[WernherVonTrapp]

The Japanese army did, in fact, clash with Soviet troops along the Manchurian-Siberian border as early as 1938. On July 11th of that year, w/o orders from Tokyo, Japanese troops of the 19th division attacked Soviet troops holding a hill along the northeastern frontier. The Japanese suffered heavy losses and were forced to withdraw. In May of 1939, they again clashed with the Soviet army near Nomonhan on the northwestern frontier between Manchukuo and the USSR's Mongolian Republic. Long story short, the Japs had their heads handed to them. In fact, their entire 23rd Division was annihilated. The fighting ended in Sept. of 39 with a full Japanese retreat and the signing of a humiliating truce with Moscow on Sept. 15, 1939.