No D-Day=World War III?

[AMBOMB]

Suppose Japan had surrendered in 1942 after Midway and the Allies had
focused the strategic bombing campaign on German electric powerplants.
Without electricity, the Germans are unable to operate their factories
and they collapse on the eastern front. The Russians sweep into
Germany and capture Berlin without the western Allies having to invade
Normandy. Stalin no doubt would've sought to establish Russian
hegemony over western Europe and there wouldn't have been a large
western Allied military presence there to stop him. But, obviously the
western Allies wouldn't have wanted the Russians to turn the countries
of western Europe into Russian satellites. Would this situation have
led to war?

[Max Sinister]

If it happened that way, probably yes. However, the whole situation is unrealistic. First, as we can see in WW2 history, the Japanese wouldn't give up just for one battle lost. Not the same people who'd be willing to fly kamikaze attacks. Second, the Allies had already landed in Italy. Third, if pretty much everything in Germany is down, why can they still fight off the Allies at the Atlantic? Fourth, the western Allies would stop the Soviets pretty fast with a nuke. So, it wouldn't happen like that.

[JimmyJimJam]

A question that has hung around in my head for a while is this: was it totally impossible for the fascist military government in Japan to be overthrown and replaced with a civilian government? Couldnt SOMEONE in Japan's leadership have realized that the war was futile, and try to stop it somehow?

[Superdude]

Well, the peace party finally had enough power to beat out the militarists at the very end of the war, so yes it is possible.

You'd just need a POD with a weaker, less insane militarist element.

[Berra]

The question is if Soviet takes Western Europe post WW2, not how it could happen. I say that it wouldnt happen that quick. It is Sealion after all. The real question is if Western europe would revolt and if its mathers.

[ranoncles]

Originally Posted by Superdude

Well, the peace party finally had enough power to beat out the militarists at the very end of the war, so yes it is possible.

You'd just need a POD with a weaker, less insane militarist element.

The extreme militarists in Japan killed civilian politicians who tried to stop them. The only way they could have been stopped before extreme exhaustion and battlefield reverses weakened their position was if a strong military leader (and his troops) sided with the peace party or if the Emperor denounced them.