page_title: Type 89 I-Go medium tank
section_title: Battle of Khalkhin Gol
hierarchical_section_title: Type 89 I-Go medium tank / Combat history / Battle of Khalkhin Gol
caption_attribution_description: English: Battle of Khalkhin Gol-Japanese Type 89 Chi-Ro medium tank
context_page_description: The Type 89 medium tank I-Go was a medium tank used by the Imperial Japanese Army from 1932 to 1942 in combat operations of the Second Sino-Japanese War, at Khalkhin Gol against the Soviet Union, and in the Second World War. The Type 89B model was the world's first mass-produced diesel engine tank. The tank was armed with a short-barrel 57 mm cannon for knocking out pillboxes and masonry fortifications, and proved effective in campaigns in Manchuria and China, as the Chinese National Revolutionary Army had only three tank battalions to oppose them, which consisted primarily of Vickers export models, German Panzer Is, and Italian CV33 tankettes. The Type 89 was a 1920s design medium tank, built to support the infantry, and thus lacked the armor or armament of 1940s generation Allied armor; it was regarded as obsolete by the time of the 1939 battles of Khalkhin Gol, against the Soviet Union. The code designation "I-Go" comes from the katakana letter [イ] for “first” and the kanji [号] for "number". The designation is also transliterated Chi-Ro and sometimes "Yi-Go".
context_section_description: On the evening of 2 July 1939, during the Battles of Khalkhin Gol, the Japanese Army's 1st Tank Corps, commanded by Lt. General Yasuoka Masaomi, launched an offensive against the Soviet Union's 11th Tank and 7th Armored brigades. The 1st Tank Corps consisted of the 3rd Tank Regiment and 4th Tank Regiment; of which the 3rd regiment consisted of 26 Type 89s, four Type 97 medium tanks, seven Type 94 tankettes, and four Type 97 tankettes, and the 4th regiment contained 35 Type 95s, eight Type 89s, and three Type 94 tankettes respectively. In this battle, the Type 97 medium tank was a newly fielded machine, and was primarily reserved for home units, as well as transitioning into Japanese Army forces stationed in China (Manchuria).
  The 3rd Tank Regiment had, after charging through Soviet artillery barrages, successfully overrun the Soviet motorized infantry and taken the high ground, which had been quickly abandoned by the Soviets. However, by 2100 hours, Soviet counter battery fire had begun pounding the newly taken position, and the 3rd Tank re-positioned themselves behind the objective.
  The 4th Tank Regiment, which had become separated from the 3rd Tank Regiment, advanced upon an objective under the cover of a thunderstorm that masked their movements but exposed the Soviet positions. The 4th Tank Regiment continued to advance, when suddenly a shift in the lightning flashes illuminated the advancing Japanese tanks, whereupon the Soviets immediately opened fire with anti-tank guns, heavy machine guns, and artillery. However, the range was so close that the Soviet artillery could not depress their guns far enough, and the 4th Tank Regiment was ordered to charge at about 0020 hours (12:20 AM). Soviet shells passed wildly over the charging tanks as they penetrated over a thousand yards into the Soviet lines. Now isolated, and deep within the Soviet lines, the 4th Tank Regiment moved several thousands yards where they met up with Japanese infantry.
  The 4th Tank Regiment had expended 1,100 37 mm and 129 57 mm tank shells during the fight, as well as about 16,000 machine gun rounds. Of the approximate 73 light and medium Japanese tanks from both regiments committed to the offensive, 13 were damaged beyond repair by Soviet gunfire, about 14 others were repaired after major overhauls, and 17 tanks were repaired in the field.
  Soviet forces concluded that the 1st Tank Corps had penetrated the defenses of their 9th Armored Brigade and 149th Infantry Regiment and had reached Soviet artillery positions.
caption: Type 89 prior to the Battle of Khalkhin Gol
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