Inspired by other WW2 threads.
This is what British planners described as their 'nightmare scenario'
My Suggestion was to have Hitler die during the fall of France, Goering take the reigns and mediate de-escalation of the Japanese-Soviet border, freeing up Japanese troops and reassuring the Soviets re German intentions. Maybe also making full Japanese posession of Indochina part of the peace with France in exchange for a secret agreement to join the war in a specified number of months.
But please ignore the above.
The Japanese had twitchy trigger fingers and a never-back-down mentality. Maybe there is a way to do this that doesn't require German diplomatic competence or anything different on the part of the Germans. What 'incidents' could there have been between Britain and Japan? Where the IJA or IJN start shooting and civilian politicians have to follow because... if they don't they get assassinated.
A challenge with whatever and however many POD(s) you like.
Edit: here is a slightly modified clarifying reply I made down thread:
We are talking about 1940, not 1941. Before significant resources have been allocated to preparing Barbarossa. Earlier the better.
Second, I am not imagining that the Japanese Government or Senior Officers plan this. Oh no. We are talking about this happening in a manner similar to how Japan got into most of its wars with China. Junior officers acting on their own initiative and the top brass refusing to back down because... thats the type they were.
Also I am not interested in this as a 'here is how things could have gone better for Japan' rather on how this would affect Britain and events in Europe. I know Japan would fight America eventually and lose because America had like 10 times the economy they did.
This is what British planners described as their 'nightmare scenario'
My Suggestion was to have Hitler die during the fall of France, Goering take the reigns and mediate de-escalation of the Japanese-Soviet border, freeing up Japanese troops and reassuring the Soviets re German intentions. Maybe also making full Japanese posession of Indochina part of the peace with France in exchange for a secret agreement to join the war in a specified number of months.
But please ignore the above.
The Japanese had twitchy trigger fingers and a never-back-down mentality. Maybe there is a way to do this that doesn't require German diplomatic competence or anything different on the part of the Germans. What 'incidents' could there have been between Britain and Japan? Where the IJA or IJN start shooting and civilian politicians have to follow because... if they don't they get assassinated.
Government by assassination
Government by assassination has been used to describe the political situation in Japan in the 1930s. Most notably, it refers to the death of Inukai Tsuyoshi in the May 15 Incident of 1932, as well as the February 26 Incident of 1936, in which Saitō Makoto and Takahashi Korekiyo were killed. The...
military-history.fandom.com
A challenge with whatever and however many POD(s) you like.
Edit: here is a slightly modified clarifying reply I made down thread:
We are talking about 1940, not 1941. Before significant resources have been allocated to preparing Barbarossa. Earlier the better.
Second, I am not imagining that the Japanese Government or Senior Officers plan this. Oh no. We are talking about this happening in a manner similar to how Japan got into most of its wars with China. Junior officers acting on their own initiative and the top brass refusing to back down because... thats the type they were.
Also I am not interested in this as a 'here is how things could have gone better for Japan' rather on how this would affect Britain and events in Europe. I know Japan would fight America eventually and lose because America had like 10 times the economy they did.
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