Transbaikal Front
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The Transbaikal Front (Russian: Забайкальский фронт) was a front formed on September 15, 1941 on base of the Transbaikal Military District. Initially, it included the 17th and 36th armies, but in August 1942 the 12th Air Army was added to the front, and, finally, in June-July 1945 the 39th and the 53th armies, the 6th Guards Tank Army, and the Soviet Mongolian Cavalry Mechanized Group under Issa Pliyev.
From September, 1941 to January, 1945 the Transbaikal Front sent to the Soviet fronts in Europe about 300,000 personnel, 1,440 tanks, and 2,230 guns.
[edit] Operation August Storm
The armies and corps of the front under Rodion Malinovsky participated in Operation August Storm during August, 1945 defeating the Kwantung Army of the Imperial Japanese Army. The fighting had lasted for only about a week when Japan's Emperor Hirohito read the Gyokuon-hōsō on August 15 and declared a ceasefire in the region August 16. Soviet forces were already penetrating deep into Manchukuo by that time. They continued their largely unopposed advance into Manchukuo's territory, reaching Mukden, Changchun and Qiqihar by August 20. At the same time, Mengjiang was invaded by the Red Army and her Mongol allies, with Guihua quickly taken. The Emperor of Manchukuo (and the former Emperor of China), Puyi, was captured by the Soviet Red Army and transitted to Chita.
After the operation on October 9, 1945 the Transbaikal Front was disbanded and reorganized into the Transbaikal Military District.
[edit] Commander-in-chiefs of the front
- Mikhail Kovalyov (July, 1941 to July, 1945)
- Rodion Malinovsky (July, 1945 to October, 1945)
