Show Notes
Last time we spoke about the beginning of a conflict between the USSR and Japan. In the frost-hardened dawns by the Chaun and Tumen, two powers eye a ridge called Changkufeng, each seeing a prize and fearing a trap. On the Soviet side, weary front-line troops tighten their grip, while Moscow's diplomats coaxed restraint through Seoul and Harbin. As July unfolds, Tokyo's generals push a dangerous idea: seize the hill with a surprise strike, then bargain for peace. Seoul's 19th Division is readied in secret, trains loaded with men and horses, movement masked, prayers whispered to avoid widening the rift. Japanese scouts in white Hanbok disguise, peering at trenches, wire, and watchful Russians. Russian border guards appear as shadows, counters slipping into place, yet both sides hold their fire. On July 29, a skirmish erupts: a platoon crosses a shallow line, clashes flare, and bodies and banners ripple in the cold air.
#178 Night Attacks and Diplomatic Strains: The Lake Khasan Conflict Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. A second troop train was scheduled to depart Agochi for Nanam on the night of 29 July, carrying back the initial elements of the 75th Infantry. At Haigan, regimental commander Sato was pulling on his boots at 16:00 when the division informed him that fighting had broken out near Shachaofeng since 15:00 and that the Russians were assembling forces in that area. Suetaka ordered Sato's 3rd Battalion, which had not been slated to leave until the following night, to proceed to Kucheng; the remainder of the regiment was to assemble at Agochi. After consulting with Division Staff Officer Saito at Agochi, Sato returned to Haigan with the conclusion that "overall developments did not warrant optimism, it was imperative to prepare to move the entire regiment to the battlefield." One of Sato's first actions was to telephone a recommendation to the division that he be allowed to occupy Hill 52, which commanded the approaches to Changkufeng from south of Khasan. Suetaka approved, and at 17:30, Yamada's company was ordered to proceed to Shikai along with Hirahara's battalion. Meanwhile, Suzuki's 15th Heavy Field Artillery Regiment, which had been among the last units ordered to leave, had finished loading at Agochi by about 15:00. Sato recommended to Suetaka that a portion of Suzuki's regiment be attached to him; this was why Suetaka decided to transfer one of the two batteries to the 75th Infantry. The rest of the heavy artillery concentrated at Kyonghun. Suetaka's orders, issued at 18:20, called for Sato to have two of his battalions, the 1st and 3rd, cross the Tumen as soon as possible, with engineer support. Attached was Narukawa's heavy battery. Sato's mission was twofold: to assist Senda and to watch the enemy in the Changkufeng area. Sato arrived at 21:15 in Shikai. There, he assembled a number of his officers, including Yamada, and explained his plan: the 1st Company plus machine guns were to cross the Tumen from Sozan ahead of the other units, occupy Hill 52 with an element, and concentrate the main body at the foot of Fangchuanting to await Hirahara's battalion. A portion of the 19th Engineers would go to Sozan to assist the 1st Company with its river crossing. Amid heavy rain and darkne
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Last time we spoke about the Third Battle of Changsha. In the depths of winter, as snow blanketed the land around Changsha, Chinese General Xue Yue set a trap he called the "Heavenly Furnace Tactic," approved by Chiang Kai-shek himself. The plan called for Chinese troops to fall back strategically, luring the Japanese deeper into hostile territory before snapping shut around them. General Okamura's Japanese forces pushed forward aggressively, sensing an opportunity as Chinese defenses appeared to crumble. The 6th Division forced its way across the Xinqiang River, colliding violently with Chinese defenders along the Miluo River line. The 20th and 37th Chinese Armies fought a grueling delaying action, retreating under pressure but never breaking, even as brutal cold and blinding snowfall turned the battlefield into a frozen hell. Frostbite claimed as many victims as bullets did, and visibility collapsed for both sides. As the fighting raged on, everything hinged on one question: could the Chinese forces close their trap before the Japanese realized they were being drawn into a killing ground?
Last time we spoke about the beginning of the Third Battle of Changsha. After China declared war on Japan following Pearl Harbor, General Xue Yue devised the "Heavenly Furnace Tactic" for the Ninth War Zone: lure Japanese forces deep into a trap around Changsha, let disgraced 10th Army commanders Li Yutang and Fang Xianjue redeem themselves by holding the city, while outer forces closed a ring to annihilate the invaders. Chiang Kai-shek approved the plan. Meanwhile, Japanese General Okamura, anxious that Hong Kong's imminent fall might render his Hunan offensive pointless, moved up his attack despite unprepared units. On December 24, amid brutal snow and freezing cold, Japan's 6th Division crossed the Xinqiang River, breaking through Chinese positions defended fiercely by Yang Hanyu's Sichuan troops, who bought crucial time through costly delaying resistance—including a battalion that fought to the last man. The furnace had been lit; the Third Battle of Changsha was underway, its outcome resting on whether the trap would close on the Japanese or collapse on its builders.
Last time we spoke about the fall of singapore. After Johore fell in ruin—Anderson's men massacred at Parit Sulong, Painter's brigade nearly wiped out—the last defenders retreated into Singapore on January 31, and Churchill demanded a fight to the last man, ordering resources destroyed rather than captured. Percival split the island into defensive zones but wrongly guessed the Japanese would strike the northeast; Yamashita had actually massed his real force in the west, using a decoy landing on Ubin Island to reinforce Percival's error. Aiming to seize Singapore by February 11, a date sacred in Shinto tradition, Yamashita struck west with devastating effect, shattering Australian brigades and racing toward Bukit Timah despite his own dwindling ammunition and fuel. British units collapsed into chaos and disobeyed orders while retreating. By February 15, water supplies were failing and commanders urged surrender. Percival met Yamashita at the Ford Factory and capitulated—Britain's worst military disaster, leaving Churchill haunted for the rest of his life.
Last time we spoke about the collapse of Johore. Trapped at Parit Sulong with 150 severely wounded, Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Anderson's Australians fought through Japanese roadblocks in a desperate bayonet charge singing "Waltzing Matilda." Unable to breach the bridge, Anderson was forced to abandon the injured, believing they'd receive decent treatment. Instead, they faced the Parit Sulong Massacre—tortured, executed, and incinerated by Nishimura's Imperial Guards. Few survived. Simultaneously, Endau fell after a costly RAF daylight raid. Brigadier Challen's brigade at Batu Pahat retreated through chaos, eventually evacuating by sampan. Most devastatingly, Brigadier Painter's 22nd Indian Brigade vanished into the jungle—a severed telephone line between brigades allowed Japanese infiltration, cutting them off completely. General Barstow died attempting to warn Painter. Only 63 of Painter's 2,000 men reached Singapore. The collapse of Johore was complete. The fortress awaited.
Last time we spoke about the beginning of the Malayan Campaign. In December 1941, Japan invaded British Malaya, aiming to cripple Allied power. Despite British defenses, General Yamashita's battle-hardened 25th Army overwhelmed them. The British fumbled early, failing to strike Japanese beachheads, while the sinking of Force Z left Malaya without naval protection. At Jitra, the absence of tanks proved devastating for the Indian defenders. Yamashita employed blitzkrieg tactics, using tanks and bicycles to exploit the terrain. The British, spread thin and under-resourced, retreated south, facing constant attacks and encirclements. The evacuation of Penang further demoralized the Allies, with locals turning against their colonial rulers.