The Road Not Taken

Vexacus

Banned
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]Here is my new TL/story. This is a story I've wanted to try and tell for some time now. Any ideas you have please put them here and let me know what you all think.[/FONT]

[FONT=Courier New, monospace]THE ROAD NOT TAKEN[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace] (FKA)[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace] JAPAN JOINS THE ALLIES[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace] An alternate history by Vexacus[/FONT]

[FONT=Courier New, monospace]PRELUDE: How It All Began[/FONT]
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Date: May 22, 1939
Location: Imperial Diet Building, Tokyo, Japan
Time: 8:21 p.m. PST

Prime Minister Hiranuma Kiichirō looked over the memo once again, but no matter how many times he read it, he was still disturbed by it; fascist Italy had joined with Nazi Germany in forming the Axis Powers. “Our Empire could do no worse than to make a similar alliance” Inspector-General of Army Aviation Hideki Tojo said from across the desk “We would get the assistance of the Germans should we be attacked or decide to attack the allies”. Kiichirō knew that by 'allies' Tojo meant the United States. “If we join the Axis powers, and then the Axis should loose the war, Japan would inevitably pay the price” Kiichirō said “And with the Americans on the opposing side, any punishment they put down on us would be severe in the extreme”. Kiichirō indicated the map on the wall which displayed the territory that comprised the Empire of Japan. “Consider this. If we joined the Axis, then the Allies would undoubtedly take this as proof of our hostile intent” Kiichirō said to Tojo “Our Empire would come under threat, particularly Arasuka-shū, which would become the first target of the Americans retaliation”. Tojo knew this was true, but he also knew that the Empire needed to make alliances and eventually take sides in what had the possibility of going beyond Europe, possibly even becoming a world war. “The Americans are to focused on the pacific to be a threat to Arasuka-shū” Tojo said “They can not be trusted”. Kiichirō knew there was a grain of truth to Tojo's words. “Since the purchase of Arasuka-shū, the Americans have been uneasy about our presence in North America” Tojo said “They can not be trusted, and after the Aleutian incident, I would think that you do not need convincing”.

Kiichirō remembered the 'Aleutian incident' from a few months back when a US ship had landed troops on the Southern most of the Aleutian Islands which subsequently claimed them for the United States. There had been tense moments when it appeared that Japan would use force to remove the US troops from Japanese territory, but cooler heads prevailed and Kiichirō and President Roosevelt had negotiated a US withdrawal in return for allowing US ships to dock in Alaska on their way from Siberia to the US. “In 1897, Prime Minister Ito Hirobumi negotiated the purchase of Alaska from Russia” Kiichirō says to Tojo “If the Americans had bought Karafuto or the Chishima, would we not be on edge as the Americans are with us?”. Tojo grudgingly had to admit that Kiichirō was right. “But my point still stands, the Americans can not be trusted. See for yourself....”. Tojo hands Kiichirō a folder and says “Read this and tell me the Americans can still be trusted”. Kiichirō opens the folder and reads the file;

After acting on tips from several members of the public, the Kempentai captures several members of an American spy ring that is operating in Shikoku. After interrogating the captured spies, the Kempentai discovers that the rest of the American spy ring is operating in the city of Nagasaki on the island of Kyushu. The captured spies are sentenced to be used by Unit 731. The Kempentai raid the location of the other American spies in Nagasaki, and after a brief shoot-out which leaves one Kempentai and four Americans dead, the spies are captured. They are interrogated for information; wherein they reveal that the cargo ship U.S.S. Oregon will be arriving in Nagasaki. It will contain more spies as well as equipment to aid the spies. When it is decided that the spies have no relevant information, they are sentenced to be used by Unit 731. The Kempentai informs the Navy about the USS Oregon arriving in Nagasaki and the navy dispatches the I-400 submarine to sink the Oregon before it reaches Japan. One day after the interrogation of the spies, the I-400 spots the USS Oregon approaching Japanese waters. Captain Kodai orders two torpedoes be fired, they find their target with deadly accuracy, striking the USS Oregon amidships. The American cargo-ship sinks in just nine minutes with the loss of all hands. With the sinking of the USS Oregon, the Kempentai scour the rest of Japan for any remaining American spies. They find several remaining American spies, all but one is captured with the rest being killed in a shootout near Anraku-ji in Kamiita, Tokushima.

Kiichirō closed the folder and looks at Tojo. “What did the Americans say about the loss of their ship?” he asked. “They denied any knowledge of it” Tojo replied “They swear that the ship does not and did not exist”. If this was true, then Kiichirō knew that the Americans were conducting spying operations against the Empire of Japan. “We must be on our guard for further American spying attempts” Kiichirō told Tojo “But we must not provoke the Americans into attacking. We must give diplomacy a chance to prevail”. Tojo was not pleased when he heard this, though he kept his displeasure hidden. He and other like-minded militarists knew that sooner or later that Japan would come into conflict with the United States, and that the point that would ignite this war, which Tojo and the other like-minded militarists said Japan could win, would be the American Pacific Fleet anchored at Pearl Harbour, Hawaii. "Should we not also prepare for war?” Tojo said “The United States pacific fleet at Pearl Harbour is like a knife to the throat of our Empire”. Determined not to drag the Empire into a war with the allies, Kiichirō was determined not to let the militarists win. Though he did agree that they needed to strengthen the Empire's defences. “I have a meeting with Paul Lindsay, the American Ambassador to Japan tomorrow morning” Kiichirō said to Tojo “I want you there, you will see that diplomacy will prevail over the military action you so desperately want”.

“No sane man wants war” Tojo said to Kiichirō “But with Germany and Italy forming an alliance, war may be headed our way and we might not have any say in it”. With Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy officially joining forces, Kiichirō knew that war indeed might be headed the Empire's way and that they might indeed be drawn into a war. Tensions along the border in Korea were already tense, there had been a few cross-border incidents, but nothing beyond a few badly aimed pot-shots taken at the Japanese by Chinese soldiers. “Diplomacy will win General Tojo, I assure you” Kiichirō said “Just make sure you are here tomorrow morning when I meet with Ambassador Lindsey and you will see first-hand what I mean”. Tojo frowned and asked "Are you going to side with the Americans?". Kiichirō simply replied with "Be here tomorrow morning at 8:21 and you will see what I plan to do. Now if you do not mind, I have a lot to prepare for tomorrow's meeting". Tojo bowed then left the office, feeling a combination of nerves and unease about tomorrow's meeting with the American Ambassador.

Date: May 22, 1939
Location: White House, Washington, United States
Time: 12:11 p.m. EST

President Franklin D Roosevelt had just read the report of the loss of the USS Oregon and he was not pleased. An attempt to set up a spying ring in Japan had failed miserably with the loss of a cargo ship and all the intelligence agents and personnel. He sipped his tea and looked at the latest reports coming from Europe, and although the loss of the USS Oregon and all the intelligence agents and personnel worried him, he was more concerned with the news that Mussolini's fascist Italy had joined with Nazi Germany in forming the Axis Powers. Worse still were the reports coming in from Moscow that Hitler was diplomatically courting the Empire of Japan and the Soviet Union as possible members of the Axis. Though he was relieved to see that the German Ambassador had not succeeded in securing a meeting with Prime Minister Kiichirō, he was concerned that the German Ambassador to the Soviet Union had met with the Soviet foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotovin an official capacity and that worried him. Nazi Germany had already invaded Poland and was making further advances into Western Europe, thus if the Soviet Union joined the Axis, then not only Europe and Asia would be threatened by the combined menace, but the United States would also be threatened. With the failure of the spying ring, there was the possibility that the Empire of Japan might join the Axis Powers. And if that were to happen, then not only Europe would be ground under the jackboot of oppression, North America would be under direct threat.
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[FONT=Courier New, monospace]He knew that if the just USSR joined the Axis, then Europe would be screwed. He had sent a letter to the Russian government urging Stalin not to side with Nazi Germany and to stand against the rising tide of fascism in Europe. But he had not received a reply. “Sorry to disturb you at this late hour” Vice President Wallace said, entering the Oval Office “But we just got an urgent cable from our Embassy in Moscow”. He hands the cable to Roosevelt, who looks at it and as he reads it, he felt ice form in his veins and the cold hand of fear gripping his heart; Stalin and the German Ambassador to the Soviet Union were to meet to discuss a German/Russo alliance. If that alliance went ahead, the the entire world could be threatened by the Axis powers. He knew that as sure as he was that his name was Franklin D Roosevelt and that he suffered from Polio, he knew that he had to think the unthinkable and make an alliance with the dragon.[/FONT]

[FONT=Courier New, monospace]Date: May 23, 1939
Location: Imperial Diet Building, Tokyo, Japan
Time: 8:28 a.m. PST

Prime Minister Hiranuma Kiichirō looked over the desk at the man sat opposite him. Kelly Lindsey was a man of tall height, standing six foot, nine inches tall. His black hair was slicked back and he wore round-rimmed glasses, which at the moment perched on the end his short, thin nose. His face was ruggedly handsome, with the weathered look that indicated he was a native of the state of California. Speaking in a high voice with a slight Californian twang, the Ambassador said to Kiichirō “Mr Prime Minister, when I was informed last night that you wanted to speak with me this morning, I had no idea it would be about this”. Kiichirō smiled politely and said “I can imagine it was a surprise for you, but though it is a surprise, the content is serious”. Ambassador Lindsey nodded. He had been informed about Roosevelt's decision to make peace with the the dragon and had been just as surprised by it as what Kiichirō had proposed to him. “There are certain things that we would require before this could be done” Lindsay said “Chief on the list would be your intentions towards the rest of Asia”. Seated to the left of Kiichirō, General Tojo bristled at the question as to the Empire's plans for East Asia. “Our plans are not the concern of the United States” Tojo said to Ambassador Lindsay. Kiichirō glanced art Tojo then said to Ambassador Lindsay “Our Empire has no intentions of encroaching on the territory of any other nations; but we WILL take actions to defend our territory from other nations”.
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“[FONT=Courier New, monospace]So would we Mister Prime Minister” Ambassador Lindsay replied “But the concerns of Washington are your intentions in China, specifically the Kwatung Leased Territory. There is also the status of Korea”. Before Kiichirō could answer, General Tojo said “Chosen is an inseparable part of Our Empire. Just like California is an inseparable part of America”. Ambassador Lindsay had to admit that Tojo was right, but since President Roosevelt had included it in the list of things that had to be mentioned, he had brought it up. “If the Soviet Union joins the Axis Powers, then not only Our Empire will be at risk, but the United States will also be at risk” Kiichirō said “We owe it not only to our children, but to our children's children to make sure that the scourge that is the Axis Powers do not threaten our nations”. Ambassador Lindsay knew Kiichirō was right, and that the only way the Allies would be victorious would be if the Empire of Japan joined with them. “So, what do I report back to the White House?” Ambassador Lindsay asked “Do I report that Japan will do nothing while the Axis conquers the world or do I report back that Japan will stand with us against the coming darkness?”. Lindsay smiled inwardly, he knew that there was only once answer Japan could give. But he also felt that Japan Kiichirō had manoeuvred things so that there was only the one answer that could be given.[/FONT]

[FONT=Courier New, monospace]Date: May 24, 1939
Location: White House, Washington, United States
Time: 12:58 p.m. EST

Sitting alone in the Oval Office, President Franklin D Roosevelt wrote in his diary. As the pen scratched on the paper, he wrote:
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[FONT=Courier New, monospace]This morning, at 4:30am, eastern standard time, the Empire of Japan formally declared their opposition to the Axis Powers, subsequently recalling their Ambassadors from Moscow, Rome and Berlin and expelling the German, Russian and Italian Ambassadors from Tokyo. They've also struck at fifteen locations in French colonial possession in East Asia. In response, the Axis Powers have declared war on the Allies; we have now struck the first blow against fascism and can only pray that we emerge victorious in the coming conflict.[/FONT]

[FONT=Courier New, monospace]As he wrote, Roosevelt was unaware of the historical significance that his words would have.
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Coming Next: Part II - The Fight For Formossa
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It is in the right forum; the text mentions the 1897 purchase of Alaska from Russia, so the POD is definitely before 1900. It is the POD that determines the forum, not the date of the narrative actions.
 

Vexacus

Banned
It is in the right forum; the text mentions the 1897 purchase of Alaska from Russia, so the POD is definitely before 1900. It is the POD that determines the forum, not the date of the narrative actions.
I'm glad its in the right forum
 
Ah. I see. In that case- wouldn't a Japanese purchase of Alaska indicate changes in the Russo-Japanese war? Or events afterward, thanks to butterfly effect?
 

Vexacus

Banned
Ah. I see. In that case- wouldn't a Japanese purchase of Alaska indicate changes in the Russo-Japanese war? Or events afterward, thanks to butterfly effect?
The POD is Russia loosing the war that divided Sakhalin in half with Japan gaining all of Sakahalin and renaming it Karafuto
 
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