XPost: sci.military.naval, rec.aviation.military, soc.history.war.misc   
   XPost: alt.war.world-war-two   
   From: keithwillshaw@gmail.com   
      
   On 07/02/2021 20:51, Byker wrote:   
   ishing some writers continue   
   >> to give it credence."   
   >   
   > They surrendered because the Soviets were on the brink of invading   
   > Hokkaido.   
   >   
   > Hirohito knew that there would be no place for a god-emperor in a   
   > Soviet-subjugated society...   
      
   That is of course utter nonsense. The Japanese were still fighting in   
   Manchuria at the time of the Japanese surrender, more to the point given   
   the absence of aircraft carriers and shortage of landing ships, landing   
   craft, amphibious vehicles and long range aircraft there was no way for   
   the Red Army to reach Hokkaido. The few landing ships they hahd were   
   supplied by the US and the landing troops were US trained.   
      
   They did invade the Kuriles but got bogged down  As I recall the   
   supporting naval force consisted mostly of minesweepers, armed trawlers   
   and a few old destroyers. They eventially took the island chain when the   
   Japanese garrison were ordered to surrender after the atomic bombing   
      
   The main targets for the invasion were  Shumshu and nearby Paramushiro   
   which the Soviet marines failed to take as they had no weapons heavy   
   enough to crack the fortifications. 5 of the 16 LCI's were sunk. They   
   only tok their objectives AFTER the general surrender with no opposition.   
      
   The Soviet Army and Navy combined lost more than 800 dead and 1,400   
   wounded in the Battle of Shumshu, compared to 370 Japanese dead and 700   
   wounded. This made it the only battle in which the Soviets suffered   
   heavier losses than the Japanese.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)