A new illustrated study of the devastating, but little-known, Soviet armored blitzkrieg against the Japanese in the last weeks of World War II, and how it influenced Soviet tank doctrine as the Cold War dawned.
Although long overshadowed in the West by the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the USSR’s lightning strike into Manchuria in August 1945 was one of the most successful and unique campaigns of the era. Soviet forces, led by over 5,500 tanks and self-propelled guns, attacked across huge distances and deserts, marshes, and mountains to smash Japan’s million-strong Kwantung Army in a matter of days.
Japanese forces were short of training and equipment, but nevertheless fought fiercely, inflicting 32,000 casualties on the Soviets.
Red Army operations were characterized by surprise, speed, and deep penetrations by tank-heavy forces born of the brutal lessons they had learned during years fighting the Wehrmacht.
Lessons from the campaign directly shaped Soviet Cold War force structure and planning for mechanized operations against the West.
Illustrated with contemporary artwork and rare photos from one of the best collections of Soviet military photos in the West, this fascinating book explains exactly how the last blitzkrieg of World War II was planned, fought, and won, and how it influenced the Red Army's plans for tank warfare against NATO in Europe.
By:
William E. Hiestand
Illustrated by:
Mr Henry Morshead,
Irene Cano Rodríguez
Imprint: Osprey
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 248mm,
Width: 184mm,
Spine: 25mm
Weight: 454g
ISBN: 9781472853721
ISBN 10: 1472853725
Series: New Vanguard
Pages: 48
Publication Date: 04 July 2023
Audience:
General/trade
,
ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
INTRODUCTION - Red Blitzkrieg SOVIET ARMORED FORCE EVOLUTION, ORGANIZATION, AND DOCTRINE TECHNICAL FACTORS - Self-propelled guns - Miscellaneous AFVs THE CAMPAIGN - Forces and plans - Across deserts and mountains: The Trans-Baikal Front - Through the fortified hills and forests: The First Far Eastern Front’s attack - Supporting attack: The Second Far Eastern Front - Amphibious operations on the flanks - Surrender and seizing the spoils BATTLE ANALYSIS - Japanese tank, antitank tactics, and operations AFTERMATH FURTHER READING INDEX
William E. Hiestand was born in 1957. He has worked for over 30 years as a US Department of Defense analyst focusing on military issues, and serving in a wide variety of analytic, leadership, and representational roles. He holds an MA in History from Cornell University, and has a lifelong interest in military history, with a particular focus on 20th-century armored and mechanized operations. He lives in Virginia near Washington DC.
Reviews for Soviet Tanks in Manchuria 1945: The Red Army's ruthless last blitzkrieg of World War II
It can be confidently said that this text will obtain a very good reputation as a concise summary of the campaign and any enthusiast of the Soviet / Japanese / Chinese campaign ought to obtain a copy. * Military Archive Research *
