A story about heroic feats of the region's residents in the Soviet-Japanese War was told at the National Centre RUSSIA in Primorye

Primorsky Krai

A lecture titled "The Soviet-Japanese War. A final battle of the Second World War", organized by the State Archive of the Primorye region, was presented at the National Centre RUSSIA branch in Primorye. The event was held in honor of the 80th anniversary of the Victory, and was dedicated to the heroic pages of the past — the fighting in the Far East in August-September 1945.

Yeva Shcherbina and Timofei Titov, the leading archivists of the Primorye region State Archive, have re-created the chronology of events of those times using letters and official documents. The audience learned how residents and military personnel from Primorye, having celebrated the Victory in May 1945 — that is, just three months before, dealt with the news that the war actually continued already at their borders.

"The navy sailors of the Pacific Fleet, like the entire Soviet people, unanimously approved the Soviet government’s declaration of war on Japan. Previously, on 9 May 1941, all Soviet people had celebrated the Victory over Nazi Germany. The Pacific Fleet navy sailors greeted this news with pride, however they did not get a chance to have any rest. The eyes of the whole country were already fixed on the Far East, where the war with militaristic Japan was coming. Ships, submarines and aircraft drilled in difficult conditions, preparing for the offensive in Manchuria and the Korean Peninsula. Special attention was paid to ensuring landing of troops on the Kuril Islands and on the territory of southern Sakhalin, as well as deterring Japanese counterattacks. In general, the Pacific Fleet navy sailors had been preparing to act throughout the entire Great Patriotic War, because Japan could attack at absolutely any moment. Thus, we can say that they have been in full combat readiness for all these four years," Timofei Titov shared.

The citizens did not stay away either. People in various professions applied to the city military commissariat: movers and teachers, hairdressers and navigators, waiters and engineers. Battle-front veterans also came, their wounds healed, and they were ready to join the ranks again.

"The archive contains an appeal from an employee of the district executive committee, Konstantinovich, who asked to enlist him in the ranks of the active Red Army. Besides, he asked to enroll his 14-year-old son, who at that time studied in the 7th grade, as well. Just imagine that you, being children, are ready to go to war. It probably sounds scary. But the people of that time wanted to protect their Homeland in this way, to support it and be as useful as possible," Yeva Shcherbina said.

The lecturers also thought back to the heroism shown by the Primorye people during the battles. Thus, the Red Army machine gunner Georgy Popov, at the cost of his own life, ensured the unhindered advance of his unit and a destruction of the Japanese pillbox under the hurricane machine-gun fire of the enemy.

"Under the cover of the fire of his comrades, one of the older fighters, Georgy Popov, pulled ahead. When he reached the pillbox, he threw two grenades into the embrasure. It seemed that the enemy had been neutralized and it was possible to move forward. But as soon as the unit went on the attack, the enemy machine-gun came to life again, and some of Georgy's comrades-in-arms were killed. Without a moment's hesitation, Popov crawled to the pillbox, as even a slightest delay meant the death of all the fighters. Severely wounded, he rushed ahead, covered the embrasure with his chest, and thus helped his comrades to complete their combat mission. By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, Georgy Yevdokimovich Popov was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union, unfortunately, posthumously," Yeva Shcherbina said.

According to the organizers, these archival evidences clearly demonstrate the high level of patriotic enthusiasm and mobilization readiness, and emphasize the unity of society, of the Primorye people.

The lecture highlighted the course of the legendary Manchurian Operation and the Seishin Operation, as well as the volunteer movements in the region, and touched upon the large-scale assistance provided by Primorye residents to the liberated territories.

Besides ordinary citizens, some public organizations, including the Red Cross and the Red Crescent Society, actively helped the army. In the early days of the war, they engaged all their resources — medical personnel, ambulance squads, and volunteer activists — in order to provide comprehensive assistance to the front. At the same time, a significant number of nurses and rescue squad nurses did not want to sit in the rear, but asked to be sent to the front line.

Blood donations were needed at the front. Agitation efforts were launched in Primorye, and reserve donors were called up. During just the first days of the war, 3,5 thousand residents of Vladivostok, and 10 thousand residents in other parts of the region, donated blood. In the seaside capital, people donated 854 litres of blood. This fully covered the army's need for donor blood for the entire period of the Soviet-Japanese War.

Some nurses and rescue squad nurses did end up at the front, where they moved wounded soldiers from the battlefield. For instance, a young girl Maria Mironova evacuated 26 combatants — adult men in full armor, all by herself. In addition, the female medical staff sometimes evacuated even the weapons. 

The lecturers also paid some attention to the tragic pages of history, telling about the war crimes of the Kwantung Army.

"It goes without saying that this lecture is significant and relevant, especially this year, when we celebrate the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War and World War II. It shows us, and highlights once again, the importance of the heroic feats of our ancestors. It is dedicated specifically to the feats of the Primorye people in the Second World War. Contrary to popular opinion, we see again how huge the contribution of our countrymen was," Alexander Rudakov, Head of the Publications Department at the Primorye Region State Archive, summed up.