In this episode of Battleground 45 Saul is joined by Evan Mawdsley to examine the final weeks of World War II from the perspective of the Soviet Union.

Together they explore Stalin’s strategic goals at the Potsdam Conference, his reaction to the successful test of the atomic bomb, and the subsequent decision to accelerate the invasion of Manchuria.

They look at why the Soviet declaration of war on Japan on August 8, 1945, may have been the decisive factor for the Japanese leadership's surrender. We'll delve into the lightning-fast invasion of Manchuria and Korea, the Soviet's thwarted plans to co-occupy Japan, and what the end of the fighting meant for the Soviet Union's future geopolitical ambitions.

If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - [email protected]

Producer: James Hodgson

X (Twitter): @PodBattleground

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