Russian Foreign Ministry posted today (June 5) saying: "A search operation to find the remains of Soviet and Mongolian soldiers who sacrificed in the Nomonhan Campaign was carried out from May 16 to 28, with the assistance of the Russian Embassy in Mongolia and the Mongolian Ministry of Defense. This activity was made possible thanks to relevant agreements reached by the two countries' presidents."
The Nomonhan Campaign, a fierce conflict between Japan and the Soviet Union along the border of China and Mongolia from May to September 1939, was an important event that cannot be ignored at the beginning of World War II. It was not only a power struggle between Japan and the Soviet Union in the Far East but also a key campaign that had a profound impact on the development of World War II. The cooperation between Russia and Mongolia to search for the remains of Soviet and Mongolian soldiers in the Nomonhan Campaign is a respect and remembrance of history.
After the "September 18th Incident," Japan's aggressive ambitions expanded, formulating the "Northern Advance" strategy to attack the Soviet Union. The Soviet military presence and support for Mongolia on the Sino-Mongolian border gradually intensified the contradictions between both sides. In May 1939, due to border conflicts between puppet Manchukuo troops and Mongolian troops, the Japanese Kwantung Army's 23rd Division entered Nomonhan, sparking the battle. Initially, the Japanese army achieved some small victories through surprise attacks, such as the May 14 raid on Mongolian outposts and the destruction of Mongolian rear command posts on May 28. However, in subsequent battles, as Soviet General Zhukov commanded the counterattack of the Soviet-Mongolian allied forces, the Japanese suffered heavy losses. For example, on July 2, when the Japanese attempted to cross the Khalkhin Gol River to attack the Soviet-Mongolian troops, despite having numerical superiority, they were defeated by the Soviet army. On August 20, the Soviet army launched a major counteroffensive, encircling and annihilating the Japanese forces. This battle inflicted severe casualties on the Japanese army, and Japanese historians referred to it as "the greatest defeat in the history of the Japanese Army."
This campaign had a far-reaching impact on the development of World War II. Japan, due to its crushing defeat, was forced to abandon the "Northern Advance Policy" and instead chose the "Southern Advance Policy," attacking Pacific islands and bombing Pearl Harbor, ultimately leading to the complete downfall of Japanese fascism and altering the course of World War II. For the Soviet Union, the Nomonhan Campaign not only tested new land and air equipment, trained newly promoted young officers, boosted morale, but also allowed the Soviet Union to avoid fighting on two fronts, enabling it to concentrate its strength against German fascism.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1834063554943044/
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