Random Area XI: The Good, The Bad, and The Random.

and now he has the Saxon Flag.

Genoa can stay where it is, need not to be involved in my sea

thanks for the PDF file. Will be put to great use (looking at you, Europe )

Alright then, I guess we have a lite version of Venice too that's African. Called Almohad.

the Banu Ghaniya though haven't rose to power just yet, and Tunisia/Ifriqiya is in my control. That gives me some more advantage in the Naval Department.

just wait Castile+Genoa. Just wait patiently for your doom.

Nobunaga Oda

[TL;DR at the bottom!]


1. To quote col. David Glantz (a quintessential military historian of Soviet warfare) and J.M. House: "The distance from the northern tip of the province to the Yellow Sea is almost equal to the distance between Normandy, France, and Minsk, Russia" (Chapter 17) (Glantz et al., 1995) and Ibidem 1: "The Far-Eastern theater of military operations (Manchuria) encompasses a huge area of more than 1.5 million square kilometres [...]" (The Soviet Strategic Offensive in Manchuria, 1945; page 46) , which I primarily used to indicate the scope of the operation, though it was not, indeed, bigger than Europe.
If you want, you can find a comparison of Western Europe and Manchuria on page 9 of Glantz' book "The Soviet Strategic Offensive in Manchuria, 1945", in case you happen to have it at home. Alternatively, you can PM me for the pdf: I have over 4 GB on pdf's (books, Ph.D. theses and academic articles) on every front of WW2, Napoleonic Wars, Cold War etc.

2. For Stalin's intention, the consensus under professional military historians, myself and Suvorov included, agree that it was indeed Stalin's intention to seize Japan, because "participation in the defeat of Japan placed the Soviet Union in a strong position in the re-establishment of the Chinese state. It promised to make the Soviet Union into one of two major Pacific power, along with the United States. There was revenge, too, for the humiliating defeat of the Russian empire in the war of 1904." (prof. dr. Overy, R.J.)

To quote one of the standard works on the Soviet warfare in WW2 again: "For his services, Stalin received the Kurile Islands, southern Sakhalin Island, and temporary rule over Manchuria and northern Korea. He was, however, thwarted in his plans to seize Hokkaido. On 22 August, only a day before its launch, he halted a joint airborne and amphibious operation against Hokkaido Island.18 Japan was thus spared the postwar ordeal experienced by a divided Germany." (Glantz et al; chapter 17), because: "Unbeknown to the Allies, Stalin also intended to seize the Hokkaido Island portion of Japan proper." (Ibidem)

To quote Richard Overy (the British military historian) in his seriously good book Russia's War (especially when dispelling myths concerning the Polish Uprising, when the Poles started an uprising to prevent being 'liberated' by the Red Army, and, when the Red Army was halted after counter-offensives by the Germans and being overstretched after Operation Bagration and therefore incapable of 'liberating' Warsaw, the Poles suddenly seemed to expect being 'liberated' by the Soviets; almost a cynical thought, after trying to make sure Warsaw would explicitly not be conquered again by the Nazi's and Soviets): "Without telling his allies, Stalin had also planned for a landing on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido [...]".

The Japanese also knew of course, that Stalin wanted to invade the Far East and then do grab his chance to invade Japan as well. From "The Soviet Invasion of Manchuria- An Analysis of the Element of Surprise"
The Japanese Imperial General Headquarters estimate specifically took into account the possibility of the Soviets acting in concert with the United States. A review of the text of the estimate produced following the final capitulation of Germany shows the Japanese felt Soviet moves would depend on U.S. activities, they thought Russia might enter the war precisely when Japan was so reduced in strength surrender was imminent, and they thought seasonal weather conditions in Manchuria might be an important factor in Soviet timing. The Japanese estimate stated in part:

"The Soviet Union is now rapidly increasing her military strength in eastern Siberia in conjunction with the changing war situation in the Far East and is preparing to open hostilities at any time. The exact date of her entry into war against Japan cannot be estimated as it will depend on developments in the war situation in the Far East as well as on the Soviet estimate of the situation. However, Japan must be on the alert in any of the following events: (a) if US forces land in a strategic area in central or northern China and there is strong indication of war being expanded into the interior; (b) if US forces land in southern Korea and there is a likelihood of their advance northward; (c) if US forces penetrate the Japan Sea and there is a likelihood of their landing in strategic areas along the coasts of Japan; (d) if the defeat of Japan appears imminent after the US forces succeed in landing in Japan Proper; (e) when Japan's national strength has been almost completely exhausted by enemy bombing even before US forces invade Japan Proper, and (f) when internal conditions in Japan are strained to the limit, and peace with the United States and Great Britain appears imminent. If the Soviet Union finds it necessary to enter a full-scale war against Japan by the end of February 1946 she will, before the advent of the cold season (December), occupy strategic areas in northern Manchuria. For that purpose, she will open hostilities at least three months earlier, around September 1945. 
The Russian attitude must be watched closely especially 4 during August and September." "[Text from: US Department of the Army, Far East Command, Military History Section, "Japanese Preparations for Operations in Manchuria, Jan 42-Aug 45"]

Btw, Nobunaga Oda , I still don't understand why Stalin would ever leave something for the other Allies to conquer. Don't forget, he specifically surrounded Berlin in 1945 to keep the Germans in and the Allies out. 

TL;DR: the consensus among most professional military historians is that it was indeed Stalin's intention to conquer Japan, after having invaded Manchuria. This Manchurian operation is geographically comparable to conquering France Germany and Spain in less than a month. It is therefore not a wonder that general Shtemenko, chief of staff of the Warsaw Pact named it: "One of the biggest and most skillfully planned and executed Soviet strategic operations." (Dzirkals, L.I., 1976: "Lightning War" in Manchuria: Soviet Military Analysis of the 1945 Far East Campaign")

Post scriptum:
Whether a Soviet invasion of Japan would've succeeded is another question. I've already requested a war game of this at the university, to be played with my fellow military historians against our students (assisted by retired Dutch army colonels, who are serious war game enthusiasts)