Question by Castanio: What was the main intention of Stalin for planning to attack Hokkaido during the final phase of WW2?
Was this part of the Yalta Conference agreement?
Was this something to be similar to West or East Germany occupation?
Answers and Views:
Answer by Mr. Cleetus
It was agreed that the USSR would enter the war against Japan following a brief recovery from the war against Germany. Stalin’s plan was to have an easy land grab in the East by providing minimal assistance against an already “defeated” Japan.
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What do you think?
Shannon says
Stalin was intent on a land grab from an already defeated Japan, but he waited a tad long to start so he missed the opportunity to invade Japan proper because the two atomic bombs ended the war before he could make any significant territorial gains in Japan.
Thefunnyman says
It had earlier been agreed that the entirety of Japan would be administered by a single organizational unit headed by the Supreme Commander of Allied Powers (SCAP), Douglas MacArthur. Japan was not going to be partitioned like Germany. Since the Soviets wouldn't gain much from that kind of deal, Stalin and his generals had meant to try and take as much territory as possible. After they were in Hokkaido, it would be difficult to get them to leave.
MacArthur says in his memoirs that the Soviet regional commander threatened to land in Hokkaido and MacArthur responded that he would kill any Soviet soldiers that landed in Japan. Apparently the Soviet general backed down. MacArthur's memoirs are a bit suspect, since he tends to misremember things in ways that paint him in the best light, but the Soviets never got the chance to invade Japan proper.