Nikademus -> RE: Russians/Manchuria - Impact? (4/27/2004 9:10:59 PM)
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According to Zaloga, (well known aurthor on Soviet armor), the Soviets did maintain signifigant assets in the Far East throughout the war.....however someone here, might have been SubChaser, claimed a while back that most of this was a carefully sham by Stalin to disquise true Soviet strength on the Far East It was an interesting thread.....not saying i buy it completely but it did sort of contain more than a degree of common sense. For one thing, Stalin was a master poker player, so i can easily see him doing something like that. ALso with Japan committed to her own war by 1941 and with Soviet spies aware of Japanese plans, he could afford to gamble further still. 2ndly, with a fresh 1942 offensive in the wind by the Werchmact...i find it a bit hard to believe Stalin would have kept back substantial forces from the Far East. Because of said events, i've been of the opinion that even had Japan gutted Manchuria, that the Soviets would never have invaded before the German threat was well and truely contained. Stalin simply wasn't that stupid. In any event the Japanese did end up gutting Manchuria, but not in the way players can do in the game. Instead, Japan removed veteran divisions and units and replaced them with raw recruits, many near the end with little training
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