Were the Chinese ever capable of defeating Japan prior to the beginning of World War 2? How could we get an earlier Japanese defeat at the hands of KMT China between 1937-39/40?
How early could American support for China come?more US support for the chinese ?
Who would he ally with?A failed invasion of China could dissuade Hitler from entering an alliance with the Japanese, come the time for WW2.
If the Molotov-Ribentropp unholy alliance thingy still happens, then Hitler could ally with China by proxy, seeming as the KMT was an ally of the USSR. But i think he would only cater to the Chinese to keep Stalin sweet -- if Germany still invades Russia, he'd backtrack on his stance towards the Japanese.Who would he ally with?
Would China really become a member of the Axis?If the Molotov-Ribentropp still happens, then Hitler could ally with China by proxy, seeming as the KMT was an ally of the USSR. But i think he would only cater to the Chinese to keep Stalin sweet -- if Germany still invades Russia, he'd backtrack on his stance towards the Japanese.
That is, if the Japanese still retain control of any Chinese territory. Japan getting completely knocked out of the Chinese coast would obviously hurt the ego of the Imperial Japanese Armed Forces.
Hitler could decide that a more robust China would be more feasible as a German ally than a defeated Japan (he apparently didn't think of the Chinese as a lesser race than the Japanese), but i think it mostly depends on the USSR's stance on the whole deal.Would China really become a member of the Axis?
The USSR might replace the US as a supporter, considering their support for China financially and materially.Hitler could decide that a more robust China would be more feasible as a German ally than a defeated Japan (he apparently didn't think of the Chinese as a lesser race than the Japanese), but i think it mostly depends on the USSR's stance on the whole deal.
Were the Chinese ever capable of defeating Japan prior to the beginning of World War 2? How could we get an earlier Japanese defeat at the hands of KMT China between 1937-39/40?
Probably the only chance for a meaningful Chinese victory in the early period would have been as a pre-emptive strike on the small Japanese garrison in Shanghai prior to the outbreak of general war. At that time there were only around 4,000 IJN SNLF personnel in the city, as opposed to 50,000 KMT soldiers. As it was these Chinese troops were unable to destroy the Japanese prior to the arrival of the Shanghai Expeditionary Army (2 divisions, an artillery regiment, tanks AA, AT, and the like), and after a second landing by 3 more divisions and a large amount of artillery the window for a quick victory had expired. By the time further IJA reinforcements landed (the 10th Army) the Japanese effort developed into a counteroffensive to envelop the KMT around Shanghai and push forward to Nanking.
In the Beijing-Tientsin region to the north there was little chance of the Japanese being turned back; the Chinese didn't have the mobility or firepower.
Unfortunately for the KMT, it's unlikely they could have been more prompt at addressing the Japanese aggression at Shanghai, because only 19 days passed between the "Oyama Incident" and the gathering of 14 to 15 Chinese divisions in-theater; 1 to 2 arrived daily thereafter, and even this breakneck pace wash insufficient to crush the Japanese lodgement.
Great details here.
---It's arguable China did not win against China, other beat Japan *for* China, and China's victory was a side-effect of that. In OTL it was mainly the American effort responsible (with a lesser contribution from the Soviet effort and a yet smaller contribution from the British Empire). But, the simplest way to have another country beat Japan and have China liberated as a side-effect would be Soviet-Japanese War in the 1930s that the Soviets win.
At minimum the prompt intervention of a great power into the Second-Sino Japanese War would have led to status-quo negotiations between the Japanese and CKS.
How early could American support for China come?
You could have a number of German Volunteers embed into the KMT in the 30s - improving it's training and officer corps as well as its staffing capabilities
Also 'volunteer' German pilots could effectively form a 'German Air Force' in China and AFV tactics could be worked on etc
Just thought that such a situation might put China into the Axis camp and therefore enemy of my enemy and all that places Japan in the Allied camp - now that would be a POD!