Do you think history would be different if Japan attacked Russia before Battle of Moscow? The Russians were able to defend Moscow because they pulled 40 divisions of fresh experienced troops from the border with China's Manchu, which was under Japanese control at the time. Japan had a million troops in Manchu, but they didn't move against the Russians when Germans attacked. The 40 Russian divisions were originally there to prevent a possible Japanese invasion, but they confirmed that the Japanese had no interest to moving north. So Starlin felt the rear was secure and was able to use those 40 divisions at the battle of Moscow for surprise counter attack. If the Japanese had made some moves along the border, Starlin wouldn't move those 40 divisions. Even if they were just bluffing... Without the 40 divisions of reserve troops, Moscow would have fall. Do you think Japanese made a stupid decision for not work together with Germans against the Russians? Do you believe Russia would have been conquered if the Japanese attack too nor simply bluffed enough to tie those 40 divisions up? In my opinion, If Russia fall, Britain couldn't possibility hold on even with the U.S. support. Germans would have too much resources at their disposal and the British were the only focus if the Russians were out of the picture. Oil fields seized by the Germans could have supplied both Germans and the Japanese. Japan wouldn't have felt the oil embargo by the U.S. What do you think?
This is a good point. You are right when you say if the Japanese had attacked Russia, then Russia would of fallen. This ia more plausable than the Japanese coming to help the Germans invade the UK. It was a bad mistake by the Japanese not to of done this. Not only would the UK of fallen but the mighty America's would of fallen eventually as well. Hitler would of had his dream realised and between the Germans and the Japanese they would of ruled the world and everyone would now be speaking German. Its quite possible that WW2 would still be raging in America as the Germans and the Japanese island hopped their way there. Sniper
Japan's decision of going south (Southeast Asia) instead of north (Russia) was based on the facts 1. Japan had previous "tried" to attack Russia from Manchuria on two occasions in early 1930s. Both times the overwhelming number of Russian tanks defeated the Japanese. However, both times Japan only made relatively small moves, but that had probably made them to think that Russians are hard to deal with and not an easy foe to take on due to Japan lacked large armored forces. (They only produced 4 million tons of steel per year, and most of them were used to build naval ships since they are an island nation). 2. the Southeast Asia was proven to be resource rich at the time. Too bad, they didn't know Siberia have TONs and TONs of oil and natural gas, as well as many other minerals. Majority of the oil and natural gas the Russians export to the China today are from Siberia. If those resources were discovered earlier, Japan would definitely jump onto the chance. All they needed to do is to pretend they are going to launch a major attack, perhaps to make a few small engagements to bluff as I have suggested in my first post. It will make Starlin nervous enough to not be able to pull back the 40 reserve divisions at the east, or at least won't be able to move all of them. That alone could allow the Germans successfully take Moscow, even if Japan wouldn't make a real move on time besides bluffing. Japan can wait until Moscow or even Stalingrad fell, then attacked from the east. USSR would be finished. UK would be the next. Then entire Europe, Africa, Asia will be in the control of the Axis. However, I very much doubt it will be long before the Axis turn on each other. After all, the Germans thought they were a master race even to other white, and the Japanese too thought they were superior even to other Asians. How can they get along when they both think they are superior to all others? They might or might not fight before try to take down the U.S. If they do attempt to take down the U.S. together, I don't think the U.S. can handle them both when they have controlled all 3 continents. They would just have too much resources at their disposal. If I remember correctly, Germans even had good relationships with a few South American countries. The world could be doomed if wasn't for the Japanese's decision not go to north.
