This day in history: The Sino-Soviet border battle of 1969
The border war between the Soviet Union and China broke out on the disputed island that the Soviet Union called Damansky and China called Zhenbao on March 2, 1969.
Damansku/Zhenbao Island, with an area of 0.74 square kilometers, is located on the Ussuri River, on the border between the two countries. The bloody conflict between China and the Soviet Union over ownership of the island pushed the two nations to the brink of nuclear war.
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| Chinese artillery in the Battle of Zhenbao Island |
On March 15th and 17th, the two sides clashed fiercely, both using regular troops and modern weapons. The Soviet side used tanks, armored vehicles, aircraft, and BM-21 40-barrel rocket launchers. China used anti-tank guns, DKZ, B40, B41, and ground artillery positioned deep inland.
Both sides blamed each other for deliberate provocation and firing first. At the end of the conflict, China admitted 92 casualties, claiming to have killed or wounded 230 Soviet soldiers and destroyed 19 tanks and armored vehicles. The Soviet Union reported 152 casualties.
In October 1969, the two sides issued an initial resolution on the conflict. Subsequently, the situation gradually calmed down, and by 1991, they reached an agreement that Zhenbao Island was part of Chinese territory.
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| Chinese soldiers on Zhenbao Island |
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| Chinese border guards clashed with Soviet troops on Zhenbao Island in 1969. |
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| Soviet border guards on Tran Bao Island |
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| Tensions on Zhenbao Island raised fears of a major war breaking out between the Soviet Union and China. |
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| Soviet border guards on Tran Bao Island |
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| Soviet T-62 tanks are being brought to China for display in Beijing. |
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| Funeral of Soviet soldiers killed in the Battle of Tran Bao. |
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| Funeral of Soviet soldiers killed in the Battle of Tran Bao. |
