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Originally Posted by rugby
New hypothetical (with bonus question)
What happens of instead of going into the pacific, Japan attacks Russia from the east? 100% blitzkrieg land war. Germany does the same from the west. Sues for peace with the US, UK and France under an umbrella of anti communism...
Question, of course, is "why didn't Japan do this?"
I feel like we already beat the Japanese aspect of this to death over in the Small Conflicts thread.
As for Germany suing for peace, the timing is important. It wasn't at war with the US until after Pearl Harbour. Without a Japanese attack on the US, it is unlikely the US would be formally at war with Germany for some time. The UK and France were at war with Germany over the issue of Poland. Before the defeat of France in 1940, there is no way France was going to agree to peace without Germany (and Russia) pulling out of Poland. Germany actually did make attempts to reach peace with Britain after the fall of France. Despite the British Empire standing alone against Germany in the second half of 1940 and in early 1941, they did not seriously consider agreeing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rugby
But why did that necessarily drive them into the pacific rather than west into continental Asia?
For much the same reasons as American "Manifest Destiny" and the Monroe Doctrine tended to keep American attempts at expansionism in the 19th century focused on North and Central America and the Caribbean. It was their own perceived sphere of influence, and it was where the needed resources were most easily obtained.
Also, they had already tried and failed. The Japanese Army, without policy direction from the government, had attempted in the 1930s to expand into Soviet dominated territory. They were decisively defeated by the Red Army a few days after WWII had started in Europe.
In the end, defeating Communism was never a major Japanese war aim. They went to war with the US (and British Empire and the French and Dutch) because these powers were embargoing much needed resources in response to Japanese aggression in China. Obtaining oil, rubber and food by conquest in SE Asia seemed a lot easier for the Japanese than getting it from the Caucasus and the Ukraine.