Is it possible for China to have their “Operation Uranus” and “Operation Bargration” in World War 2 where China is on the offensive, pushing the Japanese back?
We should also forget the big factor in the roomWhat if the Burma Road remains open? AFAIK the Chinese always had numerical superiority, the big problem was the lack of good equipment and corruption. Keeping Burma from falling should solve at least one of these problems.
So how about Stillwell doesn't go to China in the first place and something delays the Japanese advance in the rest of Asia significantly such as, say, MacArthur growing a brain and organizing a more competent defense of the Philippines.We should also forget the big factor in the room
Fucking stillwell
The guy hoarded all the weapons that were meant for china and supplied it only for the burmease south east asian campaign. Additiannlly the y force in india was kept primarly because stillwell wanted to put them there foruse later, even though chiang wanted to use them because he knew that operation ichigo was going to happen. The only way to get something like operation uranius is to get rid of stillwell
Chiang had an opprutunity in 1941 to 1942 but he chickend out because he was afraid of alienating the us. Instead in this hypothetical chiang decided to replace stillwell in 1942 and with it the us replace stillwell with someone thats more competent. Someone that would actually supply the chinese mainland forces.
Also note the airfield that were built in china, they were built there in exchange for anti tanks to be sent to chiangs force. Guess who stopped that transfer of weapons, it was stillwell.
So how about Stillwell doesn't go to China in the first place and something delays the Japanese advance in the rest of Asia significantly such as, say, MacArthur growing a brain and organizing a more competent defense of the Philippines.
By the time they finally get near Burma (say Malaysia and Thailand) it's too late because of the monsoon season and whatever additional troops the British have there. Thus, the road remains open and the Chinese army is much better supplied.
How about this for a scenario?
What if the Burma Road remains open? AFAIK the Chinese always had numerical superiority, the big problem was the lack of good equipment and corruption. Keeping Burma from falling should solve at least one of these problems.
he's worse stillwell and his ego/incompetence is basically planet sized so maybe he actually gets kicked back to America but is then celebrated as great war hero whom the ungrateful chinese expelledWhat if MacArthur gets sent to China?
I wonder what happens...
Well, everytime I want to post I find Bob here has done so in a better and more professional way that totally covers what I meant to say. Hats off to you.Not without massive increases in tank and mechanized forces. In 1945 the "Carbonado" plan was meant to retake Canton (Guangzhou), but this would hardly have been a 'Bagration:' the Japanese were by then already withdrawing toward the coast both to shorten their supply lines amid the US submarine blockade and as a precaution against an amphibious attack. Generally, the Chinese followed them at a distance.
In the winter of 1939/1940 the Chinese launched a large-scale counteroffensive along a large portion of the front, but they didn't have the strength to gain much ground on the Japanese nor inflict crippling losses. (Dorn, "The Sino-Japanese War" p. 320 estimated 50,0000 Japanese and 150,000 Chinese casualties)
In general, the Nationalist Army was capable of at most crippling a few Japanese divisions under favorable circumstances, such as at Wanjialing during the Battle of Wuhan.
Honestly, the best thing MacArther could have done was recognize the logic behind the Navy viewing the Phillipines as virtually indefensible. By the late 30's the Navies war plans for Japan revolved around losing Islands west of Hawaii before building up a naval campaign that steamrolls back thru the Pacific before isolating Japan.MacArthur growing a brain and organizing a more competent defense of the Philippines.
well to be fair its more complicatedIf Stilwell isn't there to support the Burmese front and resources are instead sent to China, do we see a reverse scenario from otl where the Japanese fail to advance in China but succeed in driving into eastern India?
U-Go happened at the same time as Ichi-Go so you can either support one or the other, not both.