thousand people (although during the capture of Manchuria, due to the attached formations, it was even more). Almost all the main senior officers of the Imperial Japanese Army passed through the Kwantung Army as a forge of cadres, since staying in Manchuria was seen as an important step in the career of an officer in the Japanese armed forces. In 1936, General Ueda Kenkichi (1875-1962) was appointed commander of the Kwantung Army. The personality of this man also played a large role - not only in the history of the Kwantung Army as a military unit, but also in the history of Soviet-Japanese relations. The fact is that General Ueda saw not the United States or Great Britain, or even China, but the Soviet Union as the main enemy of the Japanese Empire. The USSR, according to Ueda, posed the main threat to Japanese interests in East and Central Asia. Therefore, as soon as Ueda, formerly the commander of the Korean Army, was assigned to the Kwantung Army, he was immediately puzzled by the issue of “redirecting” the Kwantung Army towards the Soviet Union, including stimulating anti-Soviet provocations on the border with the USSR. It was General Ueda who commanded the Kwantung Army during the armed incidents at Lake Khasan and Khalkhin Gol.
Border provocations and the conflict on Lake Khasan
However, less significant incidents occurred earlier - in 1936-1937. So, on January 30, 1936. By the forces of two Manchu companies under the command of Japanese officers from the Kwantung Army, a breakthrough was made 1.5 km deep into the territory of the Soviet Union. During a clash with Soviet border guards, 31 Japanese and Manchu servicemen were killed, while only 4 people were killed on the Soviet side. On November 24, 1936, a mixed detachment of 60 Japanese cavalry and infantry invaded Soviet territory, but Soviet troops managed to repel the attack, destroying 18 enemy soldiers with machine guns. Two days later, on November 26, the Japanese again tried to penetrate the Soviet territory, during the shootout three Soviet border guards were killed. On June 5, 1937, a Japanese detachment invaded Soviet territory and occupied a hill near Lake Khanka, but the attack was repulsed by the Soviet 63rd Infantry Regiment. On June 30, 1937, Japanese troops sank a Soviet armored boat of the border troops, resulting in the death of 7 servicemen. Also, the Japanese fired on an armored boat and gunboat of the Soviet Amur military flotilla. After that, the commander of the Soviet troops V. Blucher sent a grouping of reconnaissance and six rifle battalions, a sapper battalion, three artillery battalions and an aviation detachment to the border. The Japanese preferred to retreat beyond the border line. Only for the period from 1936 to 1938. Japanese troops committed 231 violations of the state border of the Soviet Union, in 35 cases of violations resulted in military clashes. In March 1938, at the headquarters of the Kwantung Army, a plan "State Defense Policy" was developed, directed against the USSR and providing for the use of Japanese forces in the amount of at least 18 divisions against the Soviet Union. By the beginning of July 1938, the situation on the Soviet-Manchu border had worsened to the limit, in addition, the Japanese command put forward territorial claims to the USSR. In connection with the aggravation of the situation on the border, the Far Eastern Front of the Red Army was formed. On July 9, 1938, the movement of Soviet troops to the state border began - with the aim of promptly repelling a possible attack by the Kwantung Army. On July 12, Soviet border guards occupied the Zaozernaya hill, which was claimed by Manchukuo. In response to the actions of Soviet troops, on July 14, the government of Manchukuo sent a note of protest to the USSR, and on July 15, Japanese Ambassador to the USSR Mamoru Shigemitsu demanded the immediate withdrawal of Soviet troops from the disputed territory. On July 21, the Japanese military leadership asked the Emperor of Japan for permission to use military force against Soviet troops in the area of Lake Hassan. In response to Japan's actions, the Soviet leadership on July 22, 1938 rejected Tokyo's demands for the withdrawal of Soviet troops. On July 23, the Japanese command began preparations for an armed invasion, clearing the border villages of local residents. Artillery units of the Kwantung Army were moved to the border, positions for Japanese artillery were equipped at the height of Bogomolnaya and islets on the Tumen-Ula River. In total, at least 20 thousand servicemen of the Kwantung Army were trained to participate in hostilities. The 15th, I, 19th and 20th Infantry Divisions, 1 Cavalry Regiment, 3 machine gun battalions, armored units, anti-aircraft batteries, three armored trains and 70 aircraft were concentrated on the border. On the Tumen-Ula River there were 1 cruiser and 14 destroyers, 15 boats. The 19th Infantry Division took part in the battles near Lake Khasan.
On July 24, 1938, the Military Council of the Far Eastern Front of the Red Army put several army units on high alert, including the 118th and 119th rifle regiments and 121st cavalry regiments of the 40th rifle division. On July 29, a Japanese company of the border gendarmerie, armed with 4 machine guns and numbering 150 soldiers and officers, attacked the Soviet positions. Having occupied the Bezymyannaya hill, the Japanese lost 40 people, but were soon knocked out by the approaching Soviet reinforcements. On July 30, Japanese army artillery began to work on Soviet positions, after which the infantry units of the Japanese army launched an attack on Soviet positions - but again to no avail. On July 31, the Pacific Fleet of the USSR and the Primorskaya Army were put on alert. On the same day, a new attack by the Japanese army ended with the capture of the hills and the installation of 40 Japanese machine guns on them. The counterattack of the two Soviet battalions ended in failure, after which the Deputy People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR Army Commissar L. Z. Mekhlis and the chief of staff of the front G. M. Stern. On August 1, the front commander V. Blucher arrived there, who was harshly criticized by phone I. V. Stalin for unsatisfactory leadership of the operation. On August 3, Stalin removed Blucher from the command of the operation and appointed Stern in his place. On August 4, Stern ordered an attack on Japanese troops in the area between Lake Khasan and Zaozernaya hill. On August 6, 216 Soviet aircraft bombed Japanese positions, after which the 32nd Infantry Division, a tank battalion of the 2nd Mechanized Brigade launched an offensive on Bezymyannaya Hill, and the 40th Infantry Division - on Zaozernaya Hill. On August 8, the Zaozernaya hill was captured by Soviet troops. On August 9, the forces of the 32nd Infantry Division of the Red Army captured Bezymyannaya Hill. On August 10, the Japanese ambassador addressed the USSR People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs M. M. Litvinov with a proposal to start peace talks. On August 11, 1938, hostilities ceased. Thus, the first serious armed conflict between the USSR and Japan, in which the Kwantung Army took part, ended.
Defeat of Kwantunts at Khalkhin Gol
However, the victory of the Soviet troops in the conflict near Lake Khasan did not mean that the Japanese command refused to act aggressively - this time on the Manchu-Mongol border. Japan did not hide its plans for "Outer Mongolia", as the territory of the Mongolian People's Republic was called in the Chinese and Manchu traditions. Formally, Mongolia was considered a part of the Chinese Empire, of which the ruler of Manchukuo, Pu Yi, saw himself as the heir. The reason for the conflict between Manchukuo and Mongolia was the demand for the recognition of the Khalkhin Gol River as the border of the two states. The fact is that the Japanese sought to ensure the safety of the construction of the railway, which stretched to the border of the Soviet Union. The first clashes on the Manchu-Mongol border began in 1935. In 1936, the USSR and the Mongolian People's Republic signed the Protocol of Mutual Assistance, according to which, since 1937, units of the 57th Special Corps of the Red Army, with a total strength of 5,544 servicemen, including 523 commanders, have been deployed on the territory of the Mongolian People's Republic. After the conflict on Lake Khasan, Japan shifted its attention to the Khalkhin-Gol River. Expansionary sentiments were growing among the Japanese high-ranking officers, including the idea of expanding the territory of the Japanese Empire to Lake Baikal. On January 16-17, 1939, two provocations organized by Japanese troops took place on the border with the Mongolian People's Republic. On January 17th, 13 Japanese soldiers attacked three Mongolian border guards. On January 29 and 30, Japanese soldiers and the Bargut horsemen (Barguts are one of the Mongol tribes) who came out on their side attacked the guard patrols of the Mongolian border guard. Attacks were repeated in February and March 1939, while the Japanese command was still actively involving the Barguts in the attacks.
On the night of May 8, 1939, a Japanese platoon with a machine gun tried to seize the island on Khalkhin Gol, but ran into resistance from the Mongolian border guards and was forced to retreat. On May 11, Japanese cavalry, numbering about two squadrons, invaded the territory of the MPR and attacked the Mongolian border outpost Nomon-Khan-Burd-Obo. Then, however, the Japanese managed to push back the approaching Mongol reinforcements. On May 14, units of the 23rd Japanese Infantry Division, supported by aviation, attacked the Mongolian border post. On May 17, the command of the 57th Special Corps of the Red Army sent three motorized rifle companies, a sapper company and an artillery battery to Khalkhin-Gol. On May 22, Soviet troops threw Japanese units back from Khalkhin Gol. Between 22 and 28 May, 668 Soviet and Mongolian infantrymen, 260 cavalrymen, 39 armored vehicles and 58 machine guns were concentrated in the Khalkhin Gol area. Japan moved to Khalkhin Gol a more impressive force of 1,680 infantry and 900 horsemen, 75 machine guns, 18 artillery pieces, 1 tank and 8 armored vehicles under the command of Colonel Yamagata. In a clash, the Japanese troops again succeeded in pushing the Soviet-Mongolian units back to the western bank of Khalkhin-Gol. However, the very next day, May 29, Soviet-Mongolian troops were able to conduct a successful counteroffensive and push the Japanese back to their former positions. In June, hostilities between the USSR and Japan continued in the air, and Soviet pilots managed to inflict serious damage on Japanese aviation. In July 1939, the command of the Kwantung Army decided to move to a new phase of hostilities. For this, the army headquarters developed a plan for the "Second Period of the Nomonkhan Incident." The Kwantung Army was tasked with breaking through the Soviet defense line and crossing the Khalkhin-Gol River. The Japanese group was led by Major General Kobayashi, under whose leadership the offensive began on July 2. The Kwantung army advanced with the forces of two infantry and two tank regiments against two Mongolian cavalry divisions and units of the Red Army with a total strength of about 5 thousand people.
However, the command of the Soviet troops threw the 11th tank brigade of brigade commander M. P. Yakovlev and the Mongolian armored division. Later, the 7th motorized armored brigade also came to the rescue. By the night of July 3, as a result of fierce fighting, the Soviet troops withdrew to the Khalkhin-Gol River, but the Japanese troops failed to fully complete the planned offensive. On Mount Bayan-Tsagan, Japanese troops were surrounded and by the morning of July 5 began a mass retreat. A significant number of Japanese soldiers died on the slopes of the mountain, with estimates of the number of deaths reaching up to 10 thousand people. The Japanese lost almost all their tanks and artillery pieces. After that, the Japanese troops abandoned their attempts to force the Khalkhin Gol. However, on July 8, the Kwantung Army resumed hostilities and concentrated large forces on the eastern bank of Khalkhin Gol, but the Japanese offensive failed once again. As a result of a counterattack by Soviet troops under the command of the commander of the 11th tank brigade, brigade commander M. P. Yakovlev, the Japanese troops were thrown back to their original positions. Only on July 23, Japanese troops resumed their offensive on the positions of the Soviet-Mongolian troops, but it again ended unsuccessfully for the Kwantung Army. It is necessary to briefly touch on the relationship of forces. The Soviet 1st Army Group under the command of Corps Commander Georgy Zhukov numbered 57 thousand servicemen and was armed with 542 artillery pieces and mortars, 498 tanks, 385 armored vehicles and 515 aircraft. Japanese troops in the 6th separate army of General Ryuhei Ogisu included two infantry divisions, an infantry brigade, seven artillery regiments, two tank regiments, three Bargut cavalry regiments, two engineering regiments, in total - more than 75 thousand soldiers and officers, 500 artillery weapons, 182 tanks, 700 aircraft. However, the Soviet troops ultimately managed to achieve a significant superiority in tanks - almost threefold. On August 20, 1939, Soviet troops unexpectedly launched a massive offensive. The Japanese troops were only able to start defensive battles on August 21 and 22. Nevertheless, by August 26, the Soviet-Mongolian troops completely surrounded the 6th separate Japanese army. Parts of the 14th Infantry Brigade of the Kwantung Army could not break through the Mongol border and were forced to withdraw to the territory of Manchukuo, after which the command of the Kwantung Army was forced to abandon the idea of liberating the encircled units and formations of the Japanese army. The clashes continued until August 29 and 30, and by the morning of August 31, the territory of Mongolia was completely liberated from Japanese troops. Several Japanese attacks in early September also ended with the defeat of the Japanese and their pushing back to their original positions. Only air battles continued. An armistice was signed on September 15, and fighting on the border ended on September 16.
Between Khalkhin Gol and surrender
It was thanks to the victory in the hostilities on Khalkhin Gol that the Japanese Empire abandoned its plans to attack the Soviet Union and retained this position even after the start of the Great Patriotic War. Even after Germany and its European allies entered the war with the USSR, Japan chose to abstain, assessing the negative experience of Khalkhin Gol.
Indeed, the losses of Japanese troops in the battles on Khalkhin Gol were impressive - according to official figures, 17 thousand people were killed, according to Soviet figures - at least 60 thousand killed, according to independent sources - about 45 thousand killed. As for the Soviet and Mongolian losses, there were no more than 10 thousand people killed, dead and missing. In addition, the Japanese army suffered serious damage in weapons and equipment. In fact, the Soviet-Mongolian troops utterly routed the entire Japanese military group thrown at Khalkhin Gol. General Ueda, who commanded the Kwantung Army, after the defeat at Khalkhin Gol, at the end of 1939 was recalled to Japan and dismissed from his post. The new commander of the Kwantung Army was General Umezu Yoshijiro, who had previously commanded the 1st Japanese Army in China. Umezu Yoshijiro (1882-1949) was an experienced Japanese general who received military education not only in Japan, but also in Germany and Denmark, and then worked his way up from an infantry officer of the Imperial Japanese Army to Deputy Minister of the Army and Commander-in-Chief of the 1st Army in China … Appointed in September 1939 as the commander of the Kwantung Army, he retained this post for almost five years - until July 1944. In fact, all the time while the Soviet Union fought with Germany, and Japan fought bloody battles in Southeast Asia and Oceania, the general remained at the post of commander of the Kwantung Army. During this time, the Kwantung Army was strengthened, but periodically the most efficient units of the formation were sent to the active front - to fight the Anglo-American troops in the Asia-Pacific region. The strength of the Kwantung Army in 1941-1943 numbered at least 700 thousand people, brought together in 15-16 divisions stationed in Korea and Manchuria.
It was precisely because of the threat of an attack by the Kwantung Army on the Soviet Union and Mongolia that Stalin was forced to keep colossal troops in the Far East. So, in 1941-1943. the number of Soviet troops, concentrated for a possible repulse of the Kwantung Army strike, was at least 703 thousand servicemen, and at some time reached 1,446,012 people and included from 32 to 49 divisions. The Soviet command was afraid to weaken the military presence in the Far East due to the threat of a Japanese invasion at any moment. However, in 1944, when the turning point in the war with Germany became obvious, it was not so much the USSR feared an invasion by a weakened war with the United States and Japan's allies, as Japan saw the evidence of an attack from the Soviet Union in the foreseeable future. Therefore, the Japanese command also could not weaken the strength of the Kwantung Army, sending its fresh units to help the belligerent units in Southeast Asia and Oceania. As a result, by August 9, 1945, when the Soviet Union declared war on Japan, the strength of the Kwantung Army was 1 million.320 thousand soldiers, officers and generals. The Kwantung Army included the 1st Front - the 3rd and 5th armies, the 3rd front - the 30th and 44th armies, the 17th front - the 34th and 59th armies, a separate 4- I army, 2nd and 5th air armies, Sungaria military flotilla. These formations, in turn, included 37 infantry and 7 cavalry divisions, 22 infantry, 2 tank and 2 cavalry brigades. The Kwantung Army was armed with 1,155 tanks, 6,260 artillery weapons, 1,900 aircraft and 25 warships. In addition, subdivisions of the Suiyuan Army Group, the Mengjiang National Army under the command of Prince De Wang, and the Manchukuo army were in the operational subordination of the Kwantung Army command.
The war ended in defeat
On July 18, 1944, General Otozo Yamada was appointed commander of the Kwantung Army. At the time of his appointment, Yamada was already a middle-aged 63-year-old man. He was born in 1881, and in November 1902 he began serving in the imperial army, receiving the rank of junior lieutenant after graduating from the military academy. In 1925 he rose to the rank of colonel and was given command of a cavalry regiment of the imperial army.
In August 1930, having received the epaulettes of a major general, Yamada headed the cavalry school, and in 1937, already being a lieutenant general, he received command of the 12th division stationed in Manchuria. Thus, even before being appointed to the post of commander in the Kwantung Army, Yamada had experience in military service on the territory of Manchuria. Then he led the Central Expeditionary Army in China, and in 1940-1944, with the rank of general of the army, he was the chief inspector of combat training of the imperial army and a member of the Supreme Military Council of the Japanese Empire. When the emperor appointed General Yamada as the commander of the Kwantung Army, he was guided precisely by considerations of the general's great military experience and the ability to establish the defense of Manchuria and Korea. Indeed, Yamada began to strengthen the Kwantung Army, having managed to recruit 8 infantry divisions and 7 infantry brigades. However, the training of recruits was extremely weak, due to their lack of experience in military service. In addition, the formations of the Kwantung Army concentrated on the territory of Manchuria were mostly armed with outdated weapons. In particular, the Kwantung Army lacked rocket artillery, anti-tank guns and automatic weapons. Tanks and artillery pieces were much inferior to the Soviet ones, as were the planes. On top of that, just before the start of the war with the Soviet Union, the strength of the Kwantung Army was reduced to 700 thousand servicemen - parts of the army were redirected to defend the Japanese islands proper.
On the morning of August 9, 1945, Soviet troops launched an offensive and invaded the territory of Manchuria. From the sea, the operation was supported by the Pacific Fleet, from the air - by aviation, striking the positions of the Japanese troops in Xinjing, Qiqihar and other cities of Manchuria. From the territory of Mongolia and Dauria, troops of the Trans-Baikal Front invaded Manchuria, cutting off the Kwantung Army from the Japanese troops in North China and occupying Xinjing. The formations of the 1st Far Eastern Front managed to break through the defense line of the Kwantung Army and occupied Jilin and Harbin. The 2nd Far Eastern Front, with the support of the Amur Flotilla, crossed the Amur and Ussuri, after which it broke into Manchuria and occupied Harbin. On August 14, an offensive began in the Mudanjiang region. On August 16, Mudanjiang was taken. On August 19, the widespread surrender of Japanese soldiers and officers began. In Mukden, the emperor of Manchukuo, Pu I., was captured by Soviet servicemen. On August 20, Soviet troops reached the Manchurian Plain, on the same day the Kwantung Army received an order from the higher command to surrender. However, since communications in the army had already been disrupted, not all units of the Kwantung Army received an order to surrender - many were unaware of it and continued to resist the Soviet troops until September 10. The total losses of the Kwantung Army in battles with Soviet-Mongolian troops amounted to at least 84 thousand people. Over 600,000 Japanese soldiers were taken prisoner. Among the prisoners was the last commander-in-chief of the Kwantung Army, General Yamada. He was taken to Khabarovsk and on December 30, 1945, by the Military Tribunal of the Primorsky Military District, he was found guilty of preparing for bacteriological warfare and sentenced to 25 years in a forced labor camp. In July 1950, Yamada was extradited to China at the request of the PRC law enforcement agencies - to involve General Yamada and a number of other senior Kwantung Army personnel in the case of war crimes committed in China. In China, Yamada was placed in a camp in the city of Fushun, and it was only in 1956 that the 75-year-old former general of the imperial army was released ahead of schedule. He returned to Japan and died in 1965 at the age of 83.
Yamada's predecessor as commander of the Kwantung Army, General Umezu Yoshijiro, was arrested by American troops and convicted by the International Tribunal for the Far East. In 1949, Umezu Yoshijiro, sentenced to life in prison, died of cancer in prison. General Ueda Kenkichi, who retired after the defeat of the Kwantung Army at Khalkhin Gol, was not prosecuted after the surrender of Japan and he happily lived until 1962, dying at the age of 87. General Minami Jiro, who commanded the Kwantung Army in 1934-1936 and became Governor General of Korea in 1936, was also sentenced to life imprisonment for unleashing an aggressive war against China and remained in prison until 1954, when he was released by health condition and died a year later. General Shigeru Honjo was arrested by the Americans but committed suicide. Thus, practically all the commanders of the Kwantung Army who managed to survive until the day of Japan's surrender were arrested and convicted by either the Soviet or American occupation authorities. A similar fate awaited the less high-ranking officers of the Kwantung Army, who fell into the hands of the enemy. All of them passed through the POW camps, a significant part never returned to Japan. Perhaps the best fate was for the Emperor of Manchukuo Pu Yi and Prince Mengjiang De Wang. Both he and the other served their sentences in China, and then were provided with work and happily lived out their days in the PRC, no longer engaging in political activities.
