Japan carved up after WWII

DMA

What if Japan was carved up, after its surrender in WWII, into four zones just like Germany. So we’d have say the Soviet, American, British & Commonwealth (ie ANZACs), whilst the last zone is China (instead of France in this instance). Furthermore Tokyo is split up, between the four powers, just like Berlin.

How is Japan effected thus throughout the Cold War?

How is the global Cold War likewise effected as a result?

Do we have a similar situation develop in Japan as took place in Germany?

And what of the post-Cold War period?

Anything else?
 

Boom22

I don't think this is possible. The USA wanted Japn to themselves (rightfully too) and the Japanse people would rebel (Japenese Civil War?) While the USSR took a huge tract of land they were fighting for about 3-4 days. Although not impossible ,i mprobalbe.
 

DMA

Boom22 said:
I don't think this is possible. The USA wanted Japn to themselves (rightfully too) and the Japanse people would rebel (Japenese Civil War?) While the USSR took a huge tract of land they were fighting for about 3-4 days. Although not impossible ,i mprobalbe.
Click to expand...


It's not as impossible as you state. Half of the problem, for the US, is that they've already established international precident, for such a zonal occupation, by what the Allies have already done in Germany a few months earlier.

And I don't see why the Americans have a "rightfully too" claim to Japan alone. Afterall millions of Chinese suffered, due to the war, whilst thousands of British, Australian, New Zealander, Malay, & Indian troops likewise died & suffered during the war. Truly all these people have a rightful claim against the Japanese as well - especially the Chinese.
 

Dean_the_Young

DMA said:
It's not as impossible as you state. Half of the problem, for the US, is that they've already established international precident, for such a zonal occupation, by what the Allies have already done in Germany a few months earlier.

And I don't see why the Americans have a "rightfully too" claim to Japan alone. Afterall millions of Chinese suffered, due to the war, whilst thousands of British, Australian, New Zealander, Malay, & Indian troops likewise died & suffered during the war. Truly all these people have a rightful claim against the Japanese as well - especially the Chinese.
Click to expand...
However, there's one significant difference between the occupational zones of Germany and the ones of Japan; the other people were already there in Japan, while only the US was actually at Japan. Having boots on the ground had something to do with it.
 

DMA

Dean_the_Young said:
However, there's one significant difference between the occupational zones of Germany and the ones of Japan; the other people were already there in Japan, while only the US was actually at Japan. Having boots on the ground had something to do with it.
Click to expand...


Actually, when Japan surrended, almost none of the Allies had boots on the ground save for Okinawa. It was Germany which was pretty much completely occupied by everyone at the time of its surrender
 

Nicole

The United States wouldn't put up with it if the Soviets had to be granted a zone of occupation, I would think...
 

DMA

Dean_the_Young said:
I reversed that on accident. My bad. :eek:
Click to expand...


Fair enough ;)

Still. If the Soviets really wanted to, within days of the surrender, they could have grabbed Hokkaido with little effort (along with North Korea).

Obviously the Americans could have grabbed Honshu & Shikoku, whilst Britain/Commonwealth took Kyushu as there isn't much left. And lastly China could have grabbed Formosa, akin to OTL, & say South Korea...
 

richie42

We could give Australia the island of Kyushu, New Zealand could get Shikoku, much of Honshu could be given to the South American/Middle Eastern allies, where the U.S. still has the northern tip of it, and much of Hokkaido.
 

Peter Hillock

So with the discussion of whether it ever could have happened more or less settled...

The Chinese occupation zone would become interesting in 1949, if the communists took over the mainland as in OTL. Would it be a ROC/Taiwan zone, or would the Soviets push to have the Red Chinese get custody?

The Korean War could hardly happen in the same manner, not least because Japan could not serve as a base of US operations.

Interesting is also whether the US and allied zones could have had a Japanese industrial success story if they had to work within the constraints of a divided territory. Since West Germany and South Korea managed the trick, why not?
 

richie42

I think that Taiwan would be an Allied province. If the New Zealanders took Formosa then the nationalists might still flee to there. However, If the New Zealanders took Taiwan, then the idea of the smaller allies taking Japan might work better, as there will then be more room on Japan for more nations to have their own Zones of Occupation.
 

Dean_the_Young

DMA said:
Still. If the Soviets really wanted to, within days of the surrender, they could have grabbed Hokkaido with little effort (along with North Korea).
Click to expand...
What, by swimming? Unless the Soviets decided to build a flotilla that I never heard about, one that could have survived across the water, I don't think so.
 

DMA

Dean_the_Young said:
What, by swimming? Unless the Soviets decided to build a flotilla that I never heard about, one that could have survived across the water, I don't think so.
Click to expand...


Actually the Soviet had an entire Far East Fleet in 1945. It may have not been as large as the USN, but it should be able to transport 100 000 troops all the same. Maybe they'll use that instead of swimming ;)
 

Grand Prince Paul II.

DMA said:
(along with North Korea).
Click to expand...

The Red Army could easily occupied more parts, prossibly all parts of Korea.
They stopped their advance for political reasons more than one week before the first american unit arrived Korea (Pusan).

Dean_the_Young said:
What, by swimming? Unless the Soviets decided to build a flotilla that I never heard about, one that could have survived across the water, I don't think so.
Click to expand...

Read this thread: https://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=72719
 

Starviking

DMA said:
Actually the Soviet had an entire Far East Fleet in 1945. It may have not been as large as the USN, but it should be able to transport 100 000 troops all the same. Maybe they'll use that instead of swimming ;)
Click to expand...

The problem is that Japan is very mountainous, with small plains in between the mountain chains. Hokkaido, the northern most island is less so, but there is still a lot of mountains there too. If, if the Soviets could land on Hokkaido then they're going to get isolated plains backed by mountains, unless they sail all the way down to the plains around Sapporo, where they can cut Hokkaido in half. This would likely be contested. Also, around late November the Sea of Okhotsk is going to freeze solid, complicating logistics massively.

Starviking
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top
Top