Soviet–Japanese War

The Soviet–Japanese War, known in Mongolia as the Liberation War of 1945, was a campaign of the Second World War that began with the Soviet invasion of Japanese-occupied territory following the Soviet declaration of war against Japan on 7 August 1945. The Soviet Union and Mongolian People's Republic toppled the Japanese puppet states of Manchukuo in Manchuria and Mengjiang in Inner Mongolia, as well as northern Korea, Karafuto on the island of Sakhalin, and the Kuril Islands. The defeat of Japan's Kwantung Army helped bring about the Japanese surrender and the end of World War II. The Soviet entry into the war was a significant factor in the Japanese government's decision to surrender unconditionally, as it was made apparent that the Soviet Union was not willing to act as a third party in negotiating an end to hostilities on conditional terms.

Soviet-Japanese War
Part of the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Pacific Theater of World War II

US and Soviet sailors and seamen celebrating together on VJ Day
Date7 August  2 September 1945
(3 weeks and 5 days)
Location
Result Soviet victory
Territorial
changes
  • Soviet occupation of Inner Mongolia and Manchuria until 1946
  • Annexation of South Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands by the USSR
Belligerents
Pre-PLA troops and militia

 Japan

Commanders and leaders
Units involved

Transbaikal Front

1st Far Eastern Front

2nd Far Eastern Front

Kwantung Army

Fifth Area Army

Manchukuo Imperial Army
Mengjiang National Army
Strength
Soviet Union:
  • 1,577,225 men
  • 26,137 artillery
  • 1,852 sup. artillery
  • 5,556 tanks and self-propelled artillery
  • 5,368 aircraft
Mongolia:
  • 16,000 men
Japan:
  • c. 1,092,400 men
Manchukuo:
  • 200,000 troops
Mengjiang:
  • 44,000 men
Casualties and losses
Soviet and Mongolian:
  • 9,780 killed
  • 911 missing
  • 1,340 non-combat deaths (accidents/disease)
  • 24,425 sanitary losses, including:
  • 19,562 wounded
  • 4,863 sick
  • 36,456 losses altogether
  • of which 30,253 combat losses
Japanese sources:
  • 22,300–23,600 killed
  • c. 40,000 wounded

Soviet claim:
  • 83,737 killed
  • 20,000 wounded (Manchuria only)
  • < 41,199 captured (19 August)
  • 640,000 captured and disarmed (total)
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