Khalkin-Gol

[DoubleTap]

Hey,

I was thinking of doing a fictional set of missions pitting Japanese and Russian planes because that is a matchup one does not see often. In what I was creating, I wrote a fictional account of a Japanese attack of Russia in early '42 at the behest of Germany in order to cut off Vladivostok. However, while doing a little research, I came across some info about a battle of Khalkin-Gol, which was a real battle between the two sides prior to WWII:

On August 20, the Soviets beat the Japanese to the punch, when 150 bombers and 100 fighters swoop over the Japanese front lines at 5:45 a.m., bombing and strafing Japanese positions. The Japanese continue preparing their attack. A three-hour artillery barrage, followed by a massive combined-arms assault of infantry, cavalry, and tanks, surprises the Japanese. It takes them hours to organize resistance.

It is the first real armored offensive of the 20th century.

The Japanese 23rd Infantry Division is torn apart. Two of the regimental commanders burn their flags. Then one commits seppuku with his samurai sword while the other charges headlong into Soviet machine-guns.

Zhukov's Northern Group bursts through the Japanese instead of the Southern Group, so Zhukov changes the axis of attack. Tanks are told to drive into the Japanese as far as possible, avoid strongpoints, and leave them for the follow-up forces…straight out of Blitzkrieg warfare.

Japanese T97 tanks clank into action and are chopped up by Soviet bombers, being used as flying artillery.

http://www.usswashington.com/dl30au39.htm

I recall reading that there was some skirmishing between the Russians and Japanese sometime around World War II, but this sounds a bit more than mere skirmishing. Anyone else ever read of this? It kinda explains why the Japanese were so reluctant to take them on again.

[DZ9]

Aye I had heard about it, just in the context of Marshall Zukov's record. Pretty amazing leadership with many of the tenants of later modern tactical thinking.

just illustrates that the Soviet army was not completely purged of command talent by old whiskers

might be cool for a matchup

i wouldnt fancy being japanese though....

[DoubleTap]

Aye I had heard about it, just in the context of Marshall Zukov's record. Pretty amazing leadership with many of the tenants of later modern tactical thinking.

just illustrates that the Soviet army was not completely purged of command talent by old whiskers

might be cool for a matchup

i wouldnt fancy being japanese though....

\

What I thought interesting (and I only read this from one account so far) I am surprised Japanese airpower was not more in evidence. I mean, we know their tanks had to be some of the worst, but with their airpower properly used, they should have been able to tip the balance.

Then again, while I skimmed the account, it seems like the Japanese military action was not actually sanctioned by the High Command, so I guess lack of support makes sense.

In any event, whether historical or hypothetical, it should make an interesting matchup. I'll get to work on it.