Truly independent Manchkuo

With any POD is it possible that the kwantung army goes
completely rough and declare themselves independent from tokyo?
Manchuria has the raw materials needed for modern industry, which is why they wanted in the first place.They could build their own kingdom, and prepare to conquer china or siberia next
 
To be honest, I don't know anything about the Japanese Empire or its military. But why should an army which occupies enemy territory create a new independent country and separate itself from the motherland?

It is of course possible to think of a coup or revolution in country X, after which army Z which occupies country/colony Y declares the new government illegitimate and is therefore de facto independent. Your scenario requires de jure independence.

For an independent Manchuria, I see possibilities in the Chinese Warlord Area. If as in OTL one warlord fraction controls Manchuria, we have the first step towards an really international accepted country. But we need two other great changes, that this Warlord-Manchuria develops into a real independent country.
1. We need a Japan Screw. Since my knowledge is limited, I don't know how it is possible to prevent further Japanese Influence and invasions into China. A strong Japan would either conquer or vassalize (or both) Manchuria.
2. We need to prevent the "Northern Expedition" which united most of China under the Kuomintang, since such a unification would either lead to a Chinese conquest of Manchuria or that the leading clique in Manchuria need to pledge support to this new government.

The main problem here is, that a weak Warlord China could encourage Japan to conquer or vassalize parts of China.
 
If you just want an independent Manchuria, you could also mess around with the Chinese Civil War; OTL saw the Communists in Manchuria and the KMT in nominal control of most of the rest of China immediately after WWII. Work out some sort of Korea-like ceasefire and leave it that way.
 
With any POD is it possible that the kwantung army goes
completely rough and declare themselves independent from tokyo?
Manchuria has the raw materials needed for modern industry, which is why they wanted in the first place.They could build their own kingdom, and prepare to conquer china or siberia next

Could they become Indepent at some point? Sure, with a POD was back in the 1800's. From when Japan took it you are looking at a state that has no means nor will to fight for independence.

Could they have their own kingdom? Sure. If independence is established in the 1800's a kingdom will be formed.

Could they build the industry needed to rival Japan, Soviet Union and China? Never. Manchuria is more of a barn than a place for industry when you look at the people and land. It has the raw materials, but not the infrastructure or cooperation with its neighbors to start heavy industry like the Japanese build in Manchuria for themselves. Without Japan to build it, Manchuria would only be able to create really good civilian industry, but not for war.
 
There was a tension between Kwantung Army and the political government in Tokyo. Kwantung Army insisted on going to war against government objections and disobeying the orders to stop or retreat. There were also assassinations in mainland Japan, and coups like 1932 and 1936 one which lost - but, for some reason, never an open civil war with large numbers of Kwantung Army soldiers marching from China against Tokyo.
Could the tensions have led to a point where a large number of Kwantung Army soldiers and officers formally resign from Imperial Japanese Army and tell the Tokyo government: "Sorry, we are not in your service, we are private Japanese citizens employed by Manchukuo!"?
 
Yes, I was thinking more among the lines of the kwantung army gets feed up with the weak politicians in tokyo, and extablish their own state free from tokyo.
although this may imply they have to fight japan themselves
 
Yes, I was thinking more among the lines of the kwantung army gets feed up with the weak politicians in tokyo, and extablish their own state free from tokyo.
although this may imply they have to fight japan themselves

Yeah, no. Not fight the emperor.
 
Top