Hmm, I failed to notice those hints.
What’s the advantage to the British Commonwealth and Empire of occupying Korea (or parts thereof)?
Munich Shuffle: 1938-1942
- Thread starter Garrison
- Start date
What’s the advantage to the British Commonwealth and Empire of occupying Korea (or parts thereof)?
It allows them to strike at Japanese forces in an area with potential civilian collaborators and it prevents the Soviets from getting it after they roll through Manchuria. I imagine it would also be a useful base for operations against the Home Islands.
Korea is like a dagger to the home islands and it prevents a otl scenario so we'll probably not see a North South split
Garrison
Donor
This is basically the reasoning. After Hong Kong the British definitely want the ability bomb Japan and there's an overall advantage to being able to bomb the Home Islands from multiple directions. Of course if the Japanese had given up sooner in Hong Kong and not let Unit 731 loose it might have been a different story.
So in summary :
The chinese are rolling up all gains the japanese made
The Soviets are sweeping through the north
The British have completely taken out any japanese occupation of the european colonies, and are now planning to land in their second major conquest (Korea)
America goes closer by the day
And there's not going to be a single place unscathed in japan by bombing raids, which may or may not be chemical.
What kind of person looks at that situation and goes "Yeah this is fine, we can still get a pretty good peace deal!"
I can't help but think Japan will have a severe population shortage.
The chinese are rolling up all gains the japanese made
The Soviets are sweeping through the north
The British have completely taken out any japanese occupation of the european colonies, and are now planning to land in their second major conquest (Korea)
America goes closer by the day
And there's not going to be a single place unscathed in japan by bombing raids, which may or may not be chemical.
What kind of person looks at that situation and goes "Yeah this is fine, we can still get a pretty good peace deal!"
I can't help but think Japan will have a severe population shortage.
Garrison
Donor
An excellent guess too good an operation to throw away and it was bound to occur to someone 
it just depends on how scared the Japanese get about what might happen if they fight on.
Well after getting pushed off of mainland Asia, the shock of the Soviets breaking the non-aggression pact, and all the IJA forces on mainland Asia being killed or captured, someone is bound to start speaking some sense which could easily provoke the hardliners into doing something stupid and overplaying their hand. Or the IJA-IJN rivalry could heat up to 11 and cause something else dumb that shatters the political status quo in Japan
Looking ahead, with how things shook out in Indochina and a British invasion of Korea coming up, it looks like if there's any Cold War proxy conflicts that see American troops, it probably won't be in Asia. I know the Italy situation is going to cause some frustrations for the Dewey administration but I doubt its a boots on the ground sort of thing.
Did the British acquire any information on Unit 731 from the recapturing of Hong Kong?
Well if its know as monty's masterpiece, then it must be a Market Garden that worked out exactly as intended unlike OTL market garden
Operation Vegetarian (sic) plans brushed off and adapted for the Japanese environment perhaps? IF so ruled, the Japanese people had better pray the Manhattan Project comes to fruition first.
Garrison
Donor
As you say the Americans are unlikely to get caught up in any drawn out wars in Asia, thought hey will have to deal with the need to prop up China and of course with no Vietnam they will have plenty of energy to interfere elsewhere.
Garrison
Donor
The British are considering all options, but to start with they will 'only' be deploying area bombing.
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‘Only’ is right. But OTL the Tiger Force was planned to include 617 and 9 squadrons. The specialist precision bombing experts with the Tallboy and Grand Slam bombs.
Demolition of railway tunnels, viaducts etc. guaranteed. Along with port installations, warships in harbour and anything else that might survive the attention of the USAAF. Which may not be much OTL but there should be a role for them at some point in this TL.
Garrison
Donor
They will be taking advantage of all their navigation aids to bomb by night, making life very difficult for the Japanese air defences who are markedly lacking in effective radar.
Well at the very least I can't see Japan being successful in denying her war crimes now. The post-war enviornment will be very interesting anyway it goes.
Garrison
Donor
Well it will be improved shortly, but in China legitimacy comes down to who controls the key areas and how strong that control is.