I recently read 'August Storm' by David Glantz. As the title suggests, it covers the Soviet offensive into Manchuria in August 1945.
Like many of Glantz's campaign histories this is liberally sprinkled with very legible maps, full orders of battle and the sorts of things I like such as the detailed March Order of various types of military formations.
The campaign itself was primarily a victory of logistics - the Soviets managed to manouvre overwhelming forces into the places the Japanese didn't expect and at a rate they didn't expect, so the overall defence just fell apart in a matter of days. Tactically the few Japanese units which were seriously engaged fought well, but but general they were outmanouvred, outflanked and either largely cut off and left to wither on the vine or fell back precipitously before surrendering.
The stuff on Soviet planning, force structures and execution of operational manouvre are fascinating though, particularly the way the force structures carried over into the postwar Soviet Army eg the vast majority of the Rifle Divisions had attached Tank Regiments or Tank Brigades which prefigured postwar Motor Rifle Divisions. Colonel Glantz's style can be a little repetitious and hectoring at times, but that doesn't detract from the content. The sections on riverine warfare in particular were every interesting and something I know little about in the context of the USSR. Based on the very lengthy and detailed Orbats, it is a theatre which also involve the deployment of many, many armoured trains.
As it is available for free from the US Army military press, it is hard to argue with the price either! Highly recommended.
It is available for download here: https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Portals/7/combat-studies-institute/csi-books/Glantz-lp7.pdf
Not a campaign I have looked in any detail. A bit one sided for a wargame. The Japanese have no chance. I believe it was the last time BT7's were used in any numbers.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree on Glanz's style. Can be a bit heavy going, but as you say the information is priceless if you want to recreat the actions.
As an operational campaign it is more about logistics than tactics (how do you get a Tank Army over a track less mountain range?) but there are a few tactical actions it is worth fighting. As you say, the Russian Far East forces had a very eclectic mix of kit!
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