八紘一宇 - Hakkō Ichiu

[Jaenera Targaryen]

So Japanese racial superiority moderates down to Japanese cultural exceptionalism, at least it seems that way to me. It's both laudable and eyebrow-raising, the latter because since Japanese will be accepting assimilates unlike in OTL, Japanization will suddenly become more successful and appealing. Japan's Manchurian and Korean and other colonies may still get Home Rule, but if they stick around for too long, they're never going to get independence, at least not without a lot of internal strife ala Northern Ireland vs Ireland.

In a way, this Empire of Japan is more dangerous than the OTL Empire of Japan, because they can play the game the OTL empire could not.

 

[Asami]

at least it seems that way to me.

That's not an unfair comparison. Japan is indeed trying to soft-assimilate her Empire via cultural exceptionalism. Instead of the 'Yamato race' being the nucleus of the state, the Japanese government is advocating 'One culture, one brotherhood' as the nucleus of the state.

Japan's Manchurian and Korean and other colonies may still get Home Rule

Well, Japan's got no colonies in Manchuria except for that chunk they annexed to their Korean prefectures. The Chinese coastal enclaves are rather okay with Japan vs. Communist China.

Formosa wasn't likely to revolt anyway, given it's historical complacency with Japanese occupation.

Indochina, definitely not going to last forever.

In a way, this Empire of Japan is more dangerous than the OTL Empire of Japan, because they can play the game the OTL empire could not.

But it's far less likely or morally bankrupt to use plague bombs on civilians.

 

[Jaenera Targaryen]

But it's far less likely or morally bankrupt to use plague bombs on civilians.

Maybe dangerous isn't the right word, unless you're a white supremacist. If you are, then this empire is dangerous because it means a non-white nation has truly gained the position of and has been accepted as a Great Power.

If not, then the empire's moderation isn't particularly dangerous, if anything, western cynics will just note Japan's simply followed the same path other imperial powers did after the initial burst of expansion and internal turmoil brought about by industrialization. Indeed, if Communist China still follows the OTL route, America would be rather pleased to see the FER and the empire standing as counterweights to rising Chinese power in the region.

 

[Servox312]

Keep up the great work. This TL is really starting to come together and I hope to see more of it.

Speaking of plague bombs, any chance that everyone in Unit 731 has been purged or are they still around?

 

[Knightmare]

Speaking of plague bombs, any chance that everyone in Unit 731 has been purged or are they still around?

Odds are they were involved in the most latest coup attempt, and as a result, found themselves in a shallow grave.

 

[Asami]

Keep up the great work. This TL is really starting to come together and I hope to see more of it.

Speaking of plague bombs, any chance that everyone in Unit 731 has been purged or are they still around?

Shirō Ishii is an army medical officer in the Far Eastern Republican Army which has allowed him to conduct some (but not all) of his human experiments in Manchuria.

Masaji Kitano is a professor of microbiology at the University of Irkutsk.

Yoshio Shinozuka is an anonymous army medic, with no ties to any group or organization.

Yasuji Kaneko is also an anonymous soldier.

 

[Jaenera Targaryen]

Speaking of Unit 371, I imagine that despite being, well, not their OTL counterpart, the empire is still a military power. In short, use gas or germs against them, and they can and will respond in kind. They just won't use them first, or have experimented/research on them as they did IOTL.

With that said, that's worrying in it's own way. Much of modern understanding of biowarfare comes from Unit 731's research AFAIK, and while the field not being as advanced is a good thing (less chance of it being weaponized), it also means some other nation out there and with potentially-greater resources could launch their own version of Unit 731.

 

[Asami]

Speaking of Unit 371, I imagine that despite being, well, not their OTL counterpart, the empire is still a military power. In short, use gas or germs against them, and they can and will respond in kind. They just won't use them first.

The development of biological and toxological weapons are far less overt than OTL, and are far more morally done, just like the United States.

Also, Japan benefits from FER's less than ethical experiments on prisoners, conducted by Dr. Ishii.

 

[Jaenera Targaryen]

The development of biological and toxological weapons are far less overt than OTL, and are far more morally done, just like the United States.

Not sure how moral America's own bio-weapons program was, IIRC didn't bio-researchers once intentionally contaminate a subway network with germs and even sprayed contaminated water onto black communities?

 

[Asami]

Not sure how moral America's own bio-weapons program was, IIRC didn't bio-researchers once intentionally contaminate a subway network with germs and even sprayed contaminated water onto black communities?

Well, then... at least on face-value, more moral than the US. Japan outsourced that kind of shit to the FER who is far more willing to play with live ammunition.

 

[Grammar Kaiser]

Well, then... at least on face-value, more moral than the US. Japan outsourced that kind of shit to the FER who is far more willing to play with live ammunition.

Well technically, that does make Japan more moral. FER is the lesser of two evils in their mind (compared to the communists). Nothing wrong with asking for their notes if they're doing it anyway.

 

[Jaenera Targaryen]

Well, then... at least on face-value, more moral than the US. Japan outsourced that kind of shit to the FER who is far more willing to play with live ammunition.

Not much different then, as the FER does the dirty work and Japan just shares in the data gathered, much like OTL America did with Japan. With that said, as you mentioned, it's far less...brutal, I suppose than IOTL. Probably with convicts (rapists, murderers, traitors and the like) as test subjects instead of randomly-selected/kidnapped locals.

EDIT: So, is anybody working on nuclear weapons ITTL yet?

 

[Asami]

EDIT: So, is anybody working on nuclear weapons ITTL yet?

Actually, no! No nation has considered it a necessity to pursue them at this time. This may change, but nuclear stuff isn't really considered a necessity to weaponize.

There are heavy focuses in Germany and Japan on nuclear energy, though.

 

[Jaenera Targaryen]

Actually, no! No nation has considered it a necessity to pursue them at this time. This may change, but nuclear stuff isn't really considered a necessity to weaponize.

There are heavy focuses in Germany and Japan on nuclear energy, though.

Sounds good, so long as they avoid accidentally going over critical mass and setting off pseudo-Chernobyl half a century early

 

[Asami]

Sounds good, so long as they avoid accidentally going over critical mass and setting off pseudo-Chernobyl half a century early

I have great confidence that won't happen.

 

[Jaenera Targaryen]

I have great confidence that won't happen.

Lol

What about rocketry? Will Yuri Gagarin still be the first man in space? Or will it be a German this time round?

 

[HonestAbe1809]

If Gagarin is still involved with space travel, even if he isn't the first man in space, it'd be interesting if he becomes the Russian equivalent to John Glenn and leverage his accomplishments into a political career.

 

[Jaenera Targaryen]

If Gagarin is still involved with space travel, even if he isn't the first man in space, it'd be interesting if he becomes the Russian equivalent to John Glenn and leverage his accomplishments into a political career.

Imperial Prime Minister Count Yuri Gagarin?

 

[Whiteshore]

Most of them were just deported to the FER or Germany. Germany prosecuted next to none of them because most of the ones who prosecuted the Great War are dead.

What about those who carried out massacres of unfortunate leftists who had the misfortune of not being able to leave East Prussia in time? And on another note, what is the Polish government like?

 

[Jaenera Targaryen]

BTW, how's Japanese military doctrine going? I imagine the IJN still has decisive battle as the heart of their strategy, but between the alliance with Britain and no Washington Naval Treaty to impose quantitative limits they're not as obsessed with offensive power at the expense of everything else (i.e. proper damage control, ASW and AA, redundant pilot training, etc.)?

Come to think of it, what are the naval ratios between the Great Powers, i.e. RN, USN, IJN, RKM, RIN, etc.?

What about the IJA and the IJAAF?

Or indeed, how 'modern' are global military doctrines right now? With Tukhachevsky with the French, will they be the ones to develop the revolutionary Deep Battle Doctrine?