In accordance with allied agreement of 5 April 1945 the USSR denounced the Soviet-Japan Treaty on Neutrality and on 8 August declared war to Japan. Next day group of Soviet troops listing over 1,800,000 people, began military actions. For strategic management of the Eastern group of troops Chief HQ in the Far East headed by Marshall Vasilevskiy had been created as early as 30 June. Japan Quantoon Army, numbering 817,000 in manpower (let alone puppet troops), opposed Russian Army.
For 23 days of cut-throat fights along the 5,000-km front Soviet troops and marines, successfully moving forward, liberated the Northeast of China, Southern part of Sakhalin island and the Curilles. Shoulder to shoulder with Soviet warriors soldiers of Mongolian National Army fought. Soviet Army played the most active role in the events. Soviet troops took captives 600,000 soldiers and officers of the adversary, as well as great many pieces of arms and technics.
On September 2, 1945 in Tokyo bay, on board of American battleship "Missouri" Japan representatives signed the Act of Unconditional Surrender.
The victory of the USSR and the countries of anti-Hitler coalition over nazi Germany and militarist Japan in World War II had a world-wide historical meaning. It had also a powerful impact onto the post-war development of the mankind. The Great Patriotic War was its most important part. Soviet Armed Forces managed to preserve Motherland's existence, its freedom and independence; they liberated from fascist oppression peoples of eleven European countries, cast out Japanese occupants from Northeast China and Korea. During the four-year struggle (1418 days and nights) on the Soviet-German front the main forces of fascists were overwhelmed and taken captives: 607 divisions of Vermaht and its satellites. In battles with Soviet Armed Forces Hitler's Germany lost over 10,000,000 people (80% of all the war losses), over 75% of all the materiel.
But the price of the victory was a gigantic one. The war carried away 27,000,000 lives of Russians (according to approximate counting), including 11,000,000 soldiers, killed in action.
For the years of Great Patriotic War over 1,000,000 commanders perished, died of wounds, were missing. In the adversary's rear and on occupied territories there perished about 4,000,000 partisans and subterranean fighters. The USSR lost 30% of its national wealth. The occupants destroyed 1710 Soviet cities, towns and settlements, over 70,000 villages, 32,000 industrial production units, 98,000 collective farms and 2,000 state farms; 6,000 hospitals, 82,000 schools, 334 universities and institutes, 427 museums, 43,000 libraries. Only direct material harm came up to 679,000,000,000 roubles (in prices of 1941), and general expenses - to 1,890,000,000,000 roubles.
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