Soviet Tanks in Manchuria 1945: The Red Army's ruthless last Blitzkrieg of World War II
A new illustrated study of the devastating, but little-known, Soviet armored blitzkrieg against the Japanese in the last weeks of World War II, and how it influenced Soviet tank doctrine as the Cold War dawned.

Although long overshadowed in the West by the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the USSR's lightning strike into Manchuria in August 1945 was one of the most successful and unique campaigns of the era. Soviet forces, led by over 5,500 tanks and self-propelled guns, attacked across huge distances and deserts, marshes, and mountains to smash Japan's million-strong Kwantung Army in a matter of days.

Japanese forces were short of training and equipment, but nevertheless fought fiercely, inflicting 32,000 casualties on the Soviets. Red Army operations were characterized by surprise, speed, and deep penetrations by tank-heavy forces born of the brutal lessons they had learned during years fighting the Wehrmacht. Lessons from the campaign directly shaped Soviet Cold War force structure and planning for mechanized operations against the West.

Illustrated with contemporary artwork and rare photos from one of the best collections of Soviet military photos in the West, this fascinating book explains exactly how the last blitzkrieg of World War II was planned, fought, and won, and how it influenced the Red Army's plans for tank warfare against NATO in Europe.

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Soviet Tanks in Manchuria 1945: The Red Army's ruthless last Blitzkrieg of World War II
A new illustrated study of the devastating, but little-known, Soviet armored blitzkrieg against the Japanese in the last weeks of World War II, and how it influenced Soviet tank doctrine as the Cold War dawned.

Although long overshadowed in the West by the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the USSR's lightning strike into Manchuria in August 1945 was one of the most successful and unique campaigns of the era. Soviet forces, led by over 5,500 tanks and self-propelled guns, attacked across huge distances and deserts, marshes, and mountains to smash Japan's million-strong Kwantung Army in a matter of days.

Japanese forces were short of training and equipment, but nevertheless fought fiercely, inflicting 32,000 casualties on the Soviets. Red Army operations were characterized by surprise, speed, and deep penetrations by tank-heavy forces born of the brutal lessons they had learned during years fighting the Wehrmacht. Lessons from the campaign directly shaped Soviet Cold War force structure and planning for mechanized operations against the West.

Illustrated with contemporary artwork and rare photos from one of the best collections of Soviet military photos in the West, this fascinating book explains exactly how the last blitzkrieg of World War II was planned, fought, and won, and how it influenced the Red Army's plans for tank warfare against NATO in Europe.

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Soviet Tanks in Manchuria 1945: The Red Army's ruthless last Blitzkrieg of World War II

Soviet Tanks in Manchuria 1945: The Red Army's ruthless last Blitzkrieg of World War II

Soviet Tanks in Manchuria 1945: The Red Army's ruthless last Blitzkrieg of World War II

Soviet Tanks in Manchuria 1945: The Red Army's ruthless last Blitzkrieg of World War II

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Overview

A new illustrated study of the devastating, but little-known, Soviet armored blitzkrieg against the Japanese in the last weeks of World War II, and how it influenced Soviet tank doctrine as the Cold War dawned.

Although long overshadowed in the West by the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the USSR's lightning strike into Manchuria in August 1945 was one of the most successful and unique campaigns of the era. Soviet forces, led by over 5,500 tanks and self-propelled guns, attacked across huge distances and deserts, marshes, and mountains to smash Japan's million-strong Kwantung Army in a matter of days.

Japanese forces were short of training and equipment, but nevertheless fought fiercely, inflicting 32,000 casualties on the Soviets. Red Army operations were characterized by surprise, speed, and deep penetrations by tank-heavy forces born of the brutal lessons they had learned during years fighting the Wehrmacht. Lessons from the campaign directly shaped Soviet Cold War force structure and planning for mechanized operations against the West.

Illustrated with contemporary artwork and rare photos from one of the best collections of Soviet military photos in the West, this fascinating book explains exactly how the last blitzkrieg of World War II was planned, fought, and won, and how it influenced the Red Army's plans for tank warfare against NATO in Europe.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781472853721
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
Publication date: 02/28/2023
Series: New Vanguard , #316
Pages: 48
Product dimensions: 7.00(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.20(d)

About the Author

William E. Hiestand has worked for over 30 years as a US Department of Defense analyst, focusing on military issues and serving in a wide variety of analytic, leadership and representational roles. He holds an MA in History from Cornell University, and has a lifelong interest in military history with a particular focus on 20th-century armoured and mechanized operations and Soviet military history. He lives in Virginia near Washington DC.

Henry Morshead is the Chief Designer for the Hill HX50 helicopter. He also works in the automotive and bespoke sectors, with clients including BAC Mono and Arrival, and is a STEM Ambassador with the Bloodhound supersonic car project. A former officer in the Royal Engineers and illustrator for Jane's, he maintains a keen interest in the design and use of military land and air vehicles.

Irene Cano Rodríguez (known as Araire) is a freelance artist working and living in Spain. Since 2014, she has worked as a specialized historical illustrator, recreating historical scenes for museums, studios, editorials and magazines. Nowadays she also combines her work as an illustrator with teaching archaeological illustration.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

- Red Blitzkrieg

SOVIET ARMORED FORCE EVOLUTION, ORGANIZATION,

AND DOCTRINE

TECHNICAL FACTORS

- Self-propelled guns

- Miscellaneous AFVs

THE CAMPAIGN

- Forces and plans

- Across deserts and mountains: The Trans-Baikal Front

- Through the fortified hills and forests: The First Far Eastern Front's attack

- Supporting attack: The Second Far Eastern Front

- Amphibious operations on the flanks

- Surrender and seizing the spoils

BATTLE ANALYSIS

- Japanese tank, antitank tactics, and operations

AFTERMATH

FURTHER READING

INDEX

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