May 23rd, 2006, 01:00 PM
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WW2F Veteran
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: England
Posts: 3,030
Salute!: 16
Saluted 7 Times in 6 Posts
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Quote:
Originally posted by clown:
At the time of the german attack he kept over 40 his best divisions on the border with China.
Even though Soviet intelegence was reporting that Japanese do not intend to attack from the east, taking those forces from the East was a big gamble.
After all the intelegence might have been right at the time, but once the Germans attack and advance as fast as they did, Japan could have change her mind very easely.
Think of all the resources they could have capturing vast almost unpopulated Siberian territories.
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To the first point there were some border conflicts between Russia and Japan which resulted in victories for Russia but at a very heavy cost, the outcome resulted in Japan changing their plans.
Quote:
July 1938 , Soviet and Japanese forces battle near Lake Hassan on the border of Manchukuo.
May 1939, From May to September 1939 Japan and the Soviet Union fought a fierce, large-scale undeclared war on the Mongolian plains that ended with a decisive Soviet victory with two important results: Japan reoriented its strategic emphasis toward the south, leading to war with the United States, Britain, and the Netherlands; and Russia freed itself from the fear of fighting on two fronts, thus vitally affecting the course of the war with Germany.
August 1939 , Battle of Khalkin Gol. The Battle of Khalkin Gol was a major Russian victory over the Japanese Kwangtung Army in August 1939 on the border of Manchuria and outer Mongolia. It was the most disastrous defeat ever suffered by the Japanese Army.
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[ 23. May 2006, 08:28 AM: Message edited by: Richard42 ]
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 Regards, Richard  
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