“Backstab” or Carefully Planned Campaign? How the USSR Entered the War with Japan in August 1945

Does he mention any proposed invasion date for Hokkaido?

 

No. The focus is very much on the internal politics within the Japanese Govt. It provides an excellent timeline about how the various factions did or did not change their views and the interventions (plural) by the Emperor to bring about an eventual surrender.

As for an invasion of Hokkaido by the Soviets, that would have followed on from their taking the southern part of Sakhalin.

David M Glantz in "The Strategic Offensive in Manchuria, 1945 'August Strorm'" devotes 4 to 5 pages to that . As of June 1945 the Soviet plan was for an amphibious invasion to capture first the northern part of Hokkaido and then, if Japanese resistance continued, the southern half by 2nd Far Eastern Front and Pacific Fleet after Sakhalin operations were complete, that being some time after 22nd Aug 1945.

On 18th Aug the Commander in charge asked for permission to carry out the operation against Hokkaido as scheduled. Planning continued with a target date of 23rd Aug. Then at midday on 22nd Aug Stalin ordered his commanders to hold off with an invasion.

Glantz notes however due to more stubborn resistance on Sakhalin than envisaged, it couldn't have been carried out before late on 24th or 25th. Resistance on Sakhalin didn't end until 27th/28th so perhaps delaying it further.

Soviet occupation of Hokkaido had been ruled out at Potsdam. On 16th Stalin had suggested changing that, but Truman had responded on 18th with "a terse message" rejecting changes.

So Allied politics and imminent Japanese surrender seem to have persuaded Stalin not to act on Hokkaido. However, Soviet operations in the Kuriles, which were in the Soviet sphere as agreed at Potsdam, continued until 2nd Sept.

 

Thanks for the detailed reply. Matches what I've seen elsewhere. BZ