Masafumi Asada, "Siberian Expedition: Modern Japan's Forgotten Seven Years' War" - Recommended reference book to learn about the Siberian Expedition.

Masafumi Asada, Siberian Expedition: Modern Japan's Forgotten Seven Years' War.

Masafumi Asada's "Siberian Expedition: Modern Japan's Forgotten Seven Years of War" was published by Chuokoron Shinsha in 2016.

Here is a quick overview of the book.

The Russian Revolution broke out in November 1917. In response to the expansion of communist forces, in August of the following year, under the guise of rescuing counter-revolutionary forces, Japan dispatched troops to the Russian Far East and occupied as far as the shores of Lake Baikal in central Siberia. However, the Russian puppet government failed to function and was repeatedly defeated by partisans and the Red Army. Seeking compensation for the massacre of Japanese civilians, Japan continued to go off on its own, occupying North Sakhalin. ...... This book depicts the entire seven-year war in a bitterly cold region, with internal politics shaken by the increase and withdrawal of troops.

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I was studying the history of the Russian Revolution in order to learn about Russia after Dostoevsky's death, when the question suddenly occurred to me, "Then what was the relationship between Japan and Russia at that time?

I looked into it and found that the Siberian invasion, an event that had been mentioned in junior high school and high school history, had just occurred in parallel with the Russian Revolution.

However, when asked what the Siberian Exodus was, I realized that although I could remember the name, I had no idea what it was all about. So I decided to read this book.

The author, Mr. Asada, states in his "Introduction".

In the 20th century, many Japanese servicemen set foot in Siberia. The first time was as occupying troops, and the second time as prisoners of war. The former was the Siberian Exodus and the latter was the Siberian Internment.

The Siberian Exodus began in 1918, when troops from various countries, including Japan, landed in Vladivostok, a Russian port city on the Sea of Japan, taking advantage of the confusion caused by the Russian Revolution. From Vladivostok, Japanese troops withdrew in 1947. This book, however, defines the war as a long war that lasted a total of seven years until the Japanese troops withdrew from the northern part of Sakhalin Island (Sakhalin) in 1925.

Masafumi Asada, Siberian Delegation: Modern Japan's Forgotten Seven Years' War, Chuokoron Shinsha, Pi,ii

For Japanese people, Siberian internment is indeed better known. This is especially true in Hokkaido.

In the afterword, the author also states

This book is the first new book on the subject of the Siberian Exodus. （It is the first new book on the subject of the Siberian Exodus.)

Although the subject had long interested me, I had my doubts about writing the book, partly because of the towering volume of well-known previous studies. However, there was no new book on the subject that could provide a comprehensive overview. In addition, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, research in both Japan and Russia has become fragmented, making it difficult to see the whole picture. I decided to accept the invitation to write a new book on the subject, believing that Chukoh Shinsho would be the right book to compile a comprehensive history that would incorporate the latest findings.

I was also encouraged to write this book by my sense of urgency that although the Siberian exodus is discussed in the academic world, it has been forgotten by the public. This feeling has deepened since I began teaching. Many students have only been taught about the Siberian Exodus in connection with the rice riots. Not only students, but for many Japanese, the Siberian Exodus, sandwiched between the Russo-Japanese War and the Asia-Pacific War, does not leave a strong impression. The year 2008 will mark the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the exodus. We hope that the curiosity of our readers will add new knowledge to this forgotten war.

Masafumi Asada, Siberian Delegation: Modern Japan's Forgotten Seven Year War, Chuokoron Shinsha, p. 251

Although the Siberian Invasion is not often highlighted in history, it was in fact a very important event that would later lead to World War II.

You will often be surprised at the unexpected discoveries that you did not know about in this book, such as not only the intention to warn the communist Soviets, but also the pressure from Western countries and the background of having to appeal to them in order to get a share of the First World War.

The war was a long and tragic battle, and the growing mutual suspicion and hatred between Japan and the Soviet Union was reminiscent of the Sino-Japanese War that followed.

The book made me feel that the Siberian Exodus was actually a significant event in the history of Japan.

I would like you to read this book to find out exactly what it is about. It is a very interesting book to learn about the relationship between Russia and Japan.

It is easy to read and easy to follow, and I highly recommend it.

The above is "Masafumi Asada, "Siberian Expedition: Modern Japan's Forgotten Seven Years of War.

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