The Sun, The Stars and The Sickle: Alt-WWII and a Tripolar Postwar World

[WaterproofPotatoes]

Harbin, Manchukuo

November 2nd, 1939

3:32 PM

CORRESPONDENT Herbert Wilkinson trained his camera on the varied sights of life in Harbin.

Harbin was a city of factory chimneys and various cultures, some shops bearing signage in Mandarin, Manchu, Japanese and Russian. Russian emigrés, fleeing the Communists were a large presence in Harbin, some becoming prosperous merchants, others falling into fascist paramilitaries- many of this latter group were hastily organized and sent to reinforce remote locales in Korea, far from the Soviet border and far from Harbin's Jewish shop owners.

The city had taken on the air of an armed camp, with the Manchukuo Imperial Army acting largely as a gendarmerie. Two privates leaned on short-pattern Arisakas, guarding a large synagogue, pacing back and forth occasionally.

Some distance away, some prisoners were clearing rubbish from in and around a pond. They wore placards detailing their crimes over their shabby clothing. The "Thief" and "Vandal" looked very uncomfortable pulling rubbish out of the cold muck, while the "Vagrant" seemed far more at ease wheeling a pushcart towards two trucks and separating the metal scrap from other rubbish. A "Disturber of the Peace" quietly pushed a broom along the gutter.


Amid this scene, a chauffeured Bentley, carrying occupants in furs and formal daywear towards downtown, drove past as the street sweeper stood aside.

In almost every way conceievable, Harbin was a city of contrasts.

 

[Luminous]

Hrm. For that matter, how big is the Russian population in Harbin compared to OTL? More genial Japanese treatment might lead to some interesting effects...

Also, I imagine Unit 731 is not going to become a thing in this timeline, but does Harbin remain the Japanese center of logistics for the region? Or have the Japanese ceded more control to Manchukuo's forces?

 

[WaterproofPotatoes]

Manila, Philippines

November 2nd, 1939

4:10 PM

ERNEST King was attending yet another meeting of the of the so-called "Manila Gang", largely focused on sharing information gathered by Army and Navy intelligence in respect to the situation in China and Japanese activity. These meetings, unusually close, were reflective of the Philippines' frontier status.

Japan was continuing to mobilize her ground forces in China. Japan held the coast as far south as Tsingtao, and the important ports of Ryojun and Dairen (Dailan) through which the reinforcements poured. They were organized into the North China Area Army, commanded by General Count Hisaichi Terauchi and the Central China Area Army, under the command of General Tomoyuki Yamashita.

In naval affairs, the fate of the Hyuga was concerning. Reconnaissance photographs showed the aft-most four of the six turrets had been removed, and the superstructure was being razed. Of greater concern was the nearby construction of several types of short catapults and recovery cranes, with A5M fighters and B4Y dive bombers being tested on them. This development was alarming, not because these old battleships would be made into spectacular carriers, but how closely they paralleled a project that the US Navy was working on- with the rather utilitarian name of "Battleship, Small; Aviation"


Douglas MacArthur was concerned with the breakneck speed and relative ease with which the Japanese took Beiping, but that was expected. What was far worse was the hundreds of thousands of Japanese troops being moved to the coastal regions of China. Tsingtao to Shanghai isn't that far of a distance for the ready and willing Imperial Japanese Army, under the cover of the Imperial Japanese Navy's big guns and carrier aircraft.

The Philippine Army lagged behind in training and was sorely in need of equipment, as the Beiping debacle made all the more apparent, and by God did MacArthur want every last one of them.

Chiang Kai-Shek also worried MacArthur. Most of his best troops were kept in reserve to defend Nanking, the seat of his government. He sent one of his best generals, and one who knew North China well, Wu Peifu, off to the Northwest to fight the Communists, who were far less of a threat than the IJA. He seemed focused still on consolidating power within the Kuomintang, to the detriment of the defence of China. Nothing, after all, brings a nation together like an invasion. The German connection concerned MacArthur as well- the Germans would want their chunk of flesh from their alliance with China as well, and it was unclear how a nation with no navy or oilfields to speak of benefited them.

Britain also said nothing about this situation- as far as they were concerned, this was Japan's business and they would stay out of it if Hong Kong and the British sector of Shanghai were untouched.

---

"Next slide please, Sutherland" said MacArthur to his chief of staff, Brigadier General Richard Sutherland, as a slide with a map and arrows showing Japanese troop movements was displayed.

"Well, boys, this is what we're up against if Japan decides they want to take Shanghai. There's a lot of them, and a lot of heavy equipment but nothing that can possibly overcome American ingenuity and preparation. Admiral King, what of the naval situation?" asked MacArthur, steering the meeting.

"It's simple" stated King, matter-of-factly. "To beat the Japs, you have to get in their heads, and think like a Jap.

What this is, is a play for time. They want to see what we're doing; what we're building- and then try to respond with something just a bit better; a plan just a bit more clever.

They're a lot of things, but they aren't stupid- so we keep them guessing. We dig in, we build- and we don't let them catch up."

---

Kwantung Army Headquarters

Hsinking (Changchun), Manchukuo

4:14 PM


GENERAL Tojo, with a pained expression, spoke into the telephone.

"Yes, Your Imperial Majesty, your displeasure is noted. However, I assure you that I made every possible effort.."

 

[skarosianlifeform]

Japan will be just fine as long as she can buy oil and other resources from the British, Dutch and Soviets (North Sakhalin oil), not to mention Allied Japan = no occupation of Indochina, and that move started the spiral of sanctions that led to Pearl Harbor. Plus Britain and France stopping their weapons deliveries to ROC.

Really, it's the smartest move Japan could do.

 

[WaterproofPotatoes]

Hrm. For that matter, how big is the Russian population in Harbin compared to OTL? More genial Japanese treatment might lead to some interesting effects...

Also, I imagine Unit 731 is not going to become a thing in this timeline, but does Harbin remain the Japanese center of logistics for the region? Or have the Japanese ceded more control to Manchukuo's forces?

On the balance, considerably larger (+30-35%) than OTL, as the Japanese authorities are happy to have a population that makes them money and has built-in antipathy to the Soviets. There's at least one Russian cavalry regiment with Japanese officers (no doubt German propaganda will take on these rebuilt "Hordes of Khan"), although it has been dispatched to Mengjiang as nobody wants a war with the Soviets now.

What's also interesting is Japan is encouraging Jewish immigration to Manchukuo- an educated, peaceful population is certainly a welcome addition.

Harbin remains the centre of Japanese logistics, and there is a Unit 731- however, this one actually exists to test gas masks and water purification tablets on non-human subjects.

The Manchukuo government isn't much more effective than OTL on its own, but it is a much better governed colony allied state. Puyi remains similarly unpopular, viewed as a foolish, decadent, opportunistic pretender, but now is not the time for Japan to rock the boat even if they don't like him either.

 

[WaterproofPotatoes]

Japan will be just fine as long as she can buy oil and other resources from the British, Dutch and Soviets (North Sakhalin oil), not to mention Allied Japan = no occupation of Indochina, and that move started the spiral of sanctions that led to Pearl Harbor. Plus Britain and France stopping their weapons deliveries to ROC.

Really, it's the smartest move Japan could do.

Absolutely!

Neither Britain nor France are supplying Chiang with weapons, and France is not sending any naval advisors to China either.

In exchange for being allowed to keep their holdings in northern China and oil contracts, Japan has also agreed to intervene if Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaya or Indochine are attacked, which will give China even more pause in case they decide to pursue expansionist policies.

Also, apologies for the lack of updates lately, OTL obligations strike again.

 

[WaterproofPotatoes]

Kwantung Army Headquarters

Hsinking, Manchukuo

November 2nd, 1939

4:16 PM

TOJO'S painful telephone call continued for what seemed like an eternity to him. His chief of staff, General Hajime Sugiyama, looked on, baffled.

"...I have done my utmost to ensure said specific order was executed to its fullest extent...

...Yes, Your Majesty, I will ensure that my superiors are aware of this incident, and that I do indeed accept responsibility....

...His Imperial Majesty indeed makes himself clear, and I wish to take no further time out of his day...Thank you, Your Majesty."

No sooner than he hung up the receiver, Tojo's rage could no longer be contained.

"That insufferable ingrate!" roared Tojo.

"Mister Pu Yi," he said to Sugiyama, sneeringly "wishes to inquire why, three weeks after the fact that a detachment-sized element of Manchukuo Imperial Army personnel were moved within Manchukuo under Japanese orders. Men were diverted to guard a fuel dump and that's what has him upset. Chiang wants him shot- he can have him!"

"A staff officer was sent with the orders prepared for him to sign on two occasions prior to the fact, and was turned away both times" replied a characteristically calm Sugiyama

"I suppose he was too busy having eunuchs beaten or chasing pageboys to bother signing them?" inquired Tojo sarcastically

"On one occasion" Sugiyama stated in a clinically detached manner, "His Imperial Majesty was not yet awake at the hour of eleven-thirty, and on the next, the Empress Consort, having suffered the effects of opium ingestion, was in no fit state for the reception of visitors, and His Imperial Majesty was enraged at this fact."

Tojo had regained his cool with this reassurance.

"He'll complain bitterly, naturally, but to what end? He is informed as a courtesy, not by necessity. Prince Morimasa takes him no more seriously than we do. See to it that he is made aware that the Kwantung Army does not have time for these distractions"

"Absolutely, sir" replied Sugiyama

"Still" said Tojo, "This situation could have been much worse."

"How so?' inquired Sugiyama

"Count Hisaichi Terauchi will not arrive for another three days. Had he been here for a conference, he'd be laughing about it for months and I'd never hear the end of it!"

 

[Luminous]

His Imperial Majesty was enraged at this fact."

So, is this him being arranged at her being incapacitated, or enraged at them not insisting on being seen immediately, at which point he'd be enraged at how they forced their way in when the Empress Consort is in such poor shape?

Gotta love royalty...

 

[skarosianlifeform]

Well, Puyi being this bad makes him a better puppet for the Japanese at least.

 

[WaterproofPotatoes]

So, is this him being arranged at her being incapacitated, or enraged at them not insisting on being seen immediately, at which point he'd be enraged at how they forced their way in when the Empress Consort is in such poor shape?

Gotta love royalty...

He is most upset that Empress Wanrong is on yet another opium binge, and the fact that the Japanese colonel that was sent was not particularly sensitive about that and insisted that Puyi at least be given the orders.

TTL, Empress Wanrong has never been herself since she gave up her son to be raised by her brother and nannies (infanticide by Japanese doctors as in OTL is out of the question here), as she realized the Salt Tax Palace was no place for a child, and the fact that the Japanese cooly stated that they would ensure that the rules of succession in Manchukuo do not permit an illegitimate child, as Wanrong's son was, to ascend to the throne.

 

[Luminous]

He is most upset that Empress Wanrong is on yet another opium binge, and the fact that the Japanese colonel that was sent was not particularly sensitive about that and insisted that Puyi at least be given the orders.

TTL, Empress Wanrong has never been herself since she gave up her son to be raised by her brother and nannies (infanticide by Japanese doctors as in OTL is out of the question here), as she realized the Salt Tax Palace was no place for a child, and the fact that the Japanese cooly stated that they would ensure that the rules of succession in Manchukuo do not permit an illegitimate child, as Wanrong's son was, to ascend to the throne.

That seems more reasonable, at the very least.

For that matter, is their a legitimate one? I'm not so up to date on this, so I honestly ave no clue as to what the succession might look like.

 

[WaterproofPotatoes]

That seems more reasonable, at the very least.

For that matter, is their a legitimate one? I'm not so up to date on this, so I honestly ave no clue as to what the succession might look like.

OTL, Puyi was suspected to be either impotent, a closeted homosexual, or both (he was, at the very least, known to be bisexual). He never had a legitimate heir.

OTL, Wanrong's child was conceived by her driver, and the child was given a lethal injection by the attending doctor.

I'm not sure what the Qing rules for succession would be in that case either. However, regardless of Qing customs, the rules in Manchukuo are whatever Tokyo says they are. The dynasty dies with Puyi, unless he abdicates, in which case it dies sooner.

 

[TheArbiterofAwesome]

Were there no cousins in his line? You always hear about how a given British royal is "xth number" in line for the throne.

 

[WaterproofPotatoes]

Were there no cousins in his line? You always hear about how a given British royal is "xth number" in line for the throne.

In the UK, the practice was male-preference primogeniture until 2002 and now absolite primogeniture.

Basically, the oldest child is in the first position to ascend the throne. As of now, Prince Charles is heir apparent. Next would be Prince William, then his children. After that comes Prince Harry, and then Prince Andrew, and then his daughters. Under the old rules, Edward would be next, under the new ones, Anne.

Puyi had a younger brother, Pujie, who most likely would have made a much better Emperor than his brother.


However, the Japanese aren't particularly interested in propping up an unpopular puppet dynasty. As the Japonification of Manchukuo progresses, he'll become less and less important. All the real power lies in the Prime Minister, who is directed by Tokyo. Japan can dictate what the rules of succession in Manchukuo are, even if they can't decide who the Son of Heaven is.

 

[Luminous]

In the UK, the practice was male-preference primogeniture until 2002 and now absolite primogeniture.

Basically, the oldest child is in the first position to ascend the throne. As of now, Prince Charles is heir apparent. Next would be Prince William, then his children. After that comes Prince Harry, and then Prince Andrew, and then his daughters. Under the old rules, Edward would be next, under the new ones, Anne.

Puyi had a younger brother, Pujie, who most likely would have made a much better Emperor than his brother.


However, the Japanese aren't particularly interested in propping up an unpopular puppet dynasty. As the Japonification of Manchukuo progresses, he'll become less and less important. All the real power lies in the Prime Minister, who is directed by Tokyo. Japan can dictate what the rules of succession in Manchukuo are, even if they can't decide who the Son of Heaven is.

Might then Japan consider encouraging Pujie to take over? Considering that he was married to a member of the JApanese Royal Family, it could be viewed as the first step to solidifying control on the country. And, assuming that they have a daughter ITTL as well, they could end up uniting the Japanese and Qing/Manchukuo in a dynastic union, ushering in a political union as well (the best laid plans of mice and men, of course, are subject to debates concerning success). Though, if they did pursue that route, would the Japanese have even allowed Akihito to marry the daughter of Pujie, even if she was half-Japanese? There was already enough contention of him marrying a commoner that was, at least nominally, Catholic.

 

[WaterproofPotatoes]

Might then Japan consider encouraging Pujie to take over? Considering that he was married to a member of the JApanese Royal Family, it could be viewed as the first step to solidifying control on the country. And, assuming that they have a daughter ITTL as well, they could end up uniting the Japanese and Qing/Manchukuo in a dynastic union, ushering in a political union as well (the best laid plans of mice and men, of course, are subject to debates concerning success). Though, if they did pursue that route, would the Japanese have even allowed Akihito to marry the daughter of Pujie, even if she was half-Japanese? There was already enough contention of him marrying a commoner that was, at least nominally, Catholic.

That certainly isn't outside the realm of possibility, and if anything, a Japanese Empress Consort of Manchukuo might be seen as a boon. It's dependent on a few factors- can Pujie's profile be raised sufficiently, will he be popular enough with the Manchu population, and would both be more beneficial than simply doing away with the Qing dynasty altogether?

Time will tell...

 

[Luminous]

That certainly isn't outside the realm of possibility, and if anything, a Japanese Empress Consort of Manchukuo might be seen as a boon. It's dependent on a few factors- can Pujie's profile be raised sufficiently, will he be popular enough with the Manchu population, and would both be more beneficial than simply doing away with the Qing dynasty altogether?

Time will tell...

Especially as a Japanese Consort might be seen (correctly) as part of the slow process of Japanese annexation of Manchukuo, rather than actually providing for an alliance.

 

[WaterproofPotatoes]

Alright, this is where the two halves of the globe will get caught up in the timeline, as the East is lagging the West by half a year or more.
____
Excerpts from "China At War", C.K. Fung, Random House, 1986

THE winter of 1939-1940 proved a trying time for the Chinese National Army.

Japanese forces continued to advance westward; the Kwantung Army was bolstered by forces from the North China Area Army, as well as cavalry contingents from Mengjiang, who performed quite well. However, the Japanese forces began to encounter considerable difficulty.

While the troops all had proper rifles, ammunition, winter clothing, and food, transportation became difficult. In much of northern China, roads were either poor or nonexistent. The movement of guns and heavy equipment slowed to a crawl. Moving over frozen ground in the dead of winter was tolerable, but the spring mud made advances nearly impossible. Equipment was adapted to help deal with these challenges- improved truck tires, rubberized gaiters to replace puttees, and disc wheels to replace spoked wheels for guns, but this new equipment also found itself stuck in the slowing supply train despite having been dispatched from Japan and Manchukuo relatively quickly.

The IJA suffered an additional challenge, perhaps greater than mud and the National Army- the extremely ambitious naval budget that was proposed for 1940. The fleet expansion plan called for an additional large fleet aircraft carrier, ten smaller Hiryu-sized carriers, three battleships (and ones that were superior to any afloat at the time), four heavy cruisers, five light cruisers, no fewer than 70 destroyers and several new submarine types, all to be laid down between 1940 and 1943. Considerable resources would be diverted to this plan, which was to receive top priority.

Ties with Britain were also strengthened- forty-eight carrier fighters were built for Britain by Mitsubishi. Officially the "Improved Navy Type 96 Carrier-Based Fighter", it was a development of the A5M with a cut-down rear fuselage and "Malcolm hood" canopy, a retractable undercarriage, and a more powerful Bristol radial engine to offset the weight increases these improvements caused, in addition to the inclusion of armour and self-sealing tanks. Performance exceeded the standard A5M in most aspects except for range. A licence for the type was also sold to Bristol, which began producing an additional one hundred and fifty-six as the Bristol Bushido Mk. II.



The National Army did, however, enjoy some successes. General Wu Peifu's forces made considerable progress against the Communists in the country's northwest- they studied the terrain and their enemy's tactics. and waged asymmetrical warfare against the Communists, winning battles against much larger forces. The foremost consequence of this was that Mao began to evacuate many of his units eastward to fight the Japanese- an unspoken agreement between him and Wu.

Chiang continued to receive assistance from Germany from the Soviet Union, albeit in a narrowing strip of territory. Japan blockaded every port in the North, and the Royal Navy patrolled the southern waters, to prevent German ships from delivering supplies that would be used to attack their Japanese ally. Training of the National Army was accelerated as well, and the cadre of Soviet naval advisors was expanded in order to mount an attempt to slow the flow of supplies to Japan to the IJA forces in China.


The United States continued to reinforce the Philippines and accelerated training for the Philippine Army. Led by General Douglas MacArthur, the closely-knit "Manila Gang" watched the situation in China intently, despite the fact their intelligence was often plagued by gaps or outright wrong. Official policy was neutrality, but it was clear that there was considerable sympathy for the Chinese position, even if Chiang himself was an unpopular figure in both Manila and Washington.

 

[WaterproofPotatoes]

No. 10 Downing St.; London, England

8th July, 1940

2:34 PM

PRIME Minister Neville Chamberlain felt at ease, for the first time in a while. Despite the great pain he felt in his bowels, the world at large seemed stable, for the moment.

He had just concluded a meeting with Prince Chichibu, the Japanese ambassador and Emperor Hirohito's brother. Of all the diplomats there were to deal with, he was among those with whom the Prime Minister could most closely relate.

Prince Chichibu was a noted Anglophile, and rugby enthusiast- in another lifetime, he might have been a public schoolboy or a Tory MP. The two discussed matters related to the defence of Hong Kong, should it become necessary, although Japan had been making great gains in their late spring and summer initiatives.


On the Continent, Hitler had made no more moves since the disastrous Norwegian campaign. The French were bolstering their defences, notably the powerful Maginot Line.

At last, it looked as if this fragile peace might hold in the West. Norway might have been enough to stop Hitler's advances. Granted, the Poles were now without a state, but surely a solution could be negotiated.

Might, at last, there be peace in our time?

 

[dakkafex]

Might, at last, there be peace in our time?

'Might' is such an open-ended term. How are Soviet defenses in Belarus, the Baltics, and western Ukraine looking right now?