Full Description
In the 1930s, the Soviet Union found itself caught in the middle between Germany and Japan. Stalin's focus was on Europe and the rising Nazi tide, but he worried about the Japanese in the east. Their presence in Manchuria posed a threat on his eastern flank. In May 1939, the 129-day border war known as Khalkin Gol to the Russians and Nomonhan to the Japanese broke out. Minor cross-border raids escalated into full-scale clashes between the Soviet, Mongolian and Japanese armies. When, on September 1, 1939, Hitler attacked Poland, an opportunity arose for both sides to disengage, and on September 15, 1939 the war came to a close. The Soviets had lost nearly 8,000 men and suffered over 15,000 wounded. Although exact Japanese casualty figures are unknown, they were undoubtedly much greater than those of the Soviets. The border war would lead to an uneasy peace between the two nations from September 1939 until the dying days of World War II.
