Hello fontessa,
Impressive as always! I am sorry I was unable to thank you earlier.
fontessa wrote: ↑10 Mar 2022, 04:09
2nd Transportation
(1) 36th Division and 41st Division - Transferred from China: Departed North China on July 24 / Arrived Manchuria on August 29
(2) 2nd (in Sendai), 52nd (in Kanazawa), 53rd (Kyoto), and 54th (Himeji) Divisions - Newly Mobilized: Depart Japan on August 1 / Arrived Manchuria on September 5
Interesting, this is the first time I have seen the divisions of the 2nd Transportation listed by name.
I would like to correct a part of the above;
...
I also have the complete compositions of the Kwantung Army on 8 December 1941.
Thank you for posting these again. As side note, it's sad what happened to your website, but thankfully most of the pages have been saved by the Internet Archive. For example:
"The Composition of Kwantung Army in August 1941"
https://web.archive.org/web/20160622012 ... 16.08.html
"The Composition of Kwantung Army in December 1941"
https://web.archive.org/web/20160622004 ... 16.12.html
"Brief History of the Army Air Corps Up Until the Pacific War"
https://web.archive.org/web/20160407135 ... .html#3.12
^I was able to find this one thanks to your earlier post.
Northern Kuril Fortress (Paramushir Island)
...
Karafuto Mixed Brigade
...
Composition of Korea Army on 1 September 1941
So the composition of these forces in September was essentially the same as in December. For that month, Leo Niehorster provides the following data concerning the Korea Army (
http://niehorster.org/014_japan/41-12-0 ... korea.html). Comparing the two, the biggest differences are:
1) The 35th Field Heavy Artillery Regiment (19th Division) is absent in December 1941.
2) AAA - the December 1941 organization shows the 41st and 47th AAA Battalions as well as the 35th, 41st, 42nd, 43rd, 44th, 45th Independent AAA Companies. Of these, the 47th AAA battalion and 35th Independent AAA company are absent in the September composition.
3) The 23rd Independent Engineer Regiment - I see that for September the 23rd Independent Engineer
Replacement Unit is listed but not the regiment itself. Was the 23rd Independent Engineer Regiment not in Korea in August/September 1941?
In the “Operation policy against Russia” in 昭和15年度帝国陸軍作戦計画 IJA Operations Plan in 1940 (Fiscal Year), the below was mentioned.
"Immediately occupy North Sakhalin, preferably the important area near Kamchatka Depending on the situation, there may be an operation on the opposite bank of Sakhalin. The 7th Division and Karafuto Mixed Brigade may be used." There was no description about ”amphibious landing on the northern side.” Unfortunately “Operation policy against Russia” 1941 version is not left. But, perhaps ”amphibious landing on the northern side” was described in the 1941 version. 7th Division emphasized landing operations and conducted its training/exercises in May - June 1941.
The quote from "Japanese Studies on Manchuria vol. 1: 'Japanese Operational Planning Against the USSR'" p. 181 is:
"During the years prior to 1943, the General Staff had always included a plan against North Sakhalin in its annual operational plan. This called for the capture of North Sakhalin by combining ground operations to be launched across the Soviet-Japanese border in Sakhalin with an amphibious operation, both to be conducted by a force having one division as its nucleus. At times, studies had also been made for capturing Petropavlovsk and other key points in the Kamchatka Peninsula by employing elements (with one regiment as a nucleus) of the Sakhalin force in coordination with the operations against North Sakhalin. However, the Kamchatka studies ended in a mere collection of operational data without materializing into a concrete plan."
Possibly this refers to plans created from 1941-1943, as you suggested.
The only other piece of information I have is this wiki article:
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%AC%AC ... %E8%BB%8D)
It claims that Japanese operations against northern Sakhalin were supposed to be conducted by a new "26th Army" consisting of the 7th Division, "Kyoto" (53rd?) Division, and Karafuto Mixed Brigade, and that parachute landings were contemplated to capture Soviet oil fields. The cited source is Senshi Sosho, 『北東方面陸軍作戦〈1〉and〈2〉』.
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Additionally, for comparison's sake I also have the complete composition of Soviet infantry, artillery, mechanized, air, and engineering forces in the Far East as of 1 September 1941 down to the battalion level, included below with relevant notes:
(Source (in Russian): "Battle Composition of the Soviet Army, 1941-1945" part 1, June-December 1941 pp. 47-48)
TRANS-BAIKAL MILITARY DISTRICT (HQ: Mt. Shirlova, Lake Baikal)
Directly subordinate
(Artillery and AAA)
- 106th, 216th, 413th Howitzer Artillery Regiments (RVGK)
- 13th Separate Mortar Battalion
- 3rd Air Defense Area Brigade
(Air Forces)
- 37th Mixed Aviation Division
- 2nd Mixed Aviation Brigade
- 318th Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment
(Engineering troops)
- 51st, 102nd Separate Engineer Battalions
- 1st, 15th Pontoon Bridge Battalions
17th Army (Mongolia)
(Infantry)
- 36th, 57th, 82nd Motor Rifle Divisions
(Mechanized)
- 61st Tank Division
- 9th Motorized Armored Brigade
- 9th Motorcycle Regiment
(Artillery and AAA)
- 185th Cannon Artillery Regiment (RVGK)
- 2nd Air Defense Area Brigade
(Air Forces)
None
(Engineering troops)
- 82nd Rolled Beam Bridge
36th Army (Trans-Baikal region)
(Infantry/Cavalry)
- 65th, 93rd, 94th, 114th Rifle Divsions
- 51st Cavalry Division
- 31st, 32nd Fortified Regions
(Mechanized)
- 111th Tank Division
- 33rd, 35th Separate Tank Battalions
(Artillery and AAA)
- 267th, 390th Corps Artillery Regiments
- 14th Separate Mortar Battalion
- 1st Air Defense Area Brigade
(Air Forces)
None
(Engineering troops)
- 39th Separate Sapper Battalion
Subtotal Trans-Baikal Military District
(Infantry/Cavalry)
- 7 Rifle Divisions
- 1 Cavalry Division
- 2 Fortified Regions
(Mechanized)
- 2 Tank Divisions
- 1 Motorized Armored Brigade
- 2 Separate Tank Battalions
- 1 Motorcycle Regiment
(Artillery and AAA)
- 6 Artillery Regiments
- 2 Separate Mortar Battalions
- 3 Air Defense Area Brigades
(Air Forces)
- 1 Mixed Aviation Division
- 1 Mixed Aviation Brigade
- 1 Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment
(Engineering troops)
- 5 Separate Engineer Battalions
- 1 Separate Sapper Battalion
FAR EASTERN FRONT (HQ: Khabarovsk)
Directly subordinate
(Infantry/Cavalry)
- Special Rifle Corps
--79th Rifle Division (Sakhalin Island)
--"Sakhalinskaya" Rifle Brigade (Sakhalin Island)
--101st Mountain Rifle Division (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy)
--103rd, 104th Fortified Regions
(Artillery and AAA)
- 181st, 372nd Howitzer Artillery Regiments (RVGK)
- 5th AA Brigade
- 6th Air Defense Area Brigade
- Kamchatka and Sakhalin Air Defense Sectors
(Air Forces)
- 29th Fighter Aviation Division
- 53rd Bomber Aviation Division
- 5th Mixed Aviation Brigade
- 139th Bomber Aviation Regiment
- 71st Mixed Aviation Regiment
- 168th Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment
(Engineering troops)
- 26th Separate Engineer Battalion
- 101st Motorized Engineer Battalion
1st Army (Vladivostok, opposing Japanese 3rd Army and Hunchun Group)
(Infantry/Cavalry)
- 26th and 59th Rifle Corps
--22nd, 39th, 59th, 239th Rifle Divisions
-- 8th Cavalry Division
-- 6th Rifle Brigade
- 105th Fortified Region
(Mechanized)
- 58th, 112th Tank Divisions
- 3rd Separate Armored Train Battalion
(Artillery and AAA)
- 165th, 199th Howitzer Artillery Regiments (RVGK)
- 50th, 273rd Corps Artillery Regiments
- 115th, 129th Separate AA Battalions
- 4th Air Defense Area Brigade
(Air Forces)
- 33rd Bomber Aviation Division
- 32nd, 34th, 83rd Mixed Aviation Division
- 26th, 59th Corrective Aviation Squadrons
- 137th Reconnaissance Aviation Squadron
(Engineering troops)
- 29th Separate Engineer Battalion
25th Army (Voroshilov, opposing Japanese 3rd and 20th Armies)
(Infantry/Cavalry)
- 39th Rifle Corps
- 32nd, 40th, 92nd, 105th Rifle Divisions
- 2nd Rifle Brigade
- Separate Cavalry Regiment
- 106th, 107th, 108th, 110th, 111th, Fortified Regions
(Mechanized)
- 9th Separate Armored Train Battalion
(Artillery and AAA)
- 282nd, 548 Corps Artillery Regiments
- 215th, 386th, 549th Howitzer Artillery Regiments (RVGK)
- 21st Separate Mortar Battalion
- 5th Air Defense Area Brigade
(Air Forces)
- 70th Mixed Aviation Division
- 39th Corrective Aviation Squadron
- 138th Reconnaissance Aviation Squadron
(Engineering troops)
- 32nd Separate Engineer Battalion
- 100th Motorized Engineer Battalion
- 69th Separate Sapper Battalion
35th Army (Iman, opposing Japanese 5th Army)
(Infantry/Cavalry)
- 35th, 66th, 78th Rifle Divisions
- 109th Fortified Region
(Mechanized)
- 29th Motorcycle Regiment
- Separate Armored Train Battalion
(Artillery and AAA)
- 76th, 187th Corps Artillery Regiments
- 362nd, 367th Separate Artillery Battalions
- 110th Separate AA Battalion
- 3rd Air Defense Area Brigade
(Air Forces)
- 79th Fighter Aviation Division
- 18th Reconnaissance Aviation Squadron
(Engineering troops)
- 402nd Motorized Engineer Battalion
- 3rd, 9th, 20th, Motorized Pontoon Bridge Battalions
- 60th Separate Sapper Battalion
15th Army (Birobidzhan, north of Amur River and Sanjiang Plain/三江平原)
(Infantry/Cavalry)
- 34th Rifle Division
- 202nd Airborne Brigade
- 102nd Fortified Region
(Mechanized)
- 60th Tank Division
(Artillery and AAA)
- 52nd Corps Artillery Regiment
- 2nd Air Defense Area Brigade
(Air Forces)
- 69th Mixed Aviation Division
- 251st Airborne Bomber Aviation Division
- 140th Reconnaissance Aviation Squadron
(Engineering troops)
- 3rd Heavy Pontoon Bridge Regiment
- 11th, 23rd, 24th Pontoon Bridge Battalions
- 129th Separate Sapper Battalion
2nd "Red Banner" Army (Blagoveshchensk - opposing Japanese 4th Army)
(Infantry/Cavalry)
- 3rd, 12th, and "Svobodnenskaya" Rifle Divisions
- 101st and "Ust' - Bureyskiy" Fortified Regions
(Mechanized)
- 301st, 356th, 362nd Separate Tank Battalions
- 2nd Separate Armored Train Battalion
- 5th Separate Armored Car Battalion
(Artillery and AAA)
- 42nd Corps Artillery Regiment
- 114th, 411th, and 550th Howitzer Artillery Regiments
- 22nd Separate Mortar Battalion
- 1st Air Defense Area Brigade
(Air Forces)
- 95th Fighter Aviation Division
- 82nd Bomber Aviation Division
(Engineering troops)
- 2nd Heavy Pontoon Bridge Regiment
- 10th, 29th Pontoon Bridge Battalions
Subtotal Far East Front
(Infantry/Cavalry)
- 17 Rifle Divisions
- 1 Cavalry Division
- 3 Rifle Brigades
- 1 Airborne Brigade
- 1 Cavalry Regiment
- 12 Fortified Regions
(Mechanized)
- 3 Tank Divisions
- 1 Motorcycle Regiment
- 3 Separate Tank Battalions
- 4 Armored Train Battalions
- 1 Armored Car Battalion
(Artillery and AAA)
- 18 Artillery Regiments
- 2 Separate Artillery Battalions
- 2 Separate Mortar Battalions
- 1 AA Brigade
- 6 Air Defense Area Brigades
- 2 Air Defense Sectors
- 3 Separate AA Battalions
(Air Forces)
- 3 Fighter Aviation Divisions
- 5 Mixed Aviation Divisions
- 3 Bomber Aviation Divisions
- 1 Mixed Aviation Brigade
- 2 Bomber Aviation Regiments
- 1 Mixed Aviation Regiment
- 1 Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment
(Engineering troops)
- 2 Engineer Regiments
- 14 Separate Engineer Battalions
- 3 Separate Sapper Battalions
Grand total Far East Front + Trans-Baikal Military District:
(Infantry/Cavalry)
- 24 Rifle Divisions
- 2 Cavalry Divisions
- 3 Rifle Brigades
- 1 Airborne Brigade
- 1 Cavalry Regiment
- 14 Fortified Regions
(Mechanized)
- 5 Tank Divisions
- 1 Motorized Armored Brigade
- 5 Separate Tank Battalions
- 2 Motorcycle Regiments
- 4 Armored Train Battalions
- 1 Armored Car Battalion
(Artillery and AAA)
- 24 Artillery Regiments
- 2 Separate Artillery Battalions
- 4 Separate Mortar Battalions
- 1 AA Brigade
- 9 Air Defense Area Brigades
- 2 Air Defense Sectors
- 3 Separate AA Battalions
(Air Forces)
- 3 Fighter Aviation Divisions
- 6 Mixed Aviation Divisions
- 3 Bomber Aviation Divisions
- 2 Mixed Aviation Brigades
- 2 Bomber Aviation Regiments
- 1 Mixed Aviation Regiment
- 2 Reconnaissance Aviation Regiments
(Engineering troops)
- 2 Engineer Regiments
- 19 Separate Engineer Battalions
- 4 Separate Sapper Battalions
As for the Soviets' actual operational plans, while I don't have exact documents from 1941, the orders sent to the Far East and Trans-Baikal Fronts on 16 May 1942 (STAVKA directives 170149 and 170150) should still be very useful; by that time the composition of both forces was relatively unchanged (I can post this too if you want) and the situation in Europe was just as desperate. The overall plan envisioned an all-out defense in the border area with little regard for defense in depth. Apparently the closeness of both the Trans-Siberian Railway and the major cities to the Manchurian border prompted the Soviets to make this decision, on the hopes that their fortified regions could slow down the Japanese Army enough for their main forces to create a stalemate.
Specific instructions are summarized as follows:
Far East Front
- In the Maritime Province south of Lake Khanka, the 1st and 25th Armies will have strictly defensive missions, not allowing the Japanese Army onto the territory of the USSR. The entire strength of both these armies will be used for the defense of the border area.
- In the Iman region, the 35th Army will resist Japanese attacks for 5 days, after which it will go over to the counteroffensive with 2 divisions toward Baoqing (宝清镇), to be reached on the 25th day of the war. The 35th Army's remaining division, the 66th Rifle Division, will remain on the defensive.
- In the Sanjiang direction, the 15th Army will resist Japanese attacks for 5 days, after which it would go over to the counteroffensive toward Fujin (富锦镇), to be reached on the 25th day of the war.
- All available front reserves together with the Amur Red Banner flotilla will be committed to assist the progress of the 35th and 15th Armies.
- On the northern front, the 2nd "Red Banner" Army will defend the Blagoveshchensk region. The 2nd "Red Banner" Army's mission is strictly defensive and it will not cross the Amur river.
- Forces on Sakhalin and Kamchatka will hold out for as long as possible.
- Reinforcements from European Russia: 2 tank brigades, 3 artillery regiments equipped with 76.2 mm guns, 3 guards mortar regiments, and 5 armored trains with anti-air guns.
Trans-Baikal Front
- Starting no later than the 3rd day of the war, the 17th and 36th Armies will launch an offensive consisting of at least 6 Soviet divisions and 1-2 Mongol cavalry divisions toward lakes Buir and Hulun, to be reached by the 10th day of the war.
- Reinforcements from European Russia: 2 tank brigades, 2 artillery regiments equipped with 76.2 mm guns, and 3 guards mortar regiments.
Air Forces
In contrast to the Japanese, the Soviet Air Force did not strongly emphasize long-range disruptive strikes into the enemy rear areas. The main objective of the Soviet Air Force was to concentrate large numbers of aircraft in the tactical zone in order to provide support for ground operations; attacks on airfields, railways, bridges, ships, and so on were strictly secondary objectives. In particular, bombing raids on the Japanese mainland (historically a source of great apprehension among the Japanese High Command) were to be carried out by a mere 30 TB-3s (!!) to be launched in groups of 8-10 (!!!) against targets in Tokyo, Yokosuka, Maizuru, and Ominato.
Naval Forces
Soviet naval operations were mostly based around their submarines. At the outset of war the Soviets planned to mine the Tatar strait and mouth of the Amur river, while submarine patrols would begin in the Sea of Japan, Yellow Sea, and Sea of Okhotsk. Submarine operations would not be extended into the Pacific ocean, but would be limited to these areas, plus the eastern coast of Sakhalin island and Baykal bay. A small number of navy personnel were to be formed into a rifle brigade and placed under Army command for the defense of Vladivostok, alongside 2 Army brigades.
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Compared with the Japanese plans, it seems that although Soviet forces south of Lake Khanka were relatively strong and in a position to hold out for a while, their 35th Army at Iman was seriously outmatched by the Japanese 5th Army. Moreover, this situation was made even worse by the expectation that 2/3 of the 35th Army's divisions were supposed to launch a counteroffensive. Based on this, it appears that the main Soviet force south of Iman was in danger of encirclement.
In any case, this is a casual forum so any sort of "deadlines" are unnecessary for obvious reasons. If you have any more questions about the Soviet Far East forces, requests for sources, and so on I will do my best to answer them.