What would happen to the Chinese?
Because OTL, ~250000 were killed by the Japanese in retaliation for aiding the Americans...
The usual conclusion is if no US pilots were rescued by the Chinese resistance then there would have been not 'anti bandit' campaign. I'd want to research Japanese operations that year before deciding one way or another. At the rate the Japanese were 'suppressing bandits' they might have run a similar campaign anyway, just in different provinces.