Description
Book SynopsisFrom May to September 1939 Japan and the Soviet Union fought an undeclared war on the Mongolian plains that ended with a decisive Soviet victory with two important results: Japan reoriented its strategic emphasis toward the south; and Russia freed itself from the fear of fighting on two fronts.
Trade Review"Monumental... The culmination of 35 years of research... The finest English-language study written by a single author on modern Asian military history. Indeed, it is arguably a military history classic of any age and any language." -Mark R. Peattie ,The American Historical Review "A masterpiece of narrative, documentation, and analysis." -Alan K. Lathrop ,Military Affairs "This splendid book gives not only the history of the conflict but sets it against the background of Japanese, Soviet, and world politics, while providing fascinating information on the internal workings of the Japanese army prior to the Pacific War." -Denis Sinor ,Journal of Asian History
Table of ContentsVolume I Tables, maps and appendixes Preface Acknowledgments A note to the reader 1. The genesis of the Kwantung Army, 1905-29 2. To the Kwantung Army's provocation of September 1931 3. The Mukden incident 4. The creation of the empire of Manchukuo 5. The Manchurian incident in Retrospect 6. The 'Marvel' of Manchukuo, 1932-37 7. Facing north: the problem and the 'solution' 8. Rumblings on the borders 9. Year of crisis: 1937 10. A neighboring small war: Changkufeng, 1938 11. Of cairns and flatlands: the western frontier 12. The coming of the Nomonhan War: the Mongolian connection 13. Japanese principals and a green division 14. Testing the border guidelines, May 1939 15. The trap on the Halha, May 1939 16. The two faces of escalation, June 1939 17. The Kwantung Army's unauthorized air offensive 18. On to Mongolia: a bridge too poor 19. An authorized offensive: the Halha river crossing 20. Retreat from the river 21. Trying it with tanks 22. Tanks dare the night 23. Foiled by piano wire 24. The end of the Yasuoka detachment 25. Trying it with cold steel 26. Stealth suspended 27. Trying it with big guns 28. Komatsubara's last push toward the river 29. Digging in 30. Forging a second cannae: Zhukov's masterpiece, August 1939 Volume II 31. The road to disaster 32. Desperate remedies 33. The charge of two light brigades 34. The end nears 35. Debacle 36. The death of the 23rd division 37. Winding down a small war 38. Stilling the guns 39. The price 40. The punishment 41. A border restored and the balance tallied 42. The lessons and applications of Nomonhan 43. To the demise of the Kwantung Army Afterthoughts Bibliography Index of names.
