Red Star Versus Rising Sun - Volume 2, Asia@War No 27, Helion

RED STAR VERSUS RISING SUN - VOLUME 2: The Nomonhan Incident 1939

During the first half of the 20th century, the Empire of Japan fought a series of undeclared wars in the Far East against Tsarist Russia and the successor Soviet Union. The first of these, fought in 1904-1905 over rival imperial ambitions in Manchuria and Korea, ended in a clear-cut Japanese victory. 

Following the Japanese occupation of Manchuria, in 1931, Japan turned its interest to nearby Soviet territories. The result was a series of border incidents, starting with the Battle of Lake Khasan in 1938, as described in the first volume of Red Star versus the Rising Sun. Maintaining that the border between the Japanese proxy state of Manchukuo and the Soviet-dominated Mongolian People’s Republic was the Khalkhyn Gol (or Khalkha River), the Japanese deployed some of the best units of their army to occupy and secure this area. 

Following a military build-up, a series of bitter clashes took place in mid-May and June 1939, after which the Japanese launched an all-out assault in July. Due to heavy casualties, the battle resulted in a stalemate. With tension also rising in Europe and concerned about the possibility of facing a two-front war, the Soviets reacted with a major counter-offensive in August 1939, and defeated the Japanese. 

While relatively little-known in the West, this short but bitter war – known as the Nomonhan Incident in Japan, or the Battle of Khalkhyn Gol in the Soviet Union – was a crucial overture to the subsequent Second World War. Having secured its border in the Far East, the Soviet Union was free to concentrate on war in Europe, whilst the Japanese turned their attention to South-East Asia and the Pacific. Although continuing to underestimate their opponents, the Japanese introduced a major reform of their army and after realising the massive material disparity vis-à-vis the USSR, Tokyo and joined the Axis with Nazi Germany and Italy.

The second volume of Red Star versus the Rising Sun examines the land and air forces of the opposing forces in the Far East as they stood in 1939 and offers a detailed description of the conflict on and above the battlefields of Nomonhan. This volume is richly illustrated with period photographs, maps and original colour artworks of the soldiers, aircraft and armoured vehicles deployed in this conflict.

 Reviews:

"...walks that fine line between an illustration-heavy work targeting the modeler market and a detail-heavy synopsis with copious notes and citations and does so successfully." Air & Space Power History

"While I had heard of Khalkin Gol before, this told me a lot more than I ever knew before. The fighting finished and despite being a Japanese defeat, the borders remained fairly static as both sides had other issue to tackle." Robin Buckland, Military Model Scene

"...a very readable book that provides not only a look at the events leading up to the campaign, but also the men and equipment that were used." ModelingMadness.com

"...I can highly recommend this two-volume set to anyone interested in learning more about this largely-forgotten prelude to World War 2." Asian Air Arms Newsletter 38, 2023

Author: Adrien Fontanellaz

Publisher: Helion & Company

Description: 80 pages, Paperback, Format A4, 91 b/w photos, 8pp colour plates (21 colour profiles & figures), 3 maps, 15 tables.

Condition: NEW COPY

Shipping weight: 0.42 Kg.