Between 1937 and 1941, how could the Japanese have defeated the forces of Chang kai-Shek and Mao Zedong in the Second Sino-Japanese War?
How could the Japanese have won the Second Sino-Japanese War?
- Thread starter A Piece of History
- Start date
Instead of focussing on US, the British had to be defeated in India.The stilwell road and the camel hump provided a logistics supply route to the kuomintang by the British/Americans later in the war.Defeat of British would have effectively sealed the chineese from all sides in addition to providing Russia with much scare( thus helping Hitler).Even a stalement after taking eastern India(alongwith calcutta) is enough.Basically the approach has to be prevent war supplies and much needed provisions from entering china.It was not possible to annihilate the whole population, so controlling the provisions seems a better option.
Define an objective, achieve it and declare victory, instead of invading bits and using terror for no clear political objective
Faeelin
Banned
There were Japanese statemen who wanted to get a "Bismarckian" peace, where Japan humiliates China, but gives a moderate peace; so recognition of Manchukuo, destabilize Chiang, and call it a win. But that's about it.
This, it's quite easy to have Japan win if you have them set a moderate, sane goal, instead of what they did OTL.
raharris1973
Gone Fishin'
Chiang gets offered a moderate peace, nearly all lost territory since July '37 restored in return for recognizing Manchukuo. Does he accept it?
How is his political standing if he does?
How is his political standing if he does?
Admiral Beez
Banned
I don't think the IJA even knew that. Even with all their might thrown at China this is as far as they got.
So, any thinking that they can take more than this is not realistic. Based on that premise, victory has to be negotiating terms to keep some parts of the seized territory to withdraw back to.
What people don't really understand about Imperial Japan is that when it is said the army was out of control it is that the armies in China acted on whims without any thinking and the army leadership back in Japan backed them up regardless of what they thought about it or intended to do and prevented anyone from disagreeing.
The absolute minimum for a Japanese victory is to change the free hand they had but if you do that you have massively changed Imperial Japan to the point a victory against China is tiny in comparison.
The absolute minimum for a Japanese victory is to change the free hand they had but if you do that you have massively changed Imperial Japan to the point a victory against China is tiny in comparison.
Admiral Beez
Banned
Victory disease, likely. Things are going well, do you want to be the one to suggest stopping it.
nbcman
Donor
That and the tendency for IJA and IJN junior officers to assassinate senior officials and businessmen that didn't follow their ultra-nationalistic views.
Admiral Beez
Banned
What the Japanese needed was a brutal yet strategically brilliant emperor. Force compliance from the military and people, don't overstretch, make allies....