Japan As An Ally

WI Japan was an ally of the United States and the other Western Powers during WWII? Would there be a Pacific front at all--obviously it wouldn't be anything like we know, but would another power grow to fill the "vacuum"?

What would the world look like if this happened?
 
All I can think of is a few German raiders and submarines, perhaps trying to use Vichy bases, or simply operating alone as per their OTL counterparts in the Indian Ocean

Best Regards
Grey Wolf
 

ninebucks

Banned
The Pacific Ocean just isn't "big enough" for two major powers, Japan and America could not peacefully coexist whilst the issue of which power should dominate the Pacific was still in dispute.

The best case scenario is if Japan doesn't ally with Nazi Germany, and choses to stay neutral. In order to continue its military/strategic growth, Japan needed to start and win a war in the Pacific against the USA, but it is possible that that Pacific War might not happen at the same time as the rest of WWII.
 
Its pretty unlike without some POD pre-1900 to get the US and Japan on the same side by 1939. The US considered the Japanese a potential rival as early as 1900. During the Washington Treaty talks the US was even critical of Britain permitting the Japanese to have annexed former German Pacific possessions in 1919.
 

Markus

Banned
In the early 30´s Japan takes Manchuria and in the process the Japanes re-think their strategy. They could advance more into China, but that would PO the west even more, which they don´t want given that fact the USSR is still Enemy No.1. Keeping in mind the last war which they narrowly and very costly won, Japan´s leaders decide that China isn´t worth the risk. So the conquest of China stops and the semi-independent Kwantung Army is reigned in, the Washington Naval Treaty is not renounced, but renewed. German advances for Japan to join the anti-comintern pact are ignored.
In the late 30´s France and the UK confidentially remind Japan of the old Japanese-English Alliance that worked so well in WW1. Japans leader are carefully listening, they do not make any territorial demands, but they want the tariffs for Japanese goods imported into both empires cut and they want it in writing and long term. It is put in writing after September 39, but definitely after the Fall of France.
So on November 11th, 1940 four Japanese and one British CV launch a devastating surprise attack on the port of Traranto. Two waves of dive and torpedo bombers sink or damage all BBs. Most of the cruisers survive … until Ise, Hyuga, Mutsu, Nagato, Barham, Valiant, Warspite, Queen Elizabeth and Malay appear on the horizon and shell the whole port area back and forth. When the battlewagons leave al major ships: six BBs, seven CAs, two CLs and a number of DDs are burning, sunken or capsized wrecks.

Next on the things to do list is a visit to the port of Tripoli –that will resemble a junkyard afterwards- and sending DDs into the Atlantic for ASW, while the large ships return into the Indian Ocean and help the Free French bring home Madagascar.
 
One thing which would help get this to happen is is to have Nationalist China cement its relationship with Germany in the 1930's and join the anti-comintern powers, and ultimately the Axis. This would place Japanese aggression against China in a different light in the western perception. Following the "an enemy of my enemy is a friend of mine" notion, the UK would have good reason to continue in a friendly relationship with Japan. However, this might only increase US isolationist tendencies. As said, the US and Japan would still be hostile competitors in the Pacific. Quite likely (and assuming Japan does not strike east and south in this OTL), the USA would not enter this WW2 unless directly attacked. Also, the US might be a true neutral. The Allies would be distasteful because the alliance includes two, not just one, nasty potential enemy (the USSR and Japan), and the Axis might not be as distasteful because the US's historic soft spot for Nationalist China might outweigh the nastiness of the Nazis.

We'd just pariently wait and pick up the pieces. Muwahahahahahahah!
 

Markus

Banned
As said, the US and Japan would still be hostile competitors in the Pacific. Quite likely (and assuming Japan does not strike east and south in this OTL), the USA would not enter this WW2 unless directly attacked.

Just for the record, the US government was moving heaven and earth to provoke Germany into declaring war as early as 1940(DD-deal, Leand&Lease, shot on sight order). They were worried about Germany to the point of paranoia, while in a compromising mood towards Japan. An non-aggessive, reasonably democratic and rationally lead Japan would hardly be seen as a hostile competitor.
 
The Pacific Ocean just isn't "big enough" for two major powers, Japan and America could not peacefully coexist whilst the issue of which power should dominate the Pacific was still in dispute.

The best case scenario is if Japan doesn't ally with Nazi Germany, and choses to stay neutral. In order to continue its military/strategic growth, Japan needed to start and win a war in the Pacific against the USA, but it is possible that that Pacific War might not happen at the same time as the rest of WWII.

The ocean covers more than half the planet and this is not big enough for two powers of the '30's and '40's era to share in a little friendly or at least neutral rivalry. If It were the late '60's perhaps but not in the '40's.
if Japan is non-threatening and anti Nazi (or at least not in their favour) then its likely the US and Japan would not come to blows. Nazi Germany was the far greater threat of that time.
 
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