Item number: M119

Year: AD 1939

Material: Bronze

Size: case 108.9 x 59.2 x 18.9 / medal 29.5 x 83.1 x 2.3 mm

Weight: 32.3 g

Provenance: Quan Jian Zhai 2022

This bronze medal was established in AD 1939 by the Japanese-supported state of Manchukuo under Imperial Ordinance No. 310, known as the “Border Incident War Medal.” It comes with an original red paper storage case with gold-stamped lettering. This medal was awarded to Japanese and Manchukuo military personnel who participated in the border conflicts at Lake Khasan and Khalkhin Gol.

The medal’s design closely resembles contemporary Japanese military medals. On the obverse side, there is a dove with its back to the rising sun, symbolising the Manchukuo imperial crest of an orchid, with its wings outstretched. Below, the globe roughly represents the conflict zone along the Manchukuo-Soviet/Mongolian border. The reverse side features a symmetrical design of auspicious cloud patterns, with the characters “Border Incident” engraved in seal script in the centre. The medal utilises a swivel scroll suspension with claw, connecting to a square clasp bearing the inscription “War Service Medal.”

The width of the ribbon is approximately 3.7 cm, with a central vertical stripe in orange-yellow. Moving from the outer edges towards the centre, there are vertical stripes in blue and bright yellow decorating the sides of the ribbon in sequence. There is also a clip on the back. Due to mould changes, this medal has two versions known as the “Big Orchid” and “Small Orchid.” This item belongs to the “Small Orchid” version, characterised by the orchid and suspension maintaining some distance, and the dove’s figure being more rounded in this version.

Even though the victory in the Russo-Japanese War in AD 1905 allowed Japan to gain Russian interests in Northeast China, subsequent events such as the Mukden Incident in AD 1931 furthered Japan’s influence by establishing the puppet state of Manchukuo, solidifying its exclusive interests in the region. However, Japan remained cautious of the Russia after its turn towards communism, and the Japanese Army periodically advocated for expansion into Siberia through the “Northern Expansion Doctrine.” In July AD 1938, minor clashes occurred between Japanese and Soviet forces at Lake Khasan on the border between Soviet Far East, Manchukuo, and Korea, which were eventually resolved through diplomatic channels. However, in May AD 1939, armed conflict erupted at the Khalkhin Gol River border between Manchukuo, supported by Japan, and the Mongolian People’s Republic, backed by the Soviet Union. This conflict rapidly escalated into a war between Japan and the Soviet Union, lasting four months until the Soviet-Mongolian coalition emerged victorious.

This campaign marked a failure for the Japanese Army’s “Northern Expansion Doctrine” and a victory for the Navy’s “Southern Expansion Doctrine,” which advocated for expansion into Southeast Asia, significantly influencing the course of World War II. Subsequently, Japan and the Soviet Union signed the “Soviet–Japanese Neutrality Pact,” guaranteeing not to initiate war against each other, maintaining a peaceful coexistence. This status quo continued until August 8, AD 1945, when the Soviet Union unilaterally tore up the pact under pressure from the United States. They launched a surprise attack on the weakened Japanese Kwantung Army stationed in Manchuria and intercepted the Manchukuo Emperor Puyi, who was attempting to flee, at the airport. This marked the end of Japan’s ambitions in Northeast China.

物件編號: M119

年代: 公元 1939 年

材質: 銅

尺寸: 盒 108.9 x 59.2 x 18.9 / 獎章 29.5 x 83.1 x 2.3 mm

重量: 32.3 g

來源: 泉鑒齋 2022

該銅質獎章是公元1939年，日本扶植的滿洲國依據〈敕令第310號〉頒布之「國境事變從軍記章」，附有原版燙金字的紅色紙質收納盒。此獎章授予參與張鼓峰和諾門罕兩場邊境衝突的日軍和滿州國軍。

獎章外觀與同時期的日本軍事獎章高度雷同。獎章正面為一隻背對旭日，展開雙翅襯托象徵滿洲國皇室蘭花紋章的鴿子，底下的地球大致呈現衝突發生的滿蘇/滿蒙邊界地帶。背面是一組上下對稱的瑞雲紋飾，中央以篆體漢字刻有「國境事變」字樣。獎章採納帶爪螺旋式懸掛，連接帶有「從軍記章」字樣之方型銘條。

綬帶寬度約為3.7公分，中央為橘黃色豎條，由外而內以藍色和明黃色豎條順序裝飾綬帶兩側，背面尚有一別扣。因模具變更之故，此獎章有被稱作「大蘭花」和「小蘭花」兩種版別。本物件為「小蘭花」版別，其特徵為蘭花和懸掛尚保持一段距離，另外是本版別的鴿子體態更加圓潤。

即使在公元1905年，日俄戰爭的勝利讓日本奪取沙俄在中國東北的利益。後續公元1931年，日本更藉由九一八事變扶植滿洲國魁儡政權，鞏固其在該地區的獨占利益。但是日本對於赤化後的俄國一直保持警戒，同時陸軍也不時有朝西伯利亞擴張的「北進論」呼籲。公元1938年7月，日蘇兩國先是在蘇滿朝三國交界的張鼓峰發生小規模衝突，後續以外交管道平息爭端。然而公元1939年5月，分別有日本和蘇聯在背後支持的滿洲國和蒙古人民共和國在哈拉欣河國境發生武裝衝突，不久就快速升級為日蘇兩國的戰爭，戰事進行四個月以蘇蒙聯軍勝出為收尾。

此戰役標示日本陸軍「北進論」失利，鼓吹向東南亞擴張的海軍「南進論」占上風，深切影響二次世界大戰的發展。後續日蘇兩國也簽訂《日蘇中立條約》保證不再向對方發動戰爭，日本和蘇聯便保持相安無事的狀態。直至公元1945年8月8日，蘇聯在美國催促下單方面撕毀條約，對已是強弩之末駐紮滿洲的日本關東軍發動奇襲，並在機場攔下意圖流亡的滿洲國皇帝溥儀，標示日本對中國東北野心的終結。