Soviet invasion of South Sakhalin
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| Soviet invasion of South Sakhalin | |||||||||
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| Part of theSoviet–Japanese War | |||||||||
 Map of the Invasion of South Sakhalin | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Soviet Union |
 Japan | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
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Maksim PurkayevLeonty CheremisovAnatoly PetrakovskyIvan Baturov |
Kiichiro HiguchiSaburo HagiJunichiro Mineki | ||||||||
| Units involved | |||||||||
 16th Army Pacific Fleet |
 Fifth Area Army | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| 100,000 men | 19,000 men (excluding 10,000 reservists) | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
|
56th Rifle Corps: 527+ killed 845+ wounded[1] Pacific Fleet: 89+ killed Total killed: 616–1,191+ killed[2] |
Northern Army: 700–2,000 killed 18,202captured | ||||||||
| 3,500–3,700 Japanese civilian casualties | |||||||||
TheSoviet invasion of South Sakhalin,also known as theBattle of Sakhalin(Russian:Южно-Сахалинская операция,romanized:Yuzhno-Sakhalinskaya operatsiya;Japanese:Hoa quá の chiến い,romanized:Karafuto no tatakai), was theSovietinvasion of theJapaneseportion ofSakhalin Islandknown asKarafuto Prefecture.The invasion was part of theSoviet–Japanese War,[3]a minor campaign in the Asian Theatre duringSecond World War.
Background[edit]
Following theJapanese invasion of Sakhalinin 1905, control of the island was split according to theTreaty of Portsmouth,with theRussian Empirecontrolling the northern half and theEmpire of Japancontrolling the portion south of the50th parallel north.It was known in Japan asKarafuto Prefectureand the Northern District.
During theYalta Conferencein 1945, Soviet PremierJoseph Stalinpledged to enter the fight against the Empire of Japan "two or three months afterGermany has surrenderedand thewar in Europe is terminated."That would create another strategic front against Japan, which was deemed necessary to end the war. As a result of their participation, the Soviets would be awarded South Sakhalin and theKuril Islands,among other concessions. The United States would aid theRed ArmyinProject Hulain preparation for the invasion.
On 5 April, the Soviets formally repudiated theSoviet–Japanese Neutrality Pact.
On 9 August, the Soviets launched a full-scale invasion ofManchuria,which started theSoviet–Japanese War.That war began three days after theUnited States atomic bombing of Hiroshima,and it included plans to invade South Sakhalin. The main purpose of the invasion was to clear Japanese resistance and to be prepared within 10 to 14 daysto invade Hokkaido,the northernmost of Japan's home islands.
Order of battle[edit]
Soviet Union[edit]
- 2nd Far Eastern Front (commanded by General of the ArmyMaksim Purkayev)
- 16th Army(commanded by GeneralLeonty Cheremisov)
- 56th Rifle Corps[4]
- 79th Rifle Division
- 2nd Rifle Brigade
- 5th Rifle Brigade
- 214th Tank Brigade
- 113th Rifle Brigade
- 255th Composite Aviation Division (106 aircraft)
- 56th Rifle Corps[4]
- 16th Army(commanded by GeneralLeonty Cheremisov)
- Pacific Fleet (commanded by AdmiralIvan Yumashev)
- Northern Pacific Flotilla(commanded by Vice-AdmiralV.A. Andreev)
- Pacific Fleet naval aircraft (80 aircraft)
- 365th Naval Infantry Battalion
Imperial Japan[edit]
- 88th Infantry Divisionof theJapanese Fifth Area Army(commanded by Lieutenant GeneralKiichiro Higuchi)
- Karafuto fortified area (17 bunkers, 28 artillery, 18 and mortar positions and others. Facilities, the garrison – 5400 people) of the Border Guard
- Detachments of Reservists
Navy:
- Naval Infantry
- Northeast Air Fleet Karafuto Region ground defence units[5]
- some units fromOminato Defence Force[6]
- part of the Soya Defence Force - the icebreakerOdomari,the special gunboatChitose Maru,the Soya Defence Guard Station and the Nishinotoro Defence Guard Station
- Toyohara Navy Office - Military Attaché: Rear AdmiralKoichi Kuroki
Invasion[edit]
Karafuto Line[edit]
On 11 August, the Soviet 16th Army commenced the ground invasion from northern Sakhalin of the southern portion of Sakhalin Island controlled by Japan. The Soviet advance was halted by the strenuous Japanese defense of theKarafutoFortress defense line. The Soviet 16th Army which consisted of roughly 20,000 men and supported by 100 tanks outnumbered the Japanese defenders 3 to 1. However the Soviet advance was minimal and held off for four days on the Karafuto line.
On 15 August, Imperial Japanese headquarters issued the order to halt all offensive combat operations and engage in a cease-fire dialogue; however, the 5th Area Army issued a contrary order to the 88th Division to defend Sakhalin to the last man. The same day 3,000 Japanese troops surrendered the Karafuto Line. Japanese military casualties were 568 dead.
[edit]
In order to speed up the invasion of Sakhalin island and relieve pressure on the ground invasion theSoviet Navylaunched an amphibious assault operation against the key Japanese ports. A naval blockade of Sakhalin island was put into place to prevent the evacuation of Japanese troops. Civilian convoys were targeted by Soviet submarines in theAniva Gulf.
On 16 August, the Soviet coast guard shipZarnitsa,fourminesweepers,two transports, six gunboats and nineteen torpedo boats docked in Port Toro. Around 1,400 Soviet troops of the 365th Separate Marine Battalion and one battalion of the 113th Rifle Brigade landed inToro(nowShakhtyorsk) and engaged a Japanese garrison of 200 men. Toro was captured and the next day they captured four populated areas and the port city ofEsutoru(now Uglegorsk),Anbetsu(now Vozvrashcheniye) andYerinai.Japanese casualties were 100 killed, 150 wounded and 30 captured. Soviet casualties were 12 killed.
On 20 August, 3,400 troops of the Soviet Navy combined marine battalion and the 113th Rifle Brigade landed in PortMaoka(now Kholmsk). The landing party was met with fierce Japanese defense. A few naval vessels were damaged which led to the Soviet response of intense naval bombardment of the city, causing approximately 600 to 1,000 civilian deaths. Maoka was captured on 22 August, with heavy Japanese resistance continuing throughout the city. Japanese military casualties in this battle were 300 killed and 600 captured. Soviet casualties were 60 army soldiers killed and 17 naval infantry killed.[7]
On 25 August, 1,600 Soviet troops landed inOtomari(now Korsakov). The Japanese garrison of 3,400 men surrendered. The same day the remnants of the Japanese 88th Division surrendered to the 16th Army and the city ofToyoharawas captured without resistance officially ending the Invasion of Sakhalin.
Aftermath and casualties[edit]
Japanese casualties are approximately 700 to 2,000 soldiers killed and 3,500 to 3,700 civilians killed. Around 18,202 were captured and many of theJapanese prisoners of war in Sakhalinwere sent to labor camps inSiberiaand held after the war. At least 100,000 Japanese civilians fled the Soviet occupation during the invasion. The capture of Sakhalin Island proved a necessary prerequisite for theInvasion of the Kuril Islands.After the Japanese surrender, Sakhalin Island remained under Soviet control and is nowRussianterritory, part ofSakhalin Oblast.
See also[edit]
- Battle of Shumshu
- Invasion of the Kuril Islands
- Evacuation of Karafuto and Kuriles
- Project Hula
- Soviet assault on Maoka
References[edit]
- ^"Курильская операция – Моя родина – Магадан".kolymastory.ru.Retrieved6 April2018.
- ^Our Kuriles and Japanese Claimsp. 22, retrieved 6 April 2018
- ^Ealey, Mark (26 February 2006)."As World War II entered its final stages the belligerent powers committed one heinous act after another".History News Network.Retrieved24 December2015.
- ^Glantz, David (2 August 2004).Soviet Operational and Tactical Combat in Manchuria, 1945: 'August Storm'.Routledge.ISBN1135774773.
- ^"Bắc Đông Hải quân hàng không đội phái đội".Retrieved23 April2024.
- ^Lâu quật ( 1992 năm ), 44 trang.
- ^"Battle of Shumshu island and Sakhalin – Historum – History Forums".historum.Retrieved3 January2016.
External links[edit]
