Someone posted in a thread a while back (I forgot who and what thread, otherwise I'd link it) of little-used PODs that an interesting one would be one where Imperial Japan and Nationalist China switched roles in the Sino-Japanese War/WWII Pacific Theater. I've been mulling such a scenario over ever since.
Basically, a US/UK-aligned Japan on the defensive vs a dictatorial, expansionist/nationalist China on the offensive.
So, my question is two-fold: 1 - What is/are the PODs needed to have this happen and 2 - What does a Second Sino-Japanese War look like? Does it stay a purely "China vs Japan" conflict or do the UK/France/USA all get involved too?
Bonus points if you can set it up so that Japan is a stronger democracy as well in the process, but that's not strictly needed for the AHC.
Thanks in advance for all the feedback!