17th Army (Soviet Union)

17th Army
Active	1940–1946
Country	Soviet Union
Branch	Red Army
Type	Combined arms
Size	Field army
Garrison/HQ	Ulaan Bataar
Engagements	World War II Soviet invasion of Manchuria
Decorations	Order of the Red Banner (Mongolia)
Commanders
Notable commanders	Pavel Kurochkin

The 17th Army of the Red Army was a Soviet field army. Formed in 1940, the army served in the Soviet Far East during World War II and fought in the Soviet invasion of Manchuria in August 1945. It was disbanded postwar in mid-1946.

History

It was formed from the 1st Army Group of the Transbaikal Military District on 21 June 1940.^[1] From 1941 to 1945, the army assumed a general defensive posture, including within Mongolia. On 22 June 1941 it included the 57th and 61st Tank Divisions, and the 36th and 57th Motor Rifle and 82nd Rifle Divisions.^[2] On 15 September, the Transbaikal Military District became the Transbaikal Front.^[3]

During the Soviet invasion of Manchuria, the army was assigned to the Transbaikal Front. On the night of 9 August 1945, without artillery and air support, the 17th Army began the attack. By the end of the day the main forces of the army had advanced 50 kilometers, and the best part of the passing of the day, about 70 miles, reached the area of the lake Lake Tabun-Nur. On the third day of the Khingan–Mukden Operation, in cooperation with the Soviet-Mongolian Cavalry mechanized group, the 17th Army approached the south-western spurs of the Greater Khingan Mountains. In the later days of the operation the army successfully overcame Japanese opposition, and repulsed counterattacks in the area of Linsi. By the end of 14 August 1945, the 17th Army captured abroad Dabanshan Tszinpen. On 16 August Udanchen was captured. In late August 1945 in conjunction with the mechanized cavalry group of the front's main forces the 17th Army reached the area of Linyuan, and one of the divisions of the army was on the coast of Liaodong Bay near the town of Shanhaiguan. In the same area on 31 August 1945 the 17th Army ended combat operations.^[3]

During the invasion of Manchuria, the 17th Army included the 209th, 278th and 284th Rifle Divisions, the 70th and 82nd Separate Tank Battalions, the 56th Tank Destroyer Artillery Brigade, the 185th Gun Artillery Regiment, the 413th Howitzer Artillery Regiment, the 1910th Tank Destroyer Regiment,the 178th Mortar Regiment, the 39th Guards Mortar Regiment, the 1916th Antiaircraft Artillery Regiment, the 66th Separate Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion, the 282nd Separate Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion and the 67th Mortar Brigade.^[4]

After the end of the war with Japan, the army became part of the Transbaikal-Amur Military District (formed from the Transbaikal Front) on 10 September 1945, and was disbanded between July and August 1946.^[3][5]

Commanders

The army was commanded by the following officers during the war:^[3][6]

References