Battle of Mutanchiang

Battle of Mutanchiang
Part of the Soviet invasion of Manchuria of World War II

Mutanchiang campaign map, August 1945
Date12–16 August 1945[1]
Location
Mutanchiang, Manchuria
Result

Soviet victory

  • Japanese defensive success[2]
Belligerents
Soviet Union Soviet Union Empire of Japan Japan
 Manchukuo
Commanders and leaders
Soviet Union Kirill Meretskov[3]
Soviet Union Nikolay Krylov[4]
Soviet Union Afanasy Beloborodov[5]		 Empire of Japan Seiichi Kita[6]
Empire of Japan Shimizu Tsunenori[7]
Units involved

1st Far Eastern Front[3]

First Area Army[6]

Strength
~290,000 soldiers[nb 1]
1,102 tanks and SP guns
4,790 artillery pieces[11]		 55,000[7]–60,000[12]
4 or more light armored cars[13] or tanks[14]
Casualties and losses
Manpower
12,000+ casualties[15]
Materiel
600[16] tanks destroyed		 Manpower
20,000[17]–25,000 total casualties including 9,391 killed[15]
Materiel
104 artillery pieces[2]
4 light armored cars
600 trucks
6,000 horses[18]

The Battle of Mutanchiang, or Battle of Mudanjiang, was a large-scale military engagement fought between the forces of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the Empire of Japan from August 12 to 16, 1945, as part of the Harbin–Kirin Operation of the Soviet invasion of Manchuria in World War II. The rapid conclusion of the Manchurian campaign meant that this was one of the only set-piece battles that took place before the end of hostilities.[1] During the action, elements of the Japanese Fifth Army attempted to delay the Soviet Fifth Army and First Red Banner Army long enough to allow the bulk of the Japanese forces to retreat to more defensible positions.[19] Though casualties on both sides were heavy, the Red Army forces were able to break through the hastily organized Japanese defenses and capture the city ten days ahead of schedule. Nevertheless, the Japanese defenders at Mutanchiang achieved their goal of allowing the main forces to escape.[2]

  1. ^ a b Glantz & June 1983, p. 69.
  2. ^ a b c Glantz & June 1983, p. 97.
  3. ^ a b Glantz & February 1983, p. 109.
  4. ^ Glantz & February 1983, p. 115.
  5. ^ Glantz & February 1983, p. 121.
  6. ^ a b JM-154, p. 39.
  7. ^ a b c JM-154, p. 44.
  8. ^ Glantz & February 1983, p. 110.
  9. ^ Glantz & February 1983, p. 122.
  10. ^ Glantz & February 1983, p. 44.
  11. ^ Glantz & February 1983, p. 48.
  12. ^ Glantz 2004, p. 123.
  13. ^ JM-154 p.203
  14. ^ JM-154 p.264
  15. ^ a b Glantz 2004, p. 124.
  16. ^ JM-154, p. 69.
  17. ^ JM-154 p.215
  18. ^ JM-154 p. 215
  19. ^ Glantz & June 1983, p. 71.


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