Amur Military Flotilla
Encyclopedia
Amur military flotilla was a military flotilla
on the Amur River in the Far East
region of Russia
.
In 1900, the Russians formed a temporary flotilla on the Amur river out of private steamers
and barge
s. Initially, it served transportation purposes during the Russo-Japanese War
of 1904-1905. Officially, the AMF was created in July 1906 for the purpose of defending the border line of the Amur basin
and securing water communication on the Amur river. In 1910, the AMF comprised 28 unit
s, including 8 turret
gunboat
s and 10 smaller gunboats. In December 1917, they formed the Soviet Amur military flotilla, which would take part in the Russian Civil War
.
In 1918, the AMF was captured by the Japan
ese, who would take away almost all of the ships in May 1920. With the end of the Civil War in the Far East, the Soviets began reconstruction of the flotilla. In 1925-1926, it grew bigger with the return of the ships, taken away by the Japanese. In 1929, the AMF included 4 river monitor
s and other ships. In 1930, the AMF was awarded with the Order of the Red Banner
for its successful military operations during the Sino-Soviet conflict
of 1929.
During the Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation in 1945, the AMF (8 monitors, 11 gunboats, 52 armored launches etc.) under the command of N.V. Antonov cooperated with the armies of the 1st and the 2nd Far Eastern fronts on the rivers of Amur, Ussuri, Sungari, and Lake Khanka.
Flotilla
A flotilla , or naval flotilla, is a formation of small warships that may be part of a larger fleet. A flotilla is usually composed of a homogeneous group of the same class of warship, such as frigates, destroyers, torpedo boats, submarines, gunboats, or minesweepers...
on the Amur River in the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
region of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.
In 1900, the Russians formed a temporary flotilla on the Amur river out of private steamers
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
and barge
Barge
A barge is a flat-bottomed boat, built mainly for river and canal transport of heavy goods. Some barges are not self-propelled and need to be towed by tugboats or pushed by towboats...
s. Initially, it served transportation purposes during the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
of 1904-1905. Officially, the AMF was created in July 1906 for the purpose of defending the border line of the Amur basin
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
and securing water communication on the Amur river. In 1910, the AMF comprised 28 unit
Multiple unit
The term multiple unit or MU is used to describe a self-propelled carriages capable of coupling with other units of the same or similar type and still being controlled from one driving cab. The term is commonly used to denote passenger trainsets consisting of more than one carriage...
s, including 8 turret
Turret
In architecture, a turret is a small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle. Turrets were used to provide a projecting defensive position allowing covering fire to the adjacent wall in the days of military fortification...
gunboat
Gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.-History:...
s and 10 smaller gunboats. In December 1917, they formed the Soviet Amur military flotilla, which would take part in the Russian Civil War
Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...
.
In 1918, the AMF was captured by the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese, who would take away almost all of the ships in May 1920. With the end of the Civil War in the Far East, the Soviets began reconstruction of the flotilla. In 1925-1926, it grew bigger with the return of the ships, taken away by the Japanese. In 1929, the AMF included 4 river monitor
River monitor
River monitors were heavily armored, and normally mounted the largest guns of all riverine warships. The name originated from the US Navy's Brown Water Navy's USS Monitor, which made her first appearance in the American Civil War, and being distinguished by a single revolving turret.On 18 December...
s and other ships. In 1930, the AMF was awarded with the Order of the Red Banner
Order of the Red Banner
The Soviet government of Russia established the Order of the Red Banner , a military decoration, on September 16, 1918 during the Russian Civil War...
for its successful military operations during the Sino-Soviet conflict
Sino-Soviet conflict (1929)
The Sino–Soviet conflict of 1929 was a minor armed conflict between the Soviet Union and Chinese warlord Zhang Xueliang of the Republic of China over the Manchurian Chinese Eastern Railway....
of 1929.
During the Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation in 1945, the AMF (8 monitors, 11 gunboats, 52 armored launches etc.) under the command of N.V. Antonov cooperated with the armies of the 1st and the 2nd Far Eastern fronts on the rivers of Amur, Ussuri, Sungari, and Lake Khanka.