TASS, Communiqué on the Fighting on the Mongolian-Manchurian Frontier. June 26, 1939

Excerpts

Original Source: Izvestiia, 26 June 1939.

Since 15 May a number of foreign papers, relying on incorrect reports from the Kwantung army headquarters, have been publishing dispatches about clashes between troops of the Mongolian People's Republic and Japanese-Manchurian troops. The Japanese press incorrectly asserts that these clashes were provoked by Mongolian violations of the Manchurian frontier, and loudly boasts of the great losses sustained by the troops and air forces of the Mongolian People's Republic.

On the basis of information received from the headquarters of the Mongolian-Soviet troops in the Mongolian People's Republic, TASS is in a position to give reliable information about the events on the Mongolian-Manchurian frontier. On 11 May, in the neighborhood of lake Buir-Nur, the frontier troops disposed about Nomonhan Burdobo (south east of lake Buir-Nur and 16-20 kilometers cast of the river Khalkin Gol) were suddenly attacked by Japanese-Manchurian troops and forced to withdraw west of the frontier to the river Khalkin Gol. For ten days from 12 May frontier clashes occurred in this area almost every day, and both sides suffered casualties in dead and wounded. On 22 May the Japanese-Manchurian troops, who had been reinforced, tried to attack our troops and penetrate into Mongolian territory; they were repulsed with considerable losses. On 28 and 29 May the Japanese-Manchurian troops, having received fresh Japanese reinforcements in considerable numbers from Hailar, as well as tanks, armored cars, artillery, and a great many aircraft, again invaded Mongolian territory. Met by troops of the Mongolian People's Republic, the raiders were beaten off and dispersed. Leaving many dead and wounded on the field, as well as armored equipment, the Japanese-Manchurian troops withdrew to their own territory. In this battle they lost more than 4,000 killed; the Mongolian forces lost 40 killed and 70 wounded. Among the captured documents is the secret order issued by the commander of the 23rd Japanese division, Lieutenant-General Kamatsubara, dated Hailar, 21 May, in which, inter alia, the General announces to his men that the division is to destroy the Outer Mongolian troops in the Khalkin Gol area ...

On 25 June no incidents were reported from the frontier. The Soviet-Mongolian troops occupy all the frontier posts east of the river Khalkin Gol. Not once throughout the entire -period did the Soviet-Mongolian troops violate the established frontier, except when the air force, in pursuit of Japanese-Manchurian aircraft, was compelled to fly over Manchurian territory.

Source: Jane Degras, ed., Soviet Documents on Foreign Policy (London: Oxford University Press, 1951), pp. 351-352.