You'd have to remove the whole Warlord period from Chinese history, which is not something that could really have a PoD later than 1910, and probably earlier.
I agree but the situation in 1900 or even 1905 wasn't irretrievable.
You'd have to remove the whole Warlord period from Chinese history, which is not something that could really have a PoD later than 1910, and probably earlier.
The problem with relying on the Anglo-Japanese alliance is that Australian politicians were highly skeptical of that alliance and would probably do everything in their power to render it irrelevant in the Japan-Australia bilateral relationship. Australian governments at this time were pretty damn racist and objected to the idea of cooperating with non-white powers as equals due to a persistent desire to be more British than the British to offset the fact that Australia was in Asia. Imagine if California had dictated the US's foreign policy in Asia.
I think more compelling pressures are needed. A CP victory which results in a revolutionary UK could sever the Britain-Australia relationship. Australia now needs to find a new big brother, as it typically does in times of geopolitical flux, and may face its geographical reality now that the umbilical cord with the mother country has been cut. A red Europe could band Australia and Japan together as anti-Communist states if the US remains isolationist, as could a victorious Germany which decides it would like some Asian colonies afterall.
The problem with relying on the Anglo-Japanese alliance is that Australian politicians were highly skeptical of that alliance and would probably do everything in their power to render it irrelevant in the Japan-Australia bilateral relationship. Australian governments at this time were pretty damn racist and objected to the idea of cooperating with non-white powers as equals due to a persistent desire to be more British than the British to offset the fact that Australia was in Asia. Imagine if California had dictated the US's foreign policy in Asia.
Not sure if I agree with this. Yes, there was White Australia and Australian politicians worried about immigration, but Australia and New Zealand were always supportive of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance as it helped maintain British power in the Pacific.
When the alliance collapsed in 1921 it was actually the Canadians who were primarily responsible. They favoured ties with the Americans (who obviously did not like the idea of Britain and Japan as allies) and were concerned about Japanese immigration to British Columbia.
Australia was one of the main proponents of keeping the Anglo-Japanese alliance.
Not sure if I agree with this. Yes, there was White Australia and Australian politicians worried about immigration, but Australia and New Zealand were always supportive of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance as it helped maintain British power in the Pacific.
When the alliance collapsed in 1921 it was actually the Canadians who were primarily responsible. They favoured ties with the Americans (who obviously did not like the idea of Britain and Japan as allies) and were concerned about Japanese immigration to British Columbia.
Why not France?There is still the problem of who are Japan and Aussie fighting.
I meant an expansionist (fascist?) France, that's actually the country responsible for starting the war...Why would Australia be bothered about French Indochina, it was a wreck anyway.
I meant an expansionist (fascist?) France, that's actually the country responsible for starting the war...
But then any war that has the British Empire allied with Japan -- or Australia not part of the British Empire -- probably isn't going to be "recognisable as WWII" anyway...Probably have to have a CP victory or something similar to accomplish that.
In any case, this is now merely 'Japan and Australia allied in a mid 20th Century War' rather than in anything recognisable as WWII.
But then any war that has the British Empire allied with Japan -- or Australia not part of the British Empire -- probably isn't going to be "recognisable as WWII" anyway...
In which case you'd need a POD which had led to Chiang Kai-Shek (or whoever) actually controlling enough of China effectively enough for Britain to see him as a problem... which happens how?Not quite, you could still have the European theatre roughly following OTL, with China allied to Germany instead. It would at least be a similar opening situation.