Nomonhan 1939

In the 1930s, the Soviet Union found itself caught in the middle between Germany and Japan, both geographically and militarily. Stalin's focus was on Europe and the rising Nazi tide, but he also worried about the Japanese in the east; Japanese presence in Manchuria posed a threat to his eastern flank. In May 1939, the 129-day border war known as Khalkin Gol broke out. Minor cross-border raids escalated into full-scale clashes between the Soviet, Mongolian and Japanese armies.

When, on September 1, 1939, Hitler attacked Poland, an opportunity arose for both sides to disengage, and on September 15, 1939 the war came to a close. The Soviets had lost nearly 8,000 men and suffered over 15,000 wounded. The Japanese, for their part, never officially revealed the scale of their losses, but these were undoubtedly much greater than those of the Soviets. The 129-day bloody border war would lead to an uneasy peace between the two nations from September 1939 until the dying days of World War II (1939-1945).

Henry Sakaida has authored many Osprey Publishing books, including Aces of the Rising Sun 1937-1945, Imperial Japanese Navy Aces 1937-45, Japanese Army Air Force Aces 1937-45, Heroes of the Soviet Union 1941-45, and Heroines of the Soviet Union 1941-45, as well as co-authoring B-29 Hunters of the JAAF.

This is Justin Taylan's first book for Osprey. Justin is the founder and director of Pacific Wrecks, a non-profit history website devoted to Pacific War history. In the summers of 2007 and 2009, the authors visited the battlefield at Khalkin Gol to gain a better understanding of the engagement and how the terrain helped and hindered both sides during this short but bloody conflict.