二次世界大戰資料庫 (WW2DB)

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseOn 15 Jul 1938, long-existing tension between Japan and the Soviet Union regarding borders in Northeastern China was tested. On that day, Japanese diplomats in Moscow, Russia demanded that Soviet troops be removed from Bezymyannaya (Shachaofeng in Chinese) and Zaozernaya (Changkufeng in Chinese), west of Lake Khasan and Vladivostok. The demand was rejected. Believing that the Soviet Union was occupying Manchukuo (Japanese puppet kingdom in Northeastern China) territory in violation of the First Convention of Peking of 1860, on 29 Jul 1938 Japanese troops moved in to the region, but was driven back by Soviet troops. On 31 Jul, a larger force consisted of the Japanese 19th Division and Manchukuo units attacked again, defeating the fortified Soviet 39th Rifle Corps during a night battle. Between 2 and 9 Aug, Soviet reinforcements arrived, and drove out the Japanese once again. Though tensions remained high, no further actions broke out after 11 Aug. In this series of engagements, 717 Soviet troops were killed, 75 were missing, and 2,752 were wounded. On the Japanese and Manchukuo side, 526 were killed and 916 were wounded.

ww2dbaseIn China, this event was also known as the Changkufeng Incident; in Japan, it was also known as the same, though pronunced Chokoho Incident.

Battle of Lake Khasan Timeline