In the book "Mao: The Unknown Story" Mao is described as hating Jiang Jieshi even more than the Japanese and wished that the Nationalists would be totally defeated by them. He theorized that like with Poland, Stalin would be able to make a deal with Japan that split China up between the Japanese and the Soviet Union, with Mao's CCP controlling the Communist portion. Apparently he said that it would be nice to let the Japan have everything south of the Yangtze and to give them (the CCP) everything north of it.
Now, let's say that Khalkin Gol was more of a stalemate (or never even happened), or that somehow the Japanese decided to appease the Russians or came to their senses and realized they couldn't take all of China or something. What is the possibility that such a deal, a sort of East Asian "M-R Pact" could be concluded between the USSR, Japan, and the CCP? What would it require? Even if such a deal were made, would the Nationalists be crushed? Would Japan try to rule its portion as Japan or through a puppet? Where would the boundaries lie? How would this pact affect the 2nd World War at large?
I'd like your thoughts.
Now, let's say that Khalkin Gol was more of a stalemate (or never even happened), or that somehow the Japanese decided to appease the Russians or came to their senses and realized they couldn't take all of China or something. What is the possibility that such a deal, a sort of East Asian "M-R Pact" could be concluded between the USSR, Japan, and the CCP? What would it require? Even if such a deal were made, would the Nationalists be crushed? Would Japan try to rule its portion as Japan or through a puppet? Where would the boundaries lie? How would this pact affect the 2nd World War at large?
I'd like your thoughts.