I've always been interested in World War 2. Who wouldn't? It's the closest any group has really come to taking over the world. Had things gone differently on even one or two occasions, the entire war could have been lost or won. Anyway, on to the PoD.
In April of 1942, the United States was not winning the war with the Japanese. Whenever I see a thread on the WW2 Japanese, there's always some mention of them as comparative weaklings, but aside from two events (Changsha and the Doolittle Raid), the US had very little success against them.
The true turning point of the war with Japan was the Battle of the Coral Sea, in which US and Australian ships intercepted an attempt by Japan to invade Port Moresby. In reality, this battle was a paper victory for the Japanese, but a tactical victory for the Allied forces. We, historically, stopped their invasion and gained valuable battlefield experience that was later used to great effect in the Battle of Midway, which, if effective, would have effectively given Japan a safety net from any further Allied attack (it was motivated by the above-mentioned Doolittle Raid, in which Tokyo was bombed).
But what if, instead of doing fairly well out of the Coral Sea, the US had suffered a crushing defeat. They lose the experience, men, and commanders that allowed them to win at Midway. The Japanese, however, do not only win at the Battle of the Coral Sea and Midway, though; those repeated defeats would be a major blow to morale back at home. After losing so many good men, calls would be going up to cease the war, try and find peace with the Japanese, maybe even the Axis as a whole. As I recall, one of the reasons Americans were so isolationist for so long was that they still recalled how much WWI had cost them. With such crushing defeats now, they most likely would have retreated into their shells again, leaving the other Allies to their own devices.
Now, my question: provided that the Japanese win at the Battle of the Coral Sea (this one is semi-likely, unlike some other threads I've read), would it go as I imagine it? From what I see, it not only gives Americans incentive to try and forgive and forget, but it also opens Australia to assault, perhaps even capture (Moresby was located in New Guinea). What do the experts of AH.com think of this?
In April of 1942, the United States was not winning the war with the Japanese. Whenever I see a thread on the WW2 Japanese, there's always some mention of them as comparative weaklings, but aside from two events (Changsha and the Doolittle Raid), the US had very little success against them.
The true turning point of the war with Japan was the Battle of the Coral Sea, in which US and Australian ships intercepted an attempt by Japan to invade Port Moresby. In reality, this battle was a paper victory for the Japanese, but a tactical victory for the Allied forces. We, historically, stopped their invasion and gained valuable battlefield experience that was later used to great effect in the Battle of Midway, which, if effective, would have effectively given Japan a safety net from any further Allied attack (it was motivated by the above-mentioned Doolittle Raid, in which Tokyo was bombed).
But what if, instead of doing fairly well out of the Coral Sea, the US had suffered a crushing defeat. They lose the experience, men, and commanders that allowed them to win at Midway. The Japanese, however, do not only win at the Battle of the Coral Sea and Midway, though; those repeated defeats would be a major blow to morale back at home. After losing so many good men, calls would be going up to cease the war, try and find peace with the Japanese, maybe even the Axis as a whole. As I recall, one of the reasons Americans were so isolationist for so long was that they still recalled how much WWI had cost them. With such crushing defeats now, they most likely would have retreated into their shells again, leaving the other Allies to their own devices.
Now, my question: provided that the Japanese win at the Battle of the Coral Sea (this one is semi-likely, unlike some other threads I've read), would it go as I imagine it? From what I see, it not only gives Americans incentive to try and forgive and forget, but it also opens Australia to assault, perhaps even capture (Moresby was located in New Guinea). What do the experts of AH.com think of this?