Japanese Forces

Battles of Khalkhin Gol

11 May – 16 September 1939 The Battles of Khalkhin Gol preceded the formal start of the Second World War, and were part of the Soviet-Japanese Border Wars. I have included it because it was not decided until the larger war had begun and for it’s indirect effect on how the war would unfold. After initial border clashes escalated, a Japanese Army assaulted Mongolia from Manchuria. The Japanese progress was checked, turned into stalemate and eventually turned back by a Soviet counterattack designed by Marshal Zhukov. The brilliant use of combined arms and encircling tactics isolated and defeated elements of the Japanese army, while the remaining troops retreated to the pre-invasion border for safety. This battle had two unforeseen outcomes that impacted the war. First, it checked Japanese intentions in Mongolia and central Asia and assured that the Japanese and Germans would never be linked overland through Russia. This would confirm Japanese plans to look towards the Pacific to expand, eventually leading to the attack on Pearl Harbour. More importantly, Hitler offered the Soviet Union a nonaggression pact (Molotov -Ribbentrop Pact) which included terms for occupation and influence in Poland, the Baltic States, Romania and Finland within days of Japan’s defeat. This allowed Hitler to secure one possible flank in the upcoming war against Poland and subsequently, France.