When Stalin was asked by president Rosevelt about opening second front against Japan, Stalin gave his word: .. within three months after Germain capitulation. Exactly, three months later Soviet Union declared war on Japan.
In August 1945, the Soviet Union launched a massive and swift invasion of Japanese-occupied Manchuria, dealing a crushing blow to Japan in the final days of World War II. This often-overlooked campaign saw the Red Army execute a highly coordinated blitzkrieg, overwhelming Japanese forces with superior numbers, tanks, and tactics. The rapid Soviet advance contributed to Japans decision to surrender, alongside the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This decisive victory reshaped the balance of power in East Asia, setting the stage for the Cold War and the division of Korea. 1945年8月，苏联对日军占领的满洲发起了一场大规模且迅猛的进攻，在第二次世界大战的最后阶段对日本造成了沉重打击。这场常被忽视的战役中，红军实施了高度协同的闪电战，以兵力、坦克和战术优势迅速压倒了日军。苏联的迅速推进，加上对广岛和长崎的原子弹轰炸，共同促使日本做出投降决定。这场决定性的胜利重塑了东亚的力量格局，为冷战和朝鲜半岛的分裂埋下了伏笔。https://youtu.be/vhtadDV0Kfs?si=SRF5qA7aG6rTkAyH
ChatGPT said:
The Soviet Unions Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation, also known as the Soviet invasion of Manchuria, began on August 9, 1945, and by August 1415, the Japanese Kwantung Army once regarded as Japans elite force in the region had been decisively defeated, and Japan announced its surrender on August 15.
Heres a quick timeline to clarify:
So, while mop-up operations went on for a few more days or weeks in remote areas, the main campaign lasted effectively just five to six days, thanks to:
The speed and scale stunned even Western Allies. General Douglas MacArthur reportedly called it one of the most brilliantly executed campaigns in military history.
Would you like a map or more details on the specific Soviet advances or the Kwantung Armys condition?
5 days ago (edited)
@PeturKarlsson Well, we know what Hirohito said to his people in his unprecedented radio broadcast (that some in the military tried to prevent), that is, the enemy had deployed a terrible new weapon, by which he meant the A-bomb, not the Red Army. He did not mention the Red Army, the Soviets, Stalin, etc. He mentioned ONLY a terrible new weapon that made doing the unthinkable (surrender) necessary. I know of no other official pronouncement during the war by Hirohito on the subject. I do recall other members of the royal family, however, including the Soviet entry into the war as a reason to surrender, but they did not have decision-making power; only the emperor did. AFTER the war, Hirohito, I believe, included the Soviet invasion, but while the war was hot, he did not. Once again, Hirohito, on Aug 15, 45, in his radio broadcast, ONLY mentioned the A-bomb as THE reason to surrender. We know what he thought WHEN he made the decision.
@castlerock58
4 days ago
People believe that the Emperor of Japan decided to surrender because of the atomic bombs, as he said so in his speech to the Japanese people. Nobody has ever produced any evidence that he was lying. Various people, including some historians, have speculated that he was not giving his real motive for surrendering, but the historical record is clear that the emperor decided to surrender, and he stated his reason. He did not say that he did it because of what the Soviets did.
The hardliners, who were against surrender, were counting on being able to inflict horrific casualties on US troops invading Japans home islands and get the US to give better peace terms than unconditional surrender. The atomic bomb did more to negate that strategy than anything that went on in China. The war was already lost. The issue for the Japanese government was either to fight a bloody resistance to the invasion in the hope of better surrender terms or to surrender before the invasion. We cant get inside the emperors mind apart from what he said. He was undoubtedly truthful when he stated that the new American bomb was the reason he decided to surrender.
Only 5 days to complete the Manchuria campaign?
