Possibility of getting the US and Japan on the same side in an alt-WWII?

Japan stomps hard on the first (few) assassinations, decrying the assassins as unpatriotic, unJapanese, etc.

Thus, they stay out of the quagmire that is the Chinese war. (Although they probably have Manchuria.)

When WWII approaches, China cozies up to Germany (somewhat more than OTL), and the Japanese are only a minor irritant to the US. (The China lobby isn't annoyed by the Japanese invasion of the main part of China, and the German connexion means the rest of the US isn't as interested in listening to the China lobby, anyway.)

Moreover, when Nazi-allied China tries taking over the foreign enclaves in the various port cities, the European powers can't spare the forces to defend them, so the US (partly) and Japan (mostly) provide the defences.

While Japan may not be fully a member of the Allies (perhaps), it's definitely on their side, as opposed to on the Nazi's side.

OTOH, the only 'Pacific War' is seizing Vichy Indochina, and 'protecting' the treaty ports in China.

only quibble (or question) would be whether or not French might hang on to Indochina. IOTL they were supplying China prompting (among other reasons) Japanese invasion. ITTL there would be no instructions from Germany for Vichy regime to cooperate with Japan, and assume the U.S. is not at war with France?

wonder the u-boat operations in Pacific and Indian Oceans?

China had ordered u-boats pre-war, not delivered at Japan's request.
 

Geon

Donor
Timeline

Geon

Any idea what the name of the TL you mentioned was? Sounds interesting, would like to read.

Coomer

There was a link way back at the beginning on the original alternate history website. I don't know if that page even still exists as it was over ten years ago! You might want to google Berlin-Moscow Axis or similar words to see if you can find it. The last I read the writer had not updated for many years.

Geon

P.S. On second look - FOUND IT! https://www.alternatehistory.com/dtormsen/Nazi-Soviet_Axis.htm
 
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Driftless

Donor
A variant on the "Errant Shell" 1904-05 POD?

Have the Japanese suffer enough of a reversal of OTL fortune in the Russo-Japanese War that ends with a overhaul of the Japanese military, particularly the Army. In that process, the wingnut faction gets discredited and weeded out. The Japanese remain a military power, but with more civilian control.

A second critical POD, as CalBear noted: You would still need to also fix, or at least lessen the racism that poisoned the relationship between the two countries.

IF you got enough of a POD with the two previous points; and the fear of the "Red Menace" encroaching on China and the Philippines, the US cozies up to Japan?
 
Given a POD of Versailles, and with Japan staying militarist (but also pro-American)

Bonus points if this leads to an infusion of Japanese culture in the US in the 1920s or 1930s, and/or a "special relationship" between Japan and the US.
Japan loses in the Russo-Japanese War. Militarism is kept alive but expansionism dies. As a show of support Japan allies with the US in WWII and sends some support troops into Europe.
That was obviously not very plausible. But neither would an US-Japan alliance be in WWII.
 
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