Yes, Soviet troops committed crimes in northern China at the end of World War II, particularly in Manchuria (then known as Manchukuo) after the Soviet invasion in August 1945. Following the Soviet Union’s rapid defeat of Japanese forces in the region, there were numerous reports of looting, violence, and sexual assaults against civilians, including Chinese and even Japanese settlers.
Key Incidents:
1. Looting and Destruction – Soviet soldiers extensively looted cities such as Harbin, Changchun, and Mukden (Shenyang). Factories, banks, and homes were ransacked, and industrial equipment was dismantled and transported to the Soviet Union.
2. Sexual Violence – Reports from Chinese and Japanese sources indicate widespread rape of local women, including in urban centers. Japanese women in particular were targeted, but Chinese civilians were also victims.
3. Targeting of Japanese Settlers – Many Japanese civilians who had migrated to Manchuria under Japan’s colonial rule faced violence. Some were executed, while others were subjected to forced labor or internment before being repatriated.
4. Coordination with Chinese Communists – While Soviet forces initially occupied key areas, they later transferred control to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), providing them with captured Japanese weapons and infrastructure, which played a role in the Chinese Civil War.
While these actions were not officially sanctioned by Soviet leadership, they were widespread and are well-documented in both Chinese and Japanese historical records. However, due to Cold War politics, these events were downplayed or omitted in Soviet and later Chinese Communist historiography.
