three sided world war

what is the most plausible way to get a three sided world war? (not nuclear)
i think that the most likely combatants would be the Soviet Union, Nazi Germany and the USA. but what event (or events) would cause all three to fight each other and not have two gang up on the third?

the cold war starts early and the US trys to stop them. when war breaks out btw the nazis and the soviets, the soviets figure screw it and delcare war on the US after the nazis attack one of the US ships.

Britain and France declare war on the USSR after the Soviet invasion of Finland in the winter of 1939 (allied to Sweden and/or Norway?). This eliminates the hypocrisy of Britain and France having declared war on Germany but not the Soviet Union (which also invaded Poland).

According to The Second World War by John Keegan "Britain and France had even considered offering her [Finland] military assistance, and winter warfare units from both countries were earmarked to join the Finnish army; fortunately for the future of Soviet-Western relationships, the Finns had sued for peace before they were sent". So if the Finns hold out a little longer, there's your POD.

Then Germany (nominally the USSR's ally) launches a surprise attack on the Soviet Union, either after or instead of the Western blitzkrieg. Hitler mistakenly believes Britain will agree to a peace deal once Germany is fighting their common enemy, Bolshevism.

that sounds plausible Akiyama but i still think that two of the three will gang up of the third which you cant have if you want a three way world war, (the whole the enemy of my enemy is my friend thing)

Yes, you are probably right that after a short time two of the combatants will sign a truce in order to defeat the third. But will they trust one another once it becomes clear that the war is nearly won? Maybe one of the victors will launch a surprise attack on the other, turning it into a three way war again.

Call it a two-and-a-half way war.

You could complicate things further . . . WI after Pearl Harbour Germany does not declare war on the US? Or WI the USSR declares war on Japan?

Akiyama said:

Call it a two-and-a-half way war.

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i guess thats the most you can get in a massive war

I agree two of the sides would have a strong incentive to ally against the third, but with the level of mutual distrust if one of the two "allies" starts doing too well for the other's taste, we might see some Machiavellian power politics...

If we go with a 3-way World War II, I suppose we could use the example of Hitler getting his dream after all and the Anglo-Americans switch sides when the Soviets start making too many gains for their liking.

It seems to me that the Great War would probably be the conflict that had the best chance to have this happen. If Japan decided to grab everything it could and went after the British, Dutch, and American possessions in the Pacific while at the same time going after the German station at Tsingtao. You would have, conceivably, German Adm. Graf Spee and his Pacific Squadron fighting their way into the Pacific while the Americans are steaming for the Japanese AND the Germans, who are now a wildcard.

It wouldn't be strictly "three-sided," though. It'd be more of a free-for-all.

Not only did the Brits and French try to send units to Finland, but they actually contemplated an aerial raid on Baku to destroy the Soviet oil facilities that were supplying the Nazi war machine.

Prunesquallor doesn't think it would work and would only antagonize the USSR, while I read an AH scenario where the attack is (I think) a success, but Turkey eventually gets Finlandized as a result.

Assuming, I can answer with a hypo that is well after ww2 and still be on topic...

China vs USSR vs USA in time period between 1966 to 1969. This would require a double POD that involves both Chinese invasion of Taiwan and Soviet invasion Japan and Chinese and Russian border disputes in Manchuria.

United States Vs. British Empire Vs. Japan 1928

The war that never happend. U.S and British Empire go to war. Japan tears up her treaty with British and invade British and American holdings in Pacific. War ends 4 years later with America the world's only true superpower following her defeating Britian and Japan.

shane said:

The war that never happend. U.S and British Empire go to war. Japan tears up her treaty with British and invade British and American holdings in Pacific. War ends 4 years later with America the world's only true superpower following her defeating Britian and Japan.

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Er, if Japan is attacking both the US and the UK, why would they have fought each other instead of double-teaming Japan?

Can we keep it to a proxy war? America/UK/France, the USSR, and Germany never...quite...declare war on each other. The Soviet Union invades Finland, and the Allies declare war on the Finnish People's Republic, allying with the rump Finnish government. Soviet troops fight American, but not under those terms. Poland is a simliar situation, as Soviet troops fight Germans, under the guise of the Polish SSR. Britain invades Norway and fights Hitler, but the declaration is against Hitler Norweigian proxy. Something like this, carried out in the colonies, etc. to an absurd degree, with alliances between the three powers springing up by theater?