Operation Menace...in Indochina!

Recognising that Thailand & French Indochina essentially represent the front door to their Malayan stronghold the British enact a more proactive defence and instigate an Operation Menace type endeavour in French Indochina in late 1940.

With the Free French firmly installed in Indochina does this forestall the Japanese designs on Malaya?
 

trurle

Banned
The Japanese would be just happy!:p
Already overstretched Britain bring the ships and soldiers where they can be conveniently massacred. Even before landing.
Even better, no need to declare a war. Britain already open aggression against French friends, representing the legitimate government. The limited Japanese contingent of 40000 troops, legally placed in French Indochina by agreement with Vichy's France government, will voluntarily go under French command to help to defeat a treacherous attack.:p

In short, the repeat of Battle of Dakar. Nearly simultaneously. De Gaulle reputation may be damaged beyond any repair.
 
Japan was at peace with Britain at throughout all of 1940 so won't be massacring any fleet sent to Saigon. If the Operation was launched between July - September 1940 when there was zero Japanese presence in Indochina British security in the region is maintained.

With the Free French installed as the legitimate government in the colony the Japanese either have to attack which would mean declaring war on Britain as her troops protect the colony by invitation or turn a blind eye to the continued use of the Sino-Vietnamese Railway supplying nationalist China.
 
Recognising that Thailand & French Indochina essentially represent the front door to their Malayan stronghold the British enact a more proactive defence and instigate an Operation Menace type endeavour in French Indochina in late 1940.

With the Free French firmly installed in Indochina does this forestall the Japanese designs on Malaya?


I don't know much about Laos and Cambodian history. However, as a Vietnamese, I can point out a few things:
- When Japanese invaded Viet Nam in 1940, there was little resistance from France (part of the reason is that their government had allied with Nazi Germany). Hence, the Brit may not have any help from local French. Unless they are able to bring "Free France Army" [and most of them were in Africa as I remember], they'd suffer great casualties
- It wasn't until mid-1941 when the most effective anti-Jap and anti-French alliance/group was formed. Hence, I doubt there would be any real help as "insider"
- In addition, Laos and Northern Viet Nam are mostly mountainous area, this will limit armor as well as air force. While Cambodia and Southern Viet Nam have relatively large flat land, Japanese strongholds can be tough targets (this area yield a lot of crops)

So, any idea?
 

trurle

Banned
Japan was at peace with Britain at throughout all of 1940 so won't be massacring any fleet sent to Saigon. If the Operation was launched between July - September 1940 when there was zero Japanese presence in Indochina British security in the region is maintained.

With the Free French installed as the legitimate government in the colony the Japanese either have to attack which would mean declaring war on Britain as her troops protect the colony by invitation or turn a blind eye to the continued use of the Sino-Vietnamese Railway supplying nationalist China.

As ComradeH also noticed, there is very little local support to British. It mean the Vichy French/Japanese have a huge advantage in information warfare, not only in conventional. Beyond stamping British as shameless aggressors, it was possible to launch a false flag operations (Japanese under guise of Vichy France).
Also, "British Security" in region was an illusion. The Japanese learned the full extent of British problems from mail on SS Automedon only by 5 December, 1940 though..
 
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