Here's something I thought about: if Ichi-go never occurs, Imperial Japan is much more well prepared for the Soviet Invasion of Manchuria. If this occurs, then when Japan surrenders, the Soviets do not have all of Manchuria and North Korea as in OTL, the Soviets only have very small pieces of Manchuria. Once the Second Sino-Japanese War officially ends, the Chinese Civil War resumes, but this time the CCP does not have the industrial base that is Manchuria which IOTL was extremely helpful to the Communists in winning the war. Without Communist control of Manchuria, the Nationalists win the Civil War, Nationalist China, Cold War dynamics change, China changes, etc. Does my speculation have some validity?