What nickname is often used for the Soviet invasion of Manchuria in August 1945?

Operation August Storm is a nickname often used for the Soviet invasion of Manchuria in August 1945.

The campaign began after the Soviet Union declared war on Japan on 8 August 1945 and Soviet forces crossed into Japanese-held territory just after midnight on 9 August. The offensive attacked Japanese positions in Manchuria, the Japanese puppet state of Manchukuo, from several directions. Soviet forces also advanced into Inner Mongolia, northern Korea, southern Sakhalin, and the Kuril Islands.

The more formal name for the central campaign is the Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation. “Operation August Storm” became familiar in English-language historical writing, particularly after U.S. Army historian David Glantz used the phrase in a 1983 paper. The name should not be confused with Operation Downfall, the planned Allied invasion of Japan that was never carried out.

The Soviet attack shocked Japanese leaders because Tokyo had hoped Moscow might help negotiate with the Western Allies. The invasion, together with the atomic bombings and other military pressures, contributed to Japan’s decision to accept surrender terms.