Local Air Defence Units of South-Eastern Regions of the Far East during the War with Japan in August-September 1945

Abstract

The activity of units of local air defence (LAD) of the South-Eastern regions of the Far East during the war with Japan in August-September 1945 is analyzed. The activity of the LAD formations on the organization of protection of the population, objects and enterprises is considered. The authors focus on the organization of LAD units (self-defence groups, city battalions), which controlled the implementation of measures for the blackout of settlements and the preparation of the population for air and chemical defence. The analysis of functioning of LAD structures in the prewar period, February-March 1945, and war with Japan in August-September 1945 is presented. The actions in the first days of the war of the LAD units to prevent and minimize the effects of possible bombing of the settlements by Japanese aircraft are revealed. The novelty of the study is seen by the authors in the fact that the previously unused sources devoted to the activities of the LAD formations during the war with Japan are introduced into scientific circulation. The article is based on the documents of State Archive of the Russian Federation, Russian State Archive of Socio-Political History, Russian State Military Archive, State Archive of Primorsky Krai, State Archive of Khabarovsk Krai.

Keywords

• the soviet war with japan in august-september 1945
• air defence
• local air defence
• chemical defence
• far east
• units of local air defence
• city battalions
• groups of self-defence
• camouflage
• cover