Japanese infantry crossing the river. Khalkhin-Gol, 1939. Photo: ru.wikipedia.org
The FSB first published archival material indicating that Japan had been preparing for war with the USSR since 1938.
Among the documents published by the special service is Order No. 70 of 9 August 1938 to units of the 3rd Army. The order was issued during a military conflict near Lake Hassan.
Data on Tokyo's plans is confirmed by the interrogation of the last Commander-in-Chief of the Kwantung Army Otozo Yamada, who was appointed commander of the 3rd Army in Manchuria, led the Kwantung Army in 1944 … The interrogation was conducted in December 1949 in preparation to Khabarov's court over war criminals. According to the protocol, Yamada admitted that in January 1938 he “ gave orders to units of the 3rd Army & # 39; & # 39; on combat readiness in the event of hostilities with the Soviet Union.
“ Kwantung troops … are moving forward to concentrate in the eastern border & & # 39; & # 39 ;,; the order says.
Yamada had a division, two field anti-aircraft artillery divisions and a temporary automatic division. An air regiment has also been deployed in the village of Tuanzhanzi and in the Taipinglin area & ndash; squadron. Their tasks included covering the transfer of the two divisions and the destruction of enemy aircraft.
According to experts, the Japanese army conducted an extensive “ reconnaissance operation in force in the late 1930s & # 39; & # 39;, which assessed the effectiveness of the Soviet troops.