Title:
Nomonhan, 1939: The Red Army's
Victory That Shaped World War II
Author:
Stuart D Goldman
ISBN:
978-1-5891-14339-0
Publisher:
Naval Institute Press
Hardcopy
Pages:
240
Photos:
24
The Battle of
Nomonhan has been described by author, Stuart Goldman as “the most important World
War II battle that most people have never heard of” (p. 5). Indeed, in many
respects this is true and it comes across with striking clarity in this
definitive work on the subject. Nomonham, 1939: The Red Army’s Victory that
Shaped World War II, is two narratives that are mutually complementary, one
providing critical background information for the other.
The first half
of Goldman’s book sets the environment at the macro level. Drawing on extensive
access to both declassified Soviet/Russian and Japanese archival material, Goldman
provides insight into the intensity of the political, economic, and national
turmoil that gripped the nations of Japan and the Soviet Union during this
period. This baseline information is critical to understanding the Battle of
Nomonhan; indeed, taken in isolation this conflict would make absolutely no
sense to the reader as it was fought over nonstrategic ground for seemingly
irrelevant reasons. From the Soviet perspective, a series of critical factors
influenced not only its actions, but those of its adversaries. It was terrified
of strategic isolation between two powerful opponents: Germany and Japan.
Therefore, its behavior during the first half of the 1930s was initially focused
on placating Japan while trying to turn the attention of Germany west. The
thawing of relations with Germany in the latter half of the 1930s and the
commencement of Japan’s war with China (and the subsequent weakening of the
Japanese Manchukuo Army) resulted in a more confrontational regional stance.
Unfortunately, Stalin’s subsequent purge of the USSR military leadership starting
in 1937 undermined the message of the less accommodating Soviets and reinforced
the preconceived low opinion of the local Japanese command to the Soviet
military.
Japan, for its
part, was undergoing its own internal challenges. Perhaps more than any other
country, Japan had been experiencing internal machinations unlike anything that
had happened is the west. An aggressive, agrarian society built upon the
tenants of the Bushido Code of the Samurai had been supplanted within a few
short decades into a modern technological and industrialized society led
by a government that was dominated by serving military officers. Racist,
assertive, and lacking in domestic resources, it followed an expansionist
policy bound to bring it in conflict with its neighbors, especially China and
Russia.
A unique and
traditional aspect of the Japanese code of honor was absolute subservience to
the will of the emperor and to those in high office; however, with the rapid
onset of technological change this subservience adapted itself under a concept called
gekokujo or “rule from below.” Basically, this entailed the younger generation
of the Japanese military seeing themselves as the experts in the new Japan with
a duty to force decisions that older, more traditional members of society were
unable or unwilling to make (as determined by the subordinate officers). The
traditional reluctance against losing face or causing another to do so resulted
in these younger leaders having a inordinate amount of authority and influence
over their seniors. This perverted sense of honor and command and control would
have profound consequences in the subsequent battles between the Soviets and
Japanese.
The second part
of the book delves into the battle itself, commencing with a precursor
engagement at a location called Changkufeng. What is important about the
geography of this region (both at Nomonhan and Changkufeng), situated at the
intersection of the Soviet Union, Manchukuo, and Mongolia, is not its strategic
relevance, but the fact that the border was not clearly defined because of the area’s
isolation. Therefore, there was ample flexibility for an aggressive staff
looking for a fight as movements close to the borders could be interpreted as incursions.
Goldman’s
discussion about the battle—which was actually a series of escalating strikes
and counterstrikes—is illustrative of the hubris and fanatical courage of the
Japanese and the determination of the Russians. During this period the degree
of blatant insubordination by Japanese commanders on the ground, against clear
direction from Tokyo,was breathtaking. Conversely, the failure of the Japanese
senior command to deal effectively and aggressively with the out of control
local commanders is equally shocking and telling. This conflict served as a clear
indicator to those paying attention of what would become both the strengths and
weaknesses of the adversaries. The final tally of between 30,000 and 50,000
casualties and over 100,000 soldiers engaged in this
undeclared war is a sobering indicator of the intensity of this conflict.
Nomonhan, 1939
is a particularly noteworthy book on this four-month battle. Goldman’s writing
style is engaging and absorbing. As a historian, he brings a unique ability to
inform and entertain; his topic is complex and vast but he deftly navigates the
reader in a clear and logical way. The book has extensive endnotes and a
comprehensive bibliography. This reviewer would recommend the book very
strongly to anyone, historians and casual readers alike, who wish to comprehend
the intricacies of the Far East in the months prior to Japan’s entry into World
War II.
