I don't recall seeing a TL being done along these lines, and if so, I apologize, but here's my WI:
What if the Battle of Khalkin-Gol resulted in a larger war between the Soviet Union and Japan in 1939? Is there a POD that makes this possible? For example, on June 27, following large Japanese air strikes against Soviet positions, IJA HQ ordered the Kwangtung Army not to launch any more attacks - what if the order was to launch full-scale air raids?
If we can create a conflict, how does this impact WW2, both in Europe and the Pacific? My thought would be that while the Soviets had better equipment and more of it, the Japanese could bring more force to bear, theater wide, quicker than the Soviets could. A Japanese seizure of Vladisvostok and the Maritime Provinces would surely offset the local defeat that Zhukov would still have inflicted. But if the Japanese military is tied up in Siberia, are they able to launch a war against the US/UK? Do they even occupy French IndoChina? And if not, does the US stay out of the war?
I think there are a lot of ways one could go with a POD here, including a possible "German victory" TL - what do you guys think?
What if the Battle of Khalkin-Gol resulted in a larger war between the Soviet Union and Japan in 1939? Is there a POD that makes this possible? For example, on June 27, following large Japanese air strikes against Soviet positions, IJA HQ ordered the Kwangtung Army not to launch any more attacks - what if the order was to launch full-scale air raids?
If we can create a conflict, how does this impact WW2, both in Europe and the Pacific? My thought would be that while the Soviets had better equipment and more of it, the Japanese could bring more force to bear, theater wide, quicker than the Soviets could. A Japanese seizure of Vladisvostok and the Maritime Provinces would surely offset the local defeat that Zhukov would still have inflicted. But if the Japanese military is tied up in Siberia, are they able to launch a war against the US/UK? Do they even occupy French IndoChina? And if not, does the US stay out of the war?
I think there are a lot of ways one could go with a POD here, including a possible "German victory" TL - what do you guys think?