Soviet–Japanese War

Quick Facts: Who was Soviet–Japanese War?

Subject:

Soviet–Japanese War

Known for:

The 1945 Soviet invasion of Manchuria, concluding World War II in the Pacific.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Soviet–Japanese War was a campaign of the Second World War that began with the Soviet invasion of Manchuria following the Soviet declaration of war against Japan on 8 August 1945. The Soviet Union and Mongolian People's Republic toppled the Japanese puppet states of Manchukuo in Manchuria and Mengjiang in Inner Mongolia, as well as northern Korea, Karafuto on the island of Sakhalin, and the Kuril Islands. The Soviet Union's declaration of war helped bring about the Japanese surrender and the end of World War II by undermining Japanese plans to appeal to Moscow to mediate an end to the war on favorable terms. At the Tehran Conference in November 1943, Joseph Stalin agreed that the Soviet Union would enter the war against Japan once Germany was defeated. An Anglo-American delegation visited Moscow in October 1944 to discuss the Soviet Union joining the war against Japan.

Career & Major Achievements

The meeting with Stalin on 15 October discussed the Soviet Union's participation, and Stalin said that the Soviet offensive could need American material assistance because of the limited freight capacity of the Trans-Siberian Railway; see Pacific Route. British participants included Winston Churchill, Anthony Eden, Field Marshal Sir Alan Brooke, and General Hastings Ismay. The American representative was W. Averell Harriman. At the Yalta Conference in February 1945, Stalin agreed to Allied pleas to enter World War II in the Pacific Theater within three months of the end of the war in Europe. On 26 July, the US, the UK, and China made the Potsdam Declaration, an ultimatum calling for the Japanese surrender that if ignored would lead to their "prompt and utter destruction".

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The commencement of the invasion fell between the US atomic bombings of Hiroshima on 6 August and Nagasaki on 9 August. Although Stalin had been told virtually nothing of the US and UK's atomic bomb program by Allied governments, the date of the invasion was foreshadowed by the Yalta Agreement, the date of the German surrender (on 9 May 1945, implying a deadline for Stalin to enter the war against Japan by 9 August 1945), and the fact that, on 3 August, Marshal Aleksandr Vasilevsky reported to Stalin that, if necessary, he could attack on the morning of 5 August. The timing was well-planned and enabled the Soviet Union to enter the Pacific Theater on the side of the Allies, as previously agreed, before the war's end. The proposed Soviet invasion of Hokkaido was originally planned to be part of the territory taken. Trans-Baikal time (UTC+9)) on 8 August 1945, Soviet foreign minister Vyacheslav Molotov informed Japanese ambassador Naotake Satō in the Kremlin that the Soviet Union had declared war on Japan, and that from 9 August the Soviet Government would consider itself to be at war with Japan.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1943: 1943 Milestone — At the Tehran Conference in November 1943, Joseph Stalin agreed that the Soviet Union would enter the war against Japan once Germany was defeated.
2. 1944: 1944 Milestone — An Anglo-American delegation visited Moscow in October 1944 to discuss the Soviet Union joining the war against Japan.
3. 1945: 1945 Milestone — The Soviet–Japanese War was a campaign of the Second World War that began with the Soviet invasion of Manchuria following the Soviet declaration of war against Japan on 8 August 1945.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Soviet–Japanese War

True or False: “The Soviet–Japanese War was fought primarily over control of Korean Peninsula's industrial heartland.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While Korea was involved, the primary focus and initial invasion target were Manchuria, Mengjiang, and northern Korea.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi — Historical peer (Born in 1945) (1945): Yemeni politician who served as the second President of Yemen from 2012 to 2022.
• Adolf Hitler — Historical peer (Died in 1945) (1945): Austrian-born German politician who became dictator of Germany during the Nazi era.
• Agustín Pedro Justo — Historical peer (Died in 1943) (1943): 18th President of Argentina, leading during the tumultuous Infamous Decade.
• Akaji Maro — Historical peer (Born in 1943) (1943): Pioneering Japanese butoh performer, director, and acclaimed film actor.
• Abdülmecid II — Historical peer (Died in 1944) (1944): Last Ottoman Caliph and prominent Turkish aesthete, head of the Osmanoğlu family.
• Agustín Barrios — Historical peer (Died in 1944) (1944): Paraguayan virtuoso classical guitarist and composer, celebrated for his prolific works.

Frequently Asked Questions about Soviet–Japanese War