Army Operations in Manchuria (9-15 August 1945)
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Liberationliberation
LiberationLiberation Liberation 65th ANNIVERSARY 2010 By Rona Mendelsohn During the final weeks of World War II, the task of freeing the western por- tion of Czechoslovakia fell to the soldiers of the American Third Army, led by General George S. Patton, Jr. The following article is a day-by-day account of that momentous two-week period, which is clearly etched in the memories of those who lived through it. Many Czech citizens have written to the Ameri- can Embassy, sending photographs and sharing their recollections of those days in great detail. The Embassy thanks them for their generous assistance and valuable information. This account, however, has been compiled from the American side. It was written by Rona Mendelsohn, a professional writer in Washington, D. C, after consulting more than 20 original sources, including letters, books, military records, newspaper articles, and personal interviews. Cover and left: After its liberation, Pilsen was the scene of a victory parade by the U.S. 3rd Army. 1 n May 4, 1945, General the passes before anything hit us.” He had George S. Patton’s forces were also profited from the 97th Infantry Divi- deployed along the Czechoslo- sion’s attack on Cheb on April 25. Other vak-German-Austrian border. U.S. Army elements had advanced beyond He received a call from Gen- Cheb to Schönbrunn. eral Omar Bradley, Commander of the U.S. The American Third Army, now num- O12th Army Group, saving that “the green bering more than 500,000 men in 18 divi- light is on for the attack on Czechoslovakia,” sions, was poised and ready to storm through and wanting to know when Patton could put Czechoslovakia in the early morning hours the invasion into effect. -
Air Defence in Northern Europe
FINNISH DEFENCE STUDIES AIR DEFENCE IN NORTHERN EUROPE Heikki Nikunen National Defence College Helsinki 1997 Finnish Defence Studies is published under the auspices of the National Defence College, and the contributions reflect the fields of research and teaching of the College. Finnish Defence Studies will occasionally feature documentation on Finnish Security Policy. Views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily imply endorsement by the National Defence College. Editor: Kalevi Ruhala Editorial Assistant: Matti Hongisto Editorial Board: Chairman Prof. Pekka Sivonen, National Defence College Dr. Pauli Järvenpää, Ministry of Defence Col. Erkki Nordberg, Defence Staff Dr., Lt.Col. (ret.) Pekka Visuri, Finnish Institute of International Affairs Dr. Matti Vuorio, Scientific Committee for National Defence Published by NATIONAL DEFENCE COLLEGE P.O. Box 266 FIN - 00171 Helsinki FINLAND FINNISH DEFENCE STUDIES 10 AIR DEFENCE IN NORTHERN EUROPE Heikki Nikunen National Defence College Helsinki 1997 ISBN 951-25-0873-7 ISSN 0788-5571 © Copyright 1997: National Defence College All rights reserved Oy Edita Ab Pasilan pikapaino Helsinki 1997 INTRODUCTION The historical progress of air power has shown a continuous rising trend. Military applications emerged fairly early in the infancy of aviation, in the form of first trials to establish the superiority of the third dimension over the battlefield. Well- known examples include the balloon reconnaissance efforts made in France even before the birth of the aircraft, and it was not long before the first generation of flimsy, underpowered aircraft were being tested in a military environment. The Italians used aircraft for reconnaissance missions at Tripoli in 1910-1912, and the Americans made their first attempts at taking air power to sea as early as 1910-1911. -
155-L Page CHAPTER XII the 123D Division
N SI 55 U.S. Army Forces Far East. Military History Section. Record of Opera- tions Against Soviet Russia on Northern and Western Fronts of Manchuria, and in Northern Korea (August 1945). Japanese monograph no. 155. 1950. Distributed by the Office of the Chief of Military History, Departmen t of the Army. SAI ACCESS NO r77 A N Ju:i 2 ZQO ACCESSION NO -~iili~asi~w(i~I1786 7 '' ~r9 r k-':: ~a~ -jgy "'; :r' i.i 'i JAPANESE MONOGRAPH NO. 155 Ate.1 +++"-.i ti.,<a.. .. , i4,e NO su w..w..v- RECORD OF OPERATIONS AGAINST SO VIET RUSSIA ON NORTHERN AND WESTEF:N FRONTS OF MANCHURIA, AND IN NORTHERN KOREA (AUGUST 1945) PREPARED BY- MILITARY HISTORY SECTION HEADQUARTERS, ARMY FORCES FAR EAST DISTRIBUTED BY OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF MILITARY HISTORY DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY This monograph may not be reproduced without the permission of the Office Chief of Militsry History Monograph No. 155 Editor's Preface This is the last in a series of three monographs' covering Japanese military activities in Manchuria from January 1943 to the end of WVorld War II hostilities, prepared by former commanders and staff officers of the Kwantung Army. The first (No. 138) deals with Kwantung Arm's wartime vigil throughout Manchuria in prepa- ration for operations. The second (No. 154) deals with actual military operations against Soviet forces on the eastern front. This monograph, No. 155, covers operations in the northern and western parts of Manchuria and also in northern Korea. Like No. 154, this monograph is actually a collection of closely related sub-monographs, each a separate--but by no means complete--study in itself. -
Icebreakers at War: Flight of the Russian White Government from Archangel (19-25 February 1920)
Icebreakers at War: Flight of the Russian White Government from Archangel (19-25 February 1920) George Bolotenko En 1919, dès que les puissances interventionnistes en Russie ont compris que les bolchéviks allaient gagner, elles se sont mises à retirer leurs forces. Par conséquent, les gouvernements blancs de diverses régions, certaines formations militaires et de nombreux civils ont aussi choisi de quitter les lieux. Cet article traite d’une des évacuations, du port d’Arkhangelsk sur la mer Blanche en février 1920. Ce cas présente un intérêt parce que l’évacuation s’est déroulée sur un brise-glace, le Minin, lors d’une poursuite par un autre brise-glace, le Kanada (anciennement le Earl Grey, navire du gouvernement canadien). Les deux navires ont participé à des combats maritimes juste au sud du cercle polaire, probablement le seul événement de ce genre dans l’histoire maritime. Introduction The story told here is part of a larger historical phenomenon, the flight of White administrations, armies, military families and civilians out of Red Russia. As Red armies established control over the heartland, White opposition forces were pushed to the littorals, and eventually into flight. With some differences among them these departures more or less followed a similar pattern. The evacuations occurred on the eve of Red forces breaking through last lines of White defence; wounded and rear guard units were, willingly or not, left behind, as well as thousands of civilians; the ports of departure became scenes of chaos, disorder and desperation; people of influence and money found ways to assure a place aboard ship; anything that could float was utilized in these evacuations. -
Lost Years 1942-46 Lost Years 1942-46
THE LOST YEARS 1942-46 LOST YEARS 1942-46 Edited by Sue Kunitomi Embrey Moonlight Publications; Gidra, Inc., Los Angeles, California Photo by Boku Kodama In January, 1972, the California State Department of Parks and Recrea tion approved Manzanar as a historic landmark. The final wording as it appears on the plaque (see picture above) was agreed upon after a year of controversy and negotiations. The Manzanar Pilgrimage of April 14, 1973, dedicating the plaque, attracted over 1500 participants. Copyright ® 1972 by the Manzanar Committee All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form, without written permission from the Publisher. First Printing: March, 1972 Fourth Printing: May, 1982 Second Printing: June, 1972 Fifth Printing: November, 1987 Third Printing: March, 1976 Manzanar Committee, Los Angeles 1566 Curran Street Los Angeles, Calif. 90026 Printed in the United States of America TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 Introduction 5 A Chronology of Evacuation and Relocation 15 Why It Happened Here by Roger Daniels 37 Manzanar, a poem by Michi 38 Life in a Relocation Center 44 Untitled Poem by James Shinkai 45 Segregation of Persons of Japanese Ancestry in Relocation Centers 51 Why Relocate? 56 Bibliography PHOTOGRAPHS cover Manzanar Cemetery Monument 4 Evacuees entering one of the camps 14 Sentry Tower 28-29 Barracks at Manzanar 36 Young men looking out behind Manzanar's barbed wire 48 Newspaper headlines before Evacuation 60 National Park Service historic plaque Cover: The Manzanar Cemetery monument designed and built by R.F. Kado, a landscape architect and stone mason, was completed in August, 1943. -
Men-On-The-Spot and the Allied Intervention in the Russian Civil War, 1917-1920 Undergraduate
A Highly Disreputable Enterprise: Men-on-the-Spot and the Allied Intervention in the Russian Civil War, 1917-1920 Undergraduate Research Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for graduation "with Honors Research Distinction in History" in the undergraduate colleges of The Ohio State University by Conrad Allen The Ohio State University May 2016 Project Advisor: Professor Jennifer Siegel, Department of History The First World War ended on November 11, 1918. The guns that had battered away at each other in France and Belgium for four long years finally fell silent at eleven A.M. as the signed armistice went into effect. "There came a second of expectant silence, and then a curious rippling sound, which observers far behind the front likened to the noise of a light wind. It was the sound of men cheering from the Vosges to the sea," recorded South African soldier John Buchan, as victorious Allied troops went wild with celebration. "No sleep all night," wrote Harry Truman, then an artillery officer on the Western Front, "The infantry fired Very pistols, sent up all the flares they could lay their hands on, fired rifles, pistols, whatever else would make noise, all night long."1 They celebrated their victory, and the fact that they had survived the worst war of attrition the world had ever seen. "I've lived through the war!" cheered an airman in the mess hall of ace pilot Eddie Rickenbacker's American fighter squadron. "We won't be shot at any more!"2 But all was not quiet on every front. -
WHO's WHO in the WAR in EUROPE the War in Europe 7 CHARLES DE GAULLE
who’s Who in the War in Europe (National Archives and Records Administration, 342-FH-3A-20068.) POLITICAL LEADERS Allies FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT When World War II began, many Americans strongly opposed involvement in foreign conflicts. President Roosevelt maintained official USneutrality but supported measures like the Lend-Lease Act, which provided invaluable aid to countries battling Axis aggression. After Pearl Harbor and Germany’s declaration of war on the United States, Roosevelt rallied the country to fight the Axis powers as part of the Grand Alliance with Great Britain and the Soviet Union. (Image: Library of Congress, LC-USZ62-128765.) WINSTON CHURCHILL In the 1930s, Churchill fiercely opposed Westernappeasement of Nazi Germany. He became prime minister in May 1940 following a German blitzkrieg (lightning war) against Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. He then played a pivotal role in building a global alliance to stop the German juggernaut. One of the greatest orators of the century, Churchill raised the spirits of his countrymen through the war’s darkest days as Germany threatened to invade Great Britain and unleashed a devastating nighttime bombing program on London and other major cities. (Image: Library of Congress, LC-USW33-019093-C.) JOSEPH STALIN Stalin rose through the ranks of the Communist Party to emerge as the absolute ruler of the Soviet Union. In the 1930s, he conducted a reign of terror against his political opponents, including much of the country’s top military leadership. His purge of Red Army generals suspected of being disloyal to him left his country desperately unprepared when Germany invaded in June 1941. -
BATTLE-SCARRED and DIRTY: US ARMY TACTICAL LEADERSHIP in the MEDITERRANEAN THEATER, 1942-1943 DISSERTATION Presented in Partial
BATTLE-SCARRED AND DIRTY: US ARMY TACTICAL LEADERSHIP IN THE MEDITERRANEAN THEATER, 1942-1943 DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Steven Thomas Barry Graduate Program in History The Ohio State University 2011 Dissertation Committee: Dr. Allan R. Millett, Adviser Dr. John F. Guilmartin Dr. John L. Brooke Copyright by Steven T. Barry 2011 Abstract Throughout the North African and Sicilian campaigns of World War II, the battalion leadership exercised by United States regular army officers provided the essential component that contributed to battlefield success and combat effectiveness despite deficiencies in equipment, organization, mobilization, and inadequate operational leadership. Essentially, without the regular army battalion leaders, US units could not have functioned tactically early in the war. For both Operations TORCH and HUSKY, the US Army did not possess the leadership or staffs at the corps level to consistently coordinate combined arms maneuver with air and sea power. The battalion leadership brought discipline, maturity, experience, and the ability to translate common operational guidance into tactical reality. Many US officers shared the same ―Old Army‖ skill sets in their early career. Across the Army in the 1930s, these officers developed familiarity with the systems and doctrine that would prove crucial in the combined arms operations of the Second World War. The battalion tactical leadership overcame lackluster operational and strategic guidance and other significant handicaps to execute the first Mediterranean Theater of Operations campaigns. Three sets of factors shaped this pivotal group of men. First, all of these officers were shaped by pre-war experiences. -
The Battle for China
The Battle for China ESSAYS ON THE MILITARY HISTORY OF THE SINO-JAPANESE WAR OF 1937-1945 Edited by Mark Peattie, Edward J. Drea, and Hans van de Ven STANFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS STANFORD, CALIFORNIA There is no instance of a nation benefiting from prolonged warfare. Stanford University Press Stanford, California —Sunzi ©2.011 by the Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system without the prior written permis- sion of Stanford University Press. Maps produced by David Rennie. Japan photographs reproduced with permission of AFLO/Mainichi Shimbun. Printed in the United States of America on acid-free, archival-quality paper Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data The battle for China : essays on the military history of the Sino-Japanese War of 1937-1945 / edited by Mark Peattie, Edward Drea, and Hans van de Ven. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-8047-6206-9 (cloth : alk. paper) i. Sino-Japanese War, 1937-1945—Campaigns—China, i. China— History, Military—1912-1949. 3. Japan—History, Military—1868-1945. I. Peattie, Mark R., 1930- II. Drea, Edward J., 1944- III. Van de Ven, Hans J. 05777.53.6337 2011 940.54*251—dczz 1010042047 Typeset by BookMatters in 10/12.5 Sabon W Chinese Operations in INDIA North Burma f \ Overview of Major Military Campaigns October 1943 - March 1945 during the Sino-Japanese War, i937-I945 • —'^ Chinese Offensives o> Japanese Strongpoints EDWARD J. -
7 Common Misconceptions About World War II
Seven Common Misconceptions about World War II World War II ended three-quarters of a century ago. Now only a tiny and fast- dwindling number of Americans still possess an active memory of the conflict, and most of the rest of us view what happened through the gauzy tissue of fiction and faulty memory. The United States won the war, didn’t we? Through the unparalleled courage of the “Greatest Generation” and the awesome industrial power of our economy, we overwhelmed the Nazi juggernaut in little more than three years and brought Imperial Japan to her knees in less than four. Well, yes. There’s more than a fair measure of truth in all that. In fact, it’s true as far as it goes. But the story of the Second World War is far, far bigger, and far more complex. Most Americans labor under misconceptions about its true nature. And that truth is hiding in plain sight for anyone willing to look closely. Here goes . #1. World War II lasted for four years. Some historians consider World Wars I and II to be part of a single protracted conflict— a twentieth-century Thirty Years’ War, if you will. Others argue that the second global war began in 1931 when Japan’s renegade Kwantung Army engineered the Mukden Incident and subsequently invaded Manchuria. Others still might contend that the Italian invasion of Abyssinia (Ethiopia) in 1935-37 or the German and Italian involvement in the Spanish Civil War in 1936-39, usually thought a dry run for the Axis, should be considered of a piece with the global conflict. -
An Adventure in Cooperation: the Church of Christ in China and Church-State Relations in Nationalist China
An Adventure In Cooperation: The Church of Christ in China and Church-State Relations in Nationalist China By Yan Xiong B.A. in News Interviewing, July 1995, Communication University of China M.A. in Political Communication, May 2005, The George Washington University A Dissertation submitted to The Faculty of The Columbian College of Arts and Sciences of The George Washington University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy August 31, 2011 Dissertation directed by Edward McCord Associate Professor of History and International Affairs The Columbian College of Arts and Sciences of The George Washington University certifies that Yan Xiong has passed the Final Examination for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy as of July 27, 2011. This is the final and approved form of the dissertation. Yan Xiong An Adventure In Cooperation: The Church of Christ in China and Church-State Relations in Nationalist China Dissertation Research Committee: Edward A. McCord, Associate Professor of History and International Affairs, Dissertation Director Shawn F. McHale, Associate Professor of History and International Affairs, Committee Member Gregg A. Brazinsky, Associate Professor of History and International Affairs, Committee Member ii © Copyright 2011 by Yan Xiong All rights reserved iii To my parents iv Acknowledgments It is a great pleasure to acknowledge some of the colleagues and friends who have contributed to this dissertation. I am thankful to all the institutions and individuals for their support and assistance during the process of writing the dissertation. The George Washington University provided me with generous fellowships during my Ph.D. study and research. -
Chapter Iv Operational and Tactical Surprise
CHAPTER IV OPERATIONAL AND TACTICAL SURPRISE The Soviets Prepare Having looked at the Soviet decision to declare war on Japan and invade Manchuria, and having examined the Soviet's efforts at strategic surprise, we can now probe more deeply into events at the operational and tactical levels. To the Soviets, strategy is the most important as pect of military art and serves to guide the levels of operational art and tactics. Because of its predominant position in military art, surprise at the strategic level may impact on other levels of activity. We will find this particularly true in the case of the Manchurian campaign, where strategic planning accomplished at the General Staff level corresponded closely with planning at the operational level. Following the Japanese occupation of most of Manchuria in 1931, the Soviets gradually lost full control of the trans-Manchurian Chinese Far Eastern Railroad con necting the Transbaikal area with the Soviet Maritime region. ijaving lost this control, the Soviets no longer had any real possibility of conducting large-scale military operations in 85 86 Manchuria, and this may have contributed to their decision to sell their interests in the railroad by the mid-1930's. Once the railway was fully in Japanese hands, Kwantung Army Forces began to use it to exert military pressure on both the Transbaikal and the Ussuri areas. The question of which of these areas should be given predominant attention, which was the best area for offensive or defensive activi ties, became a factor each side had to consider. At dif ferent times, they both faced the problem from the offensive and the defensive points of view.