WI Better Manchurian Resistance?

Probably. If we assume that Zhang Zuolin is assassinated by the Japanese army as in OTL, and that his son Z. Xueliang takes over, then sooner or later he would side with the GMD against Japan. The Japanese army would invade ITTL like they did in OTL...

Pretty sure I agree with this -- the question then is, how does the Manchurian war proceed?
 
Been thinking recently about this again -- primarily, if Japan fails to secure Manchuria (or not as much of it as OTL), does the War in Europe proceed any differently?

If, say, the 2nd Sino-Japanese War is averted, is Nazi Germany still going to invade Poland starting the War with Britain and France without a strategy for keeping them occupied with their colonies? Would he invade the Soviet Union without any hope of opening a Siberian front? Or are these aspects so incidental to Hitler's strategy that it remains eminently plausible that the War in Europe would proceed as OTL?
 
Thinking intuitively, I don't think Hitler nor his generals would've put much hope into Japan to actually do much against the USSR. Japan was a sea-based power, and did not have the developed mechanized force needed to effectively fight Russia in the expanse of the far east. The SSJW for instance was almost entirely fought by infantry.

In regards to the OP, I'd say that a stronger Manchuria defense could have many outcomes. It could lead to earlier Chinese unification since the KMT successfully driving back the Japanese would showcase them as heroes. OTOH, Jiang Jieshi could get lazy and make more mistakes, leading to a prolonged warlord/anti-Communist struggle, and we could see Zhang Xueliang stay in Manchuria and form an independent nation there with all his resources. I've always been interested in the idea of an independent Manchuria. I think that in the modern era it could be a very successful nation.
 
Thinking intuitively, I don't think Hitler nor his generals would've put much hope into Japan to actually do much against the USSR. Japan was a sea-based power, and did not have the developed mechanized force needed to effectively fight Russia in the expanse of the far east. The SSJW for instance was almost entirely fought by infantry.

So the War in Europe likely goes as OTL? Yeah, that's what I'm thinking as well -- though I suppose the Allies would also be able to bring in some (more) soldiers from Asia...
 
Top