Some basic military history of the beginning of the war.

Further reading:
Bruce A. Elleman and Stephen Kotkin, eds., Manchurian Railways and the Opening of China
Michael M. Walker, The 1929 Sino-Soviet War
John Erickson, The Soviet High Command: A Military-Political History, 1918-1941

Some names from this episode:
Vasily Blyukher (née Gurov, aka Galen), commander of the Special Far Eastern Army
Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, Prussian general in Napoleonic wars
Aleksandr Cherepanov, commander of the 39th Rifle Division in the Soviet Far East
Andrei Bubnov, head of the political administration of the Soviet Red Army
Feng Yuxiang, warlord close to both the USA and the Soviet Union
A. I. Traynin, captain of the Soviet warship Sverdlov
Mok Yiuming, captain of the Chinese gunboat Lishui
Fedor Vulahov, lead petty officer of the Sverdlov
R. I. Yuanzem, commander of the Soviet warship Red East
I. I. Nikitin, captain of the Soviet warship Sun Yatsen
I. A. Onufriev, the commander of the 2nd “Amur” Rifle Division

Episode artwork:
Photo of Soviet soldiers with captured Guomindang banners

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