Kotō Fortress / 虎頭要塞 Map!
The Koto Fortress was the largest Japanese fortress during WW2 on Hutou town, Hulin city, Heilongjiang province of China. (Koto is Japanese pronounce of Hutou)
It was placed highlands besides of Ussuri river (border of China and Russia) to defend border and destroy bridge of the Siberian Railway by shelling of 41cm cannon.
During the invasion by Soviet in 1945, this fortress become fierce battlefield. Japanese did not thought Soviet invade Japan, so most of troops of Kwantung army (garrison of Manchuria) moved to Southern fronts against US/UK, but heavy artilleries were still left and garrisons were put again in July 1945.
In this game, it will be very interesting map: there are large river, trenches and huge modern fortress!
Also, we can add variety of matching: Japan vs Soviet!!
Modern Google-map
Right of River is Soviet territory.
History
After “independent” of Manchuria, IJA Kwantung Army build border fortress on Manchuria-Soviet border.
List of border fortress on Manchuria
東寧要塞 (Tōnei Fortress), 1st Border Garrison
綏芬河要塞 (Suifunga Fortress), 2nd Border Garrison
半截河要塞 (Hansaiga Fortress), 3rd Border Garrison
虎頭要塞 (Kotō Fortress), 4th Border Garrison → 15th Border Garrison
霍爾莫津要塞 (Horumojin Fortress), 5th Border Garrison
璦琿要塞 (Aigun/Aiki Fortress), 6th Border Garrison
黒河要塞 (Kokuga Fortress), 7th Border Garrison
海拉爾要塞 (Hairaru Fortress), 8th Border Garrison
五家子要塞 (Gokeshi Fortress), 9th Border Garrison
鹿鳴台要塞 (Rokumeidai Fortress), 10th Border Garrison
観月台要塞 (Kangetsudai Fortress), 11th Border Garrison
廟嶺要塞 (Byougan Fortress), 12th Border Garrison
法別拉要塞 (I can’t read it), 13th Border Garrison
鳳翔要塞 (Hōshō Fortress), 14th Border Garrison
Among them, the Kotō fortress is one of the most important strategic point of Manchurian border fortresses. Place of this fortress is only one point that able to watch Trans-Siberian Railway from Manchuria so mission of them was not only defend border but also cut off the Trans-Siberian Railway by the heavy cannon. At first this fortress equip 7th Year Type 30 cm Long Howitzer, Type 45 24 cm Howitzer and heavy field cannons. But In 1941 Soviet detoured the bridge of Trans-Siberian Railway so IJA deploy “Experimental 41 cm Howitzer” and “Type 90 24 cm Railway Cannon”.
Experimental 41 cm Howitzer (試製四十一糎榴弾砲, 41H) is the largest cannon of Imperial Army. This gun was very powerful but too expensive and too heavy so only one prototype was build in 1920s. In 1942 IJA equip this gun on the Kotō fortress with Type 90 24 cm railway cannon.
Type 90 24 cm railway cannon is only one railway gun operated by IJA that build by Shneider for fortress gun of Tokyo Bay Fortress. This cannon have the longest range of Japanese cannon (50.12 km).
Position of 41 cm Howitzer
Experimental 41 cm Howitzer
Type 90 24 cm Railway Cannon
After late of 1943, forces of Kwantung army(南方軍) were diverted to Southern Expeditionary Army Group (南方軍). In Kotō fortress, Type 91 10 cm howitzer or Type 41 75 mm mountain guns etc are diverted to southern forces, and in March 1945, 4th Border Garrison was dismantled. For a while there are temporary border garrisons but in July 1945, 15th Border Garrison (1,400 troops) was placed.
Battle of Kotō Fortress ( August 9 ~ August 26, 1945)
In August 8, 1941 Soviet declarer the war to Japan and start invasion. In that time commander of 15th garrison, Colonel Nishiwaki was on HQ of 5th Army so Captain Oki (commander of artillery) commanded fortress. Type 90 railway gun was disassembled for transport to Tonghua but 41 cm Howitzer successful to destroy bridge of Iman detour root of Trans-Siberian Railways. After that this howitzer continue to attack soviet force and fire hundreds of shells until August 19.
In that time there are 1,800 people were besieged (Garrison and citizens around fortress), and Red Army had 2 Infantry division, armored units and air corps for this battle. In August 15 they heard the “Gyokuon-hōsō” (Imperial Rescript on the Termination of the Greater East Asia War, radio broadcast by Emperor Shōwa) but they thought it is fake broadcast and they continue the battle. In August 17, 5 POW Japanese become Parlimentaire of Red Army to tell surrender of Japan but they deny it and an officer kill the head of military reserve force of that area that be a parlimentaire by sword.
At last, in August 26 Kotō fortress was fall and only 50 people were survived in the fortress.
Now, there is a memorial museum, The Japanese invasion of China Hutou Fortress Site Museum.
Photos!
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Bunkers of 7th Year type 30 cm Howitzer, captured by Red Army
Bunker of 41 cm Howitzer, captured by Red Army.
Buildings
Inside
