Overview of the Battle of the Kuril Islands, the course of the Battle of the Kuril Islands

On August 8, 1945, the Soviet Union declared war on Japan and launched the Far East Campaign. The Battle of the Kuril Islands was an important part of the Far Eastern campaign. Occupy the island as a springboard for the Soviet Red Army's southward offensive and the focus of the Japanese army's fortifications, with reinforced concrete and earth-wood artillery and machine-gun fortifications connected by tunnels and communication trenches all over the island, with about 8,000 Japanese defenders and 64 tanks.

At 2:35 on the 18th, the Soviet Red Army shore artillery bombarded and occupied the Kamchatka Peninsula 12 kilometers away, and the Soviet Red Army destroyer fleet led by the cruiser "Kirov" covered the landing force ashore. At 4:30, the advance detachment of the Soviet Red Army rushed to the beach in a narrow section near the Piangang naval base, but due to the lack of heavy **, it failed to advance in depth. In the early morning, when the main force of the Soviet Red Army landed in two echelons, it was fiercely bombarded by the Japanese army, and many landing ships were sunk and damaged by artillery fire, and they were quite passive for a time.

Subsequently, the focus of the battle shifted to the island, and the two sides repeatedly fought for two high grounds. The Soviet Red Army, with a mixture of anti-tank guns, submachine guns, machine guns and cluster grenades, repelled several counterattacks by Japanese tanks, and Sergeant Verkov blocked the firing holes of the main points of fire of the Japanese troops with his body. By 20 o'clock in the evening, the Soviet Red Army finally took control of the two commanding heights.

On the 19th, the Japanese army, which had learned of Emperor Hirohito's edict of surrender, offered an armistice while still actively preparing for war. The Soviet Red Army continued to advance in depth, but soon fell into an even more difficult battle. Fortunately, at this time, the Japanese troops stationed in the Kuril Island received an order to surrender unconditionally, and by the afternoon of the 23rd, all the defenders of the island had surrendered.

The Soviet Red Army immediately attacked southward, and a series of landings that followed were largely unresisted and went very smoothly. By 22 o'clock on August 31, 1945, the Soviet Red Army ended the fighting in the northern part of the Kuril Islands and at the same time began to enter the South Kuriles. In the early morning of August 28, 1945, the Soviet Red Army landed on the island of Zetao, and 10,000 Japanese defenders surrendered without a fight.

In 1945, in Shidan, the General Headquarters of the Soviet Red Army in the Far East announced the completion of the "Kuril landing operation". On the 2nd, Japan signed an unconditional surrender. It was not until the 5th that the Soviet Red Army ended its final operation to occupy Hagamai.

In the summer of 1949, after the liberation of Shanghai and the mainland of Zhejiang Province, about 60,000 people from 10 divisions, including the 75th and 87th Armies of the Kuomintang Army and the 1st Provisional Army, withdrew to the Zhoushan Islands in an attempt to impose a naval blockade on the Wubu Shanghai and Hangzhou areas and shield Taiwan. The 7th Corps of the 3rd Field Army was ordered to command the 61st Division of the 21st Army with the 22nd Army and adopt the policy of island-by-island occupation to liberate the Zhoushan Islands.

On the evening of 18 August, the landing force crossed the sea and launched an attack on the outer islands of Zhoushan in three directions. The first part of the 22nd Army captured Daxie Island on the morning of the 19th, destroying nearly 2 regiments of the defenders. On the 25th, Meishan Island was occupied.

On October 3 5, they captured Jintang Island and annihilated most of the defenders. At this time, the defenders of Fodu Island, Liuheng Island, and Shrimp Island were intimidated by annihilation and fled in a hurry. The 61st Division of the 21st Army immediately occupied Fodu and other islands, and captured Taohua Island on the night of the 18th, completely annihilating the defenders.

On November 3, an attack was launched on Dengbu Island. Four regiments of the Kuomintang Army, with the cooperation of the Navy and Air Force, reinforced Dengbu Island. The landing force of the 61st Division was ordered to withdraw from the battle on November 5 because the follow-up echelon failed to keep up, the strength was weaker and larger.

So far, more than 30 islands on the outskirts of Zhoushan have been captured, experience in sea-crossing operations has been gained, and advance positions have been seized, thus creating favorable conditions for attacking Zhoushan Island.

Battle of the Kuril Islands: On August 18, 1945, Soviet forces began their attack on the Kuril Islands. Japan has stationed as many as 80,000 troops in the archipelago and has built 9 airfields (which can accommodate 600 aircraft), 6 of which are on the northernmost part of the archipelago, the most fortified islands. The two islands are also home to two well-equipped naval bases, Kataoka and Kashiwabara.

However, due to the fact that by this time Japan's naval and air forces had been exhausted, the naval and air forces deployed in the Kuril direction were equipped with only a few small boats and 8 aircraft. The fiercest battles took place on the nearest island to Kamchatka, the island of Zhanshou.

In the battle, which lasted more than half a month, the Japanese army **1,018 people, more than 60,000 people were captured. Soviet Red Army ** 1567 people. The ** of both sides is almost concentrated in the battle for the island.

Since then, the USSR and Russia have maintained de facto control over the entire Kuril Islands, including the "four northern islands", significantly improving their strategic environment in the North Pacific region. The Japanese side has repeatedly demanded the return of the "four northern islands," but has been unsuccessful.

The Battle of Occupy the Island (August 18-21, 1945), the battle between the Soviet and Japanese forces on the northern tip of the Kuril Islands. After accepting the Yalta Declaration, on August 18, after the armistice of the Pacific War, Soviet troops landed on the island. The battle ended on the 21st, and on the 23rd, the Japanese surrendered.