Chapter 28 – June 1946
Foreword
In the constant quest to make this AAR a
bit quicker and dirtier, and also for other reasons that will become obvious, I will treat the whole chapter as a single theatre broadly chronological update this time. I’ll also go a little lighter again on the individual battle descriptions, especially as there is some other material to be covered.
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[Note: battle summary map towards the end of the chapter.]
As noted at the end of the May 1946 chapter, 1 June saw the first Soviet A-Bomb 70% complete: it should be finished by 1 July. It was understood that among the Allied powers, the most advanced research had been conducted by Germany, with Civil Nuclear Research (CNR) finished to level 4, but no bomb-making research commenced yet as they did not possess a nuclear reactor. The USA was currently researching CNR 4 and was the only country other than the Soviet Union known to have a nuclear reactor. The UK had completed CNR 3, but was not researching the next level and did not have a reactor. France had researched isotope separation, Italy nuclear research and Japan atomic research, but none were conducting any more at present.
From the forward-most Soviet air base in Europe, at
Brzesc Litewski on the Polish border, Soviet STRAT bombers (current range 1,050 km) could cover all targets in Germany (out to
Köln at 991 km), but
Paris (1,363 km) and
London (1,456 km) remained well out of range. More capable bombers and/or closer bases would be needed to strike either of those with a completed atomic bomb.
In Japan, the Allies were poised to take
Tokyo and the other key Honshu urban centres – the loss of which would likely cause them to surrender.
In the east, 15th Army’s objectives were amended to add
Vladivostok.
The smaller 6th Army was also assigned
Vladivostok, while
Ohka was removed.
The period 1-3 June saw the successful defence of
Obluchye (an attack begun on 30 May – no report) on 1 June and of
Tyrma (1-3 June). The latter saw both sides using air support, with the VVS causing far more casualties (defensive strikes in
Zavitaya and
Bureya). The VVS kept the enemy raiders away after a single enemy sortie got through but was intercepted over
Tyrma early on 2 June.
Then a large Japanese attack on
Dzhuen was also beaten back from 2-4 June and
Orlovka was retaken on 3 June.
On Sakhalin, a light probe on 2 June was all it took to sweep aside previously retreated Japanese troops in
Maoka, which was taken that night.
The fast-moving 57 Motor Rifle Division then hit
Toyohara the next day, a quick attack all that was needed to defeat the last Japanese resistance on the island and subsequently bag a number of divisions that had been trying to flee south to the port.
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In the west, a short skirmish saw victory in
Mandal on 1 June and in
Chita the next day, also a Soviet victory.
Goryachinsk and
Petrovsk Zabaykal'skiy were both occupied on 2 June, the latter pushing the liberation of the Trans-Siberian Railway (TSR) further east.
These successes led to 7th Army’s objectives being updated, removing defensive goals and seeking to keep freeing the TSR via
Chita and
Mildigun.
7th Army responded well, with a slightly longer battle for
Chita fought and won on 4-5 June. This battle brought two important developments in the sector: the enemy was now having supply problems and the wings in
Irkutsk were now back to full strength and had enough supplies to start flying missions. They hit
Chita during this attack and remained heavily engaged in the western sector for the rest of the month.
The capture of another enemy spy early on 4 June reminded the NKVD to change the so far fruitless political influence mission in Spain to technical espionage, on the off-chance something useful might be turned up.
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By early on 5 June, supply was generally good in the western sector, though patchy in some parts of the eastern zone, which caused some problems for the Soviets in attack and defence.
This came to the fore in
Tyrma, when another Japanese offensive began on 6 June, with the Soviet defenders out of supply, lasting until 8 June. Fortunately, the VVS was able to provide heavy defensive air support again, with the Soviets emerging victorious. It ended up being the largest land battle in the Far East for the month: the Soviets lost 1,181 men killed, the Japanese 2,367 plus another 3,449 to air strikes on
Bureya.
The Japanese also attacked
Dzhuen over the same period (6-8 June), in another major battle that the Soviets eventually won: the second largest of the month (Soviets 855, Japanese 1,798 killed). As that was going on, on 6 June the Soviets ran into a fresh Japanese division as they advanced on
Troitskoye. This time, the Japanese defenders prevailed on 10 June, after four days of heavy fighting. The Japanese 16th CAG made a couple of appearances over the Soviet attackers in
Orlovka, giving as good as it got to the VVS interceptors, but only causing light casualties in a couple of raids over 9-10 June.
Toyohara was occupied on 6 June and soon had a basic air base built there, with an expansion ordered immediately.
By the afternoon of 8 June, the Allies reported they had taken both
Sendai and
Fukushima, cutting off the east coast of Honshu north and south of
Tokyo from the rest of Japan.
A large Soviet attack began on
Huma on 9 June with heavy VVS air support and was won by 11 June. A follow-up Japanese attack on
Dzhuen, supported by heavy enemy air strikes and where the Soviets had now run out of supplies, saw a defeat on 10 June. However, a Soviet attack on nearby
Troistkoye from 10-11 June saw a win after the previous unsuccessful attempt, even though the attackers were unsupplied.
By this time, Stalin was very concerned the Japanese were about to collapse – with the Allies likely to get the lion’s share of the territory. Two interceptor wings were transferred from
Kaluga on the Western Front to the new air base at
Toyohara early on 10 June. They were within range of
Sapporo and could reach as far south as
Akita on northern Honshu if required.
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On the Chinese Front, Japan and Manchukuo seemed to be doing better, even retaining a couple of key Chinese cities since the beginning of the month.
Note: the yellow lines represent Chinese positions as at 1 June.
With good supply, renewed air support and thinning enemy numbers, the western sector continued to see extensive progress during the month. Victorious skirmishes were fought in
Romanovka on 9 June and
Ust’ Karsk (after Japan had previously occupied the latter on 5 June) on 11 June.
Mangui had fallen to Soviet troops on 6 June,
Ushumun and
Mandal on 7 June. And the VVS provided heavy air support to a Mongolian attack on
Ikhe Khid from 9-11 June (1,830 enemy casualties).
Supply remained good to fair in most areas by the afternoon of 10 June, except for the new ‘blind spot’ in the east around
Tyrma and
Suluk.
Still in the west,
Bukacaca had been liberated on 9 June,
Khilok followed on 10 June and
Chita on 12 June. With the fall of
Chita, 7th Army objectives were again adjusted to keep the TSR clearance operation going.
Major battles were fought for
Romanovka,
Telemba and
Vershino Darasunskiy (all three from 12-15 June), each with heavy Soviet air support flown from
Irkutsk and ending in Soviet victories. Meanwhile,
Ust’ Karsk was retaken by Soviet forces on 13 June after the victory there the week before.
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Supply around
Tyrma and
Suluk finally began to improve by 13 June, with the ‘blind spot’ moving a bit further west, into less critical provinces.
Better supply in the east helped achieve victory in
Elban (a defence from 13-15 June) despite heavy Japanese air support, which was finally discouraged by VVS interceptions on the afternoon and evening of 15 June.
Gornoy (12 June) and
Sarapulskoye (14 June) were both occupied by the Soviets without a fight. And 15 June Soviet probe on
Dzhuen, which had been reoccupied by the Japanese two days before, was also quickly won.
On the diplomatic front, options were explored to implement policies that might help draw the Turks a little closer to Soviet influence. While and alliance or even non-aggression pact were still out of the question, Stalin could at least proclaim a guarantee of Turkish independence, which was given on 14 June.
With
Tokyo still holding out but Japan close to surrender, the remaining non-motorised Soviet divisions on Sakhalin were taking too long to get to
Toyohara, where they might be loaded up and used for a final daring amphibious operation.
With Turkish domestic spies now thoroughly cowed, on 16 June a greater emphasis could be put on Communist Party support there (currently hovering on 9%) from 16 June.
Soviet attacks on
Mildigun (18-19 June) and
Byrka (18-21 June) were successful, both of which received heavy VVS air support that killed far more enemy than in the ground fighting.
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News came through at 0800 hr on 16 June that the province of
Chigasaki, due south of
Tokyo, had been taken by the Allies after holding out for many days. The end there must surely be near.
This led the two Soviet fleets to set sail that day to rebase in
Toyohara; the Red Banner Pacific Fleet brought the now worked-up marines of 2 DMP with them from
Nikolaevsk na Amure. And another three INT wings were also ordered from
Moscow to
Toyohara, where one of the stockpiled radar installations was deployed.
On their way into
Toyohara, the Soviet fighters of 73 IAD were jumped by a single Japanese INT wing. The plane-for-plane superiority of the Japanese Ki-201 fighters over the Yak-15s led to a detailed comparison between the two to see what was giving them the edge. It was a night engagement, where superior Japanese radar gave them a decided advantage. Soviet training also lagged significantly, though this related more to morale and organisation.
The Soviet fleets (now the Red Banner Pacific Fleet and the re-named 2nd Pacific Battle Fleet) arrived in
Toyohara on the afternoon of 17 June, with 57 MRD joining 2 DMP on the ships, ready for an amphibious raid as soon as it might be ordered.
But after previous problems, two INT wings were first sent to establish air superiority over
Sapporo, where they were engaged by a single enemy CAG at 1700hr. There were two dogfights that evening, with both sides taking heavy damage. A carrier – probably the
Kaga – and a couple of other minor flotillas were spotted in the port. No ground troops had been spotted.
The 14th Air Wing was rested and air superiority mission was taken over by the recently arrived (and still partly damaged and disorganised) 73 IAD at 0100 hr on 18 June. They were unopposed this time over
Sapporo, spotting more ships (mainly landing craft and transports) in the port.
This led to two NAV wings being ordered over from
Voronezh in the West to the now very overcrowded
Toyohara ‘bare base’. They were in place by 1300 hr on 19 June and immediately sent out to conduct a port strike on
Sapporo, with 73 IAD still providing cover.
The first raid went in at 1400 hr and was intercepted by two Japanese CAG wings, both of which were already damaged. It was the
Kaga they discovered in port, among others.
A second port strike was launched that night and this time was not intercepted, with one of the wings apparently taking a little AA damage. The
Kaga had slipped away.
With the fighters remaining on air superiority over
Sapporo, the invasion fleets in
Toyohara were put on alert.
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But the order for another amphibious invasion attempt was never sent, because as the NAV bombers were returning to
Toyohara word came through that Japan had surrendered to France. The ensuing peace settlement was a disaster for the Soviet Union – and, incidentally, very poor for the Nationalist Chinese too. Not only were
none of the Soviet war goal claims honoured, but even the territory they had physically occupied on Sakhalin was lost as well.
Manchukuo was now the leader of the Axis, with recently joined Afghanistan the only other member that was
not a government in exile. A check of war goals confirmed that, as with Mengukuo and Japan, both the Soviets and France had goals of changing their governments and puppeting Manchukuo.
Japan was now a member of the Allies as a French puppet government – meaning all their remaining forces would now be available to fight for the Allies in due course. The Soviet plan had been for Japan – with its still appreciable navy – to be put under Soviet control. The puppeted Japan retained all its occupied Chinese and Korean territory – despite the Chinese having taken most of it by the time of the treaty.
All the Soviet land, sea and air units were forced to evacuate southern Sakhalin – and the Allies gain the benefit of the new air base and radar in
Toyohara. The queued air base upgrade was soon cancelled, of course!
It did mean that, for the continuing fight against the Manchurians, with the recent clearance operations in the west the entire length of the TSR through to
Vladivostok was again in Soviet hands.
The Army HQs in the east were soon moving formations (many by strategic redeployment) to the new border, as Japanese divisions now made for neutral territory back to Japanese-controlled lands.
The objectives of the 6th and 15th Armies were adjusted to the new situation.
Early on 21 June, all Soviet agents in Japan were switched to technical espionage. Their national unity had plummeted to around 30% after the Allied victory, so if they needed to be fought again it should not take too much to once again force a surrender: perhaps a nuke on
Tokyo or another major centre may come in handy one day after all!
By 1500 hr on 21 June, the AI had overloaded
Vladivostok, adding another nine wings to the five that had been transferred from
Toyohara the day before, with 14 wings now jammed into a base with the capacity to repair ten. And they should come in handy later when the war was being brought to southern Manchuria.
At this time, the formations of the Caucasus Theatre HQ were still
en route through Persia to the Afghan border – no combat had occurred or advances made by either side into opposing territory.
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On 21 June, some fighting continued in the western sector against Manchurian forces.
Byrka was liberated on 21 June and a Manchurian probe on occupation quickly halted.
Munkhu Khany was similarly liberated and a Manchurian probe quickly defeated on 24 June. At this point, the western army objectives were also refined, with old defensive goals removed and the key centres of Manchuria targeted by one or both 1st and 7th Armies.
The same day, one sortie of VVS air support was provided for a Mongolian attack on
Kharyata and another on
Garbun Dzagal on 29 June. There was no other fighting or air action in either sector of the Far Eastern Front for the rest of the month.
By 25 June, a noticeable drop in supply demand allowed supply production to be cut back significantly. This freed up a significant amount of industrial capacity, which was soon diverted into spending for all three services (including a new class of submarine) and a new reserve air base.
The focal points of fighting, mainly up to 20 June, are summarised below. Japanese (including Manchurian) casualties were massive by comparison to the Soviets, especially from VVS air raids.
Combat and the resulting advances for June 1946 are shown above. Advances by the Soviets and Mongolian territory automatically liberated after the armistice with Japan are not recorded. The green and (for China) yellow lines show the front line as at 1 June, the blue line shows the new border as at the armistice on 20 June.
As the month ended, Soviet forces were still en route to the Afghan front.
Technical advances had progressed through the month, with the added bonus of a tech stolen from Japan on 29 June, only days after the agents had been instructed in that direction.
NB: I’ll have to remember to research acoustic torpedoes next time a spare slot arises. Supply transportation was not persisted with, as it would have been a couple of years in advance. Fighter ground crew and pilot training will need to be persisted with, so too radar.
As at midnight on 1 July, the world’s first atomic bomb was completed and the next one commenced (30%/month). A new STRAT wing (4 DBAD) was ready to deploy, along with the five V1s and a remaining new radar station.
More foreign spies (42, topped by the UK with six) were captured in June than in any previous month since March 1944. In the four overseas missions, enemy spy strengths were run right down, the Soviets only losing two of their own in the process. The fall in Japanese NU was due to their surrender, with no Soviet action decreasing it this month. The NU effort on Manchuria did continue.
Pleasingly, the earlier shift back to political influence in Turkey seems to have had a definite effect (from 9 to 12% Communist popularity). And even more intriguingly, Spanish Communist popularity rose from 0 to 3%, despite no action from Soviet spies at all! It may be that a renewed political effort there might be warranted in July.