From Europe to the Far East: The role of Azerbaijanis in liberation of Manchuria

Every nation’s history holds pages filled with pain, pride, and unshakable faith in the future. The years of World War II were a time of severe trials, when the fate of entire countries and peoples was at stake.

In this common struggle, Azerbaijan made a significant contribution, becoming a reliable pillar on the road to Victory. During the war, Baku was one of the main centers supplying the front with a strategically vital resource—oil. Without Baku oil, it is hard to imagine the effective operation of tanks, aircraft, and other military equipment that played a decisive role in defeating the enemy.

87 fighter battalions and more than a thousand self-defense detachments were formed in Azerbaijan, in which thousands of brave men and women took part. From 1941 to 1945, up to 700,000 courageous sons and daughters of Azerbaijan went to the front.

In August 1945, the Soviet Union launched a new military campaign against militarist Japan, coming to China’s aid, and thousands of soldiers, including many Azerbaijanis, took part in these decisive battles. Their heroism deserves special recognition. Azerbaijanis played an important and invaluable role in the liberation of Manchuria—a vast and strategically significant region that had long been under Japanese control. This operation marked the final stage of World War II.

Over 40 thousand Azerbaijanis served in the Far Eastern and Transbaikal Fronts and actively participated in the battles against the Japanese Kwantung Army. These fighters made a significant contribution in the battles for key Manchurian cities such as Harbin, Mukden, and Changchun. Azerbaijan’s contribution was defined not only by the actions of its servicemen but also by its significant economic assistance and support. This factor can be considered one of the decisive elements in ensuring victory.

Many Azerbaijanis who took part in the liberation of Manchuria were awarded high government honors, including the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Their heroism continues to be highly valued to this day, including in the regions of the Far East and even in China, where the names of these fighters remain widely known and honored.

As an example, one can cite battalion commander Hadji Mammadov, who took part in the liberation of Harbin and was awarded the Order of the Red Banner. Among the distinguished officers were also hereditary servicemen, such as Aligaga Shikhlinsky, the relative of General Shikhlinsky – one of the founders of the Azerbaijani national army during the ADR period. He also played an active role in the liberation of Manchuria from Japanese forces.

Among those who with honor endured the severe trials of the Soviet-Japanese war and made a significant contribution to the liberation of Manchuria, a special place belongs to veteran Nabi Nuriyev, a native of Azerbaijan’s Imishli district. He was drafted to the front on February 28, 1942, and went through the entire combat path as part of the 130th Rifle Regiment. Nabi Nuriyev took direct part in the fierce battles of the war, showing courage and resilience.

One of the vivid examples of Azerbaijanis’ participation in the liberation of Manchuria side by side with their Chinese comrades-in-arms in August 1945 is the military path of Lieutenant Colonel Timur Aliyev. Born on December 25, 1925, Timur Aliyev served during World War II in the 1045th Rifle Regiment of the 17th Army, which directly participated in the Manchurian strategic offensive operation.

The 17th Army, which included Aliyev, operated in the Khingan direction and successfully broke through the Japanese defenses, contributing to the rapid advance of Soviet troops deep into Manchuria. The participation of Azerbaijani officers and soldiers in these battles was a significant contribution to the complete liberation of northeast China from Japanese occupation. For his participation in the fighting against Japan and his personal contribution to victory, Timur Aliyev was awarded the medal “For the Victory over Japan,” confirming his direct involvement in the final stage of World War II.

No less significant is the example of the military service of Bayram Nabiyev, a native of Garadaghly village in Azerbaijan’s Agdash district. Born in 1918, he was called up for service in October 1941, at the height of the World War II, when the fate of the entire world hung in the balance. His wartime activities were of particular importance, as MGB officers carried out key tasks in ensuring internal security, countering sabotage, and conducting intelligence operations behind enemy lines. However, Bayram Nabiyev also took part in the final stage of World War II, for which he was awarded the medal “For the Victory over Japan.” This award is strong evidence of his direct involvement in the Manchurian offensive operation, during which the Kwantung Army suffered a crushing defeat. Earlier, for his contribution to the defeat of Nazi Germany, he was also awarded the medal “For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945,” which reflects his participation in the struggle on two fronts – western and eastern. Concluding his military service on December 14, 1951, Bayram Nabiyev entered history as one of the representatives of the Azerbaijani people who made a significant contribution to the victory over fascism and Japanese imperialism.

Continuing to speak about the contribution of Azerbaijanis to the liberation of Manchuria and the end of World War II, it is necessary to mention the name of another worthy representative of our people – Islam Kasimov. He was born in 1918 and was drafted into military service in 1941, at the very beginning of the Great Patriotic War. Serving with the rank of junior sergeant, he demonstrated courage, resilience, and a high level of combat skills. His military merits were highly valued by the command. On June 18, 1944, he was awarded the Medal “For Courage” – one of the most honorable awards given for personal bravery and heroism in battle. After the war in Europe ended on May 9, 1945, Islam Kasimov was awarded the Medal “For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945” in recognition of his role in the final defeat of Nazi Germany. However, his service did not end there. In August 1945, he took part in the Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation. For his heroism and bravery, he was awarded two distinctions: the Order of the Red Star and the Medal “For the Victory over Japan,” both dated September 30, 1945. These awards not only highlight the importance of his participation in the eastern campaign but also serve as testimony that Islam Kasimov fought until the very end of the war, contributing to the final victory over the forces of aggression both in the West and in the East.

Speaking of the contribution of the Azerbaijani people to the victory over Nazism and Japanese militarism, we must also mention the name of Abbas Nagiyev – another worthy son of Azerbaijan who played a role in the liberation of Manchuria and the conclusion of World War II. Abbas Nagiyev was born in 1921 in the Tovuz district of Azerbaijan. He was drafted into the Red Army in 1941, during the most difficult and decisive period of the World War II. He served with the rank of corporal, actively participating in combat. For his personal bravery and conscientious fulfillment of his military duty, Abbas Nagiyev was awarded the Medal “For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945” on May 9, 1945. This date, a symbol of victory over Nazi Germany, marked recognition of his participation in the historic struggle that shaped the fate of the world. In the summer of 1945, after the end of hostilities in Europe, Corporal Nagiyev was sent to the eastern front, where he took part in the Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation. For his bravery and combat skills during this historic battle, he was awarded the Medal “For the Victory over Japan” on September 30, 1945.

Among the Azerbaijanis who fought in those decisive battles was Sergeant Kafar Sattarov, born in 1916 in the Gazakh district of Azerbaijan. His military path began as early as 1939, and during the World War II he fought on the Leningrad, Kalinin, Stalingrad, and North Caucasus fronts, receiving six wounds. In 1943, he became a weapons master in an airborne regiment, and in August 1945 he displayed heroism in battles against Japanese forces on the Trans-Baikal Front, participating in the long march across the deserts of Mongolia and Manchuria and the crossing of the Liao River. For his courage, he was awarded the Medal “For the Victory over Japan.”

At the same time, Captain Kyazim Sadykhzade, a native of Shamakhi, commanded restoration works on the 2nd Far Eastern Front, ensuring the advance of troops and the rebuilding of infrastructure, which was crucial to the success of the operation. His efforts and military merits were recognized with the Order of the World War II, 2nd degree, and the Medal “For the Victory over Japan.”

Among the heroes was also Medical Service Captain Shura Alizade, who, after serving on the Black Sea Fleet during the World War II, was transferred to the Pacific Fleet, where she continued to care for the wounded in a military hospital during the struggle against Japan. For this, she too was awarded a medal.

At the same time, Junior Sergeant Tezekhanim Azimzade, born in 1921 in Baku, served as an anti-aircraft gunner guarding railway facilities in the areas of the Ussuri and Iman rivers, protecting vital communications from Japanese attacks, and was awarded the medal “For the Victory over Japan.”

Lieutenant Colonel Abumuslim Bakhshiyev was among those who endured the harsh path of war from Kyiv to Vienna, bearing the heavy burden of battles on the most fierce sectors of the front. When the banners of Victory were already raised over Europe, his military journey continued in the Far East. Transferred to Mongolia, he, together with units of the legendary 416th Division, crossed the impassable ridges of the Greater Khingan, took part in the rapid offensive through the territory of China, forded the mighty Huang He River, and completed his combat mission in Dalian. His contribution to the defeat of Japanese militarism was duly recognized—he returned home not only with victory, but also with decorations testifying to his valor and devotion to duty.

Farida Vezirzade also fought in the Far East, serving in an air defense searchlight regiment, completing the war in Ussuriysk, and was awarded a medal. A military driver from Ganja, Red Army soldier Gidayat Geydarli, after taking part in the battles in the Caucasus and the Berlin operation, was assigned to an anti-aircraft artillery regiment in the Far East, where he too received a state decoration. Nurse and artillerywoman Mulaim Jafarova fought on the front lines from the very first days of the war, and in 1945 she took part in battles side by side with Chinese fighters, earning the medal “For the Victory over Japan.”

Major of the Medical Service Iskender Ismailov, a veteran of the battles at Khalkhin Gol and the World War II, commanded the medical service on the Transbaikal Front in the summer of 1945, providing medical care and training personnel. Lieutenant Colonel of the Medical Service Gadamsakh oglu Sadykhov, who had fought in Moscow, Kharkiv, and the Caucasus, ended the war in the Far East, taking part in battles in Manchuria and Korea, and was decorated with medals, including for the victory over Japan.

Thus, the destinies of many Azerbaijanis became intertwined in a common impulse to fight against a shared enemy, demonstrating courage and resilience. Their names and feats will forever remain in history as symbols of heroism and victory. From the rear-line heroism of Baku, supplying the front with vital oil, to the courageous selflessness on the battlefields of the Second World War, Azerbaijan’s contribution was colossal and decisive.

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