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Text: Zhang Runchen
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introduction
In the summer of 1939, half a year before the outbreak of the famous Winter War, a battle broke out that took all countries by surprise. This battle was the only large-scale battle between the Soviet army and the Japanese army except for the Manchurian Campaign, the Battle of Nomenhan. And in this battle, the performance of the Soviet army was completely different from that of the Winter War, and the Japanese army could be said to have suffered a crushing defeat.
It was precisely because of this battle that Hitler chose to unite with the Soviet Union. So, how did this farce happen, how did it develop, and how did it end?
(Japanese Army)
1. The opening of the farce
The "first battle" of the Battle of Normenheim was, in fact, quite outrageous. However, it was in this battle that the then chief of the Japanese General Staff even invited the military attachés of Germany and Italy to make a special trip to visit the whole process. It can be seen that Hideki Tojo intends to let Hitler and Mussolini "take a look". However, this battle can be called "mantis arm as a car".
The drama of cavalry slashing tanks did not only happen on the Polish battlefield, in fact, similar things happened on the battlefield of Nomenheim in 1939. On May 13, 1939, part of the cavalry units of Outer Mongolia "invaded" the territory of the "puppet state of Manchukuo".
At that time, a cavalry wing and an infantry brigade of the Japanese army in the eastern 800 Tibetan Nakazo "coincidentally" "happened to be on the border of Manchuria-Mongolia to "guard against the enemy". The commander of the 23rd Division, Michitaro Komatsubara, immediately ordered the cavalry of the 7th Cavalry Regiment of the puppet Manchurian Army and the Japanese troops in the eastern 800 Tibets to go to the border to "meet the enemy".
(War)
The Outer Mongolian cavalry and the puppet Manchurian army have been grudging for a long time because of the "border conflict". The puppet Manchu army has cut off water sources for a long time, resulting in the herdsmen of Outer Mongolia being unable to release their horses, and this is not the first time that the two sides have clashed. Therefore, when the Outer Mongolian Army saw the puppet Manchu army, it had nothing to say, and directly "opened the film".
At this time, the Japanese army hiding behind the puppet Manchu army suddenly came out, and although the Outer Mongolian army was strong, it was outnumbered after all. Coupled with the Japanese artillery and artillery to help the battle, on May 17 alone, the Outer Allies were defeated and retreated to the west bank of the Haraha River. However, Michitaro Komatsubara did not intend to give up this precious opportunity, and on May 27, Higashi-Yamokuzo attacked the Outer Mongolian army again.
The Outer Mongolian army was once again outnumbered and defeated, and this time even Sha Ribu, the commander of the 6th Outer Mongolian Cavalry Division, was killed on the spot. Dong 800 Tibetan also led the troops deep into the territory of Outer Mongolia.
(Japanese cavalry)
However, what Dong Yabaizang didn't know was that the reason why he was able to progress so smoothly was actually because he fell into the trap of the Soviet army...
The armored regiment of the 57th Soviet Army was already quietly waiting for the Japanese army... On May 27, Dong Yabaizang stepped into the trap of the Soviet army and was fully besieged by the Soviet armored forces. However, the Japanese army and the puppet Manchu army were seriously short of anti-tank weapons. Moreover, the eastern 800 Tibets, which penetrated deep into Outer Mongolia, also lost artillery support in the rear.
The puppet Manchu army and the cavalry of the Japanese army, where can they deal with the tanks of the Soviets. Under the onslaught of the tanks, the cavalry of the puppet Manchu army was rushed to pieces. The bullet hit the tank and could only pop out a few sparks. In the face of this situation, Dong Babaizang can only ask the soldiers to play the "jade spirit" and ask the cavalry to attack the tank...
(Japanese cavalry)
The Japanese could only shout "Long live the emperor" and rushed towards the Soviet tank, but the cavalry knife slashed at the tank and only jumped off.
And the final result of this battle was naturally not surprising, the Japanese army was completely annihilated, and the Soviet army suffered no casualties.
However, this was not the only "riot operation" of the Japanese army in the Battle of Normenhan.
2. Hit the stone with an egg
The 1st Armored Division of the Japanese Army is a "national treasure" unit in the Japanese army. On the Chinese battlefield, the Japanese army was even "reluctant" to use this unit all along. However, in the face of the powerful Soviet army in Normenhan, the Japanese army also had to come up with this "national treasure" unit.
However, the main tank of the Japanese army, a "national treasure" unit, was the backward Type 89 tank.
(War)
The Type 89 tank can be seen as an improved version of the French Renault, but compared to Renault, the Type 89 is even weaker. Like Renault, the Type 89 was only a light tank, so it was also called "Little Bean".
Against infantry, the Type 89 tank is relatively powerful. However, the armor of the Type 89 is very thin, and on the Chinese battlefield, even our army's grenades can be blown through.
However, the Japanese tanks of the small beans, where were the opponents of the Soviet T-26 and T-28. In terms of tank performance alone, the Type 89 could not beat any of the Soviet T-series models. Not to mention tank tactics, the Japanese army simply did not have systematic armored warfare tactics.
(Role)
Strictly speaking, the Soviets playing tanks and the Germans are simply incomparable. But compared to the Japanese army, I don't know how strong it is. The commanders of the Soviet army, and even the staff officers, were "old men" who had served as military advisers in China, and they could be said to have quite a good understanding of the Japanese army.
Under such circumstances, the Japanese army even chose to play "armored hedging" with the Soviet army, and the result is naturally conceivable. On July 4, the two sides launched the "largest battle" of hundreds of tanks in the Normenhan Wasteland. However, the main armament of the Japanese Type 89 tank was only a 57mm short-body howitzer, which could not penetrate the thick armor of the Soviet tank.
(Tank)
When the Japanese hit the Soviet tank, they could only rub off some patent leather, but after the Soviet tank hit the Type 89, the situation was completely different. The Type 89 is a gasoline engine, so it is very flammable when hit. So under the powerful offensive of the Soviet army, the Japanese tanks turned into "burning coffins" one by one. Kiyotake, the commander of the 3rd Tank Wing of the Japanese Army, was also burned alive.
After defeating the Japanese tanks, the Soviets continued to pursue the victory, driving the Japanese all the way to the east bank of the Haraha River, and all the progress made by the Japanese army was in vain. During this period, the Japanese army tried to try the method of fighting tanks of the national army, and also organized "death squads". But grenades and explosives packs were of limited use to Soviet tanks.
Seeing that the Soviet tanks could not be stopped, the Japanese army also fell into a rout. Many Japanese troops were even beaten by Soviet tanks until they had a nervous breakdown and fell into the river on the way to escape. The command of the 23 Division was even directly hit by Soviet artillery, and the chief of staff of the 23 Division was killed on the spot.
(Tank)
3. Self-inflicted humiliation
Faced with the stalemate of the war, the Japanese finally decided to put into the battlefield heavy artillery, which had not been used much before. On July 23, 86 Japanese artillery pieces fired 15,000 shells at Soviet positions, and Soviet positions became a sea of fire. At least in the light of the appearance, the effect of the shelling is still very good.
According to the records of the Japanese army's war history, this shelling in the Battle of Normenhan can be said to be the "highlight moment" of the Japanese army. This shelling was also the largest artillery bombardment in the history of the Japanese army, and to this day, this record has not been broken. In order to supply the huge consumption of the front, the puppet Manchurian army even became the "transport team" of the Japanese army.
(War)
However, in fact, due to the lack of training, the accuracy of the Japanese artillery was very poor. In fact, the Soviet army suffered almost no losses. On the contrary, the shelling consumed a large number of Japanese shells, and the 280-mm giant artillery shells were sold out in two days. There was almost no coordination between the Japanese artillery and the infantry.
At one time, the Japanese artillery commander decided to extend the shelling, but the Japanese infantry made a charge on time, as a result of which the shells fell on the heads of the Japanese themselves. This shelling also became the only "achievement" of the Japanese artillery.
In addition, the failure rate of the Japanese giant guns was quite high, and 9 of them broke after only one day of fighting. In addition, 7 guns were blown up during the shelling, causing the entire position to be "destroyed and killed".
(Role)
However, just after the Japanese army died down, the Soviets immediately launched a counterattack. Due to the previous large-scale artillery bombardment of the Japanese army, their artillery positions have been exposed, and the giant artillery is not easy to transfer. Therefore, when the Soviets opened fire, they immediately hit the Japanese positions on the opposite side.
According to Japanese records, the Soviet shelling was "far more than expected", and the dense smoke and dust even formed black clouds. The infantry positions of the Japanese army even begged the artillerymen not to open fire, never to reveal our position. An eyewitness described it this way: "Russian shells of various calibers, like the roar of death, smashed on our positions.
The soldiers were blown up, but it was meaningless. The mentally broken recruits let out a cry of despair, no matter where they hid, there was no way to live, there were shells everywhere, and I was afraid that only by hiding at the feet of the Bodhisattva could they seek their lives. "But now it seems that even if the Bodhisattva comes, he will not be able to save the Japanese army, because the Soviet army is atheist.
(Unit 731)
Faced with this situation of "no matter how you fight, you can't win", the Kwantung Army is also anxious. A special unit, the "Epidemic Prevention and Water Supply Department of the Kwantung Army", which was later known as Unit 731, also began to intervene in the Battle of Normenhan. They poisoned the Halaha River in the hope of using "chemical warfare" to destroy the combat effectiveness of the Soviet army.
However, the Kwantung Army, or Japan, had long been infiltrated into a sieve by the Soviet army. The Japanese army's intentions had long been seen through by the Soviet army, and the Soviet army even carried water from the rear to replenish the front-line troops.
(Web image)
However, for the sake of "secrecy", the Japanese army did not inform the front-line troops of the Kwantung Army about the poisoning. This also led to a large number of non-combat attrition of the Japanese army on the front line, which can really be described as "stealing chickens and rice".
The entire Battle of Normenheim can be said to be full of various "comedy factors". In fact, the Japanese launched an attack on the Soviet Union without any preparation. This vain attempt to win through "mental power" is simply a joke.
(Japanese Army)
Resources
Zhao Liye.The Battle of Nomenkan from the Perspective of Information Warfare[J].Military Digest, 2019(7):3.)
Wang Bingyi.The inside story of the battle of Nomenkansuri[J].Century Bridge, 2005(4):3.