What was the Soviet operation against Japanese forces in Manchuria commonly called in the West?

Operation August Storm was a common Western name for the Soviet operation against Japanese forces in Manchuria in August 1945.

The campaign began on August 9, 1945, when the Soviet Union launched a massive offensive against Japan’s puppet state of Manchukuo and related positions in Inner Mongolia and northern Korea. Its formal Soviet designation was the Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation, also called the Manchurian Operation.

Soviet forces attacked from several directions using armor, artillery, aircraft, and large infantry formations. The Japanese Kwantung Army, once considered one of Japan’s strongest forces, was badly outmatched and rapidly lost control of much of the region. The campaign continued as Japan’s leaders debated surrender.

Operation August Storm is sometimes overlooked in popular accounts that focus only on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Soviet attack eliminated Japan’s hope of using Moscow as a mediator and created a powerful additional pressure for surrender. Japanese forces in Manchuria officially surrendered on August 16, although fighting continued in some areas until September 2.