WI: Soviets don't attack Japan in '45?

What if the Soviet Union didn't attack Japan in 1945, breaking a non-aggression pact that had been in place since Khalkin Gol?

How would this affect communism in Asia? Would Korea be united? What effect would this have on the Chinese Civil War?
 
Why is Stalin not going for it? He's got the most powerful ground army on the planet, the third most powerful Air Force, and the Japanese have already been smashed up to a point where it is guaranteed to be a short and easy war. He pretty much has every incentive to attack...
 
I don't know why the Soviets would not go to war with Japan. If they didn't for some reason, you would be removing a major incentive for Japanese surrender. "Oh the atomic bombs...", the Japanese had been beaten back across the Pacific, were devastated by Allied bombing of the home island, and were suffering from dwindling supplies, waning industrial capacity, and the overall blockade, all of which were allowing the peace faction to gain ground. To top that off, the Soviets were poised to invade Japan, which would reap horror and destruction as much as in Germany. Keep the Russians out of the Pacific war, and things get stickier.
 

jahenders

Banned
Several main things:

1) Japan may not surrender quite as soon after the two atom bombs are drop. It was the combination of the atom bombs, the endless string of defeats, the starvation, all the other bombing and the Russians attacking that contributed to convince them to surrender. It might have taken a few more weeks or starvation to convince them.

2) Without the Russians rolling up Japanese forces in Manchuria and elsewhere, the US/UK would have a much task in rounding up and returning Japanese soldiers not in Japan.

3) Korea would probably remain united

4) The US might seize part of Sakhalin, which would eventually be returned to Japan, so Russia would only have the North.

5) Japan might potentially have kept some of the Kuriles

What if the Soviet Union didn't attack Japan in 1945, breaking a non-aggression pact that had been in place since Khalkin Gol?

How would this affect communism in Asia? Would Korea be united? What effect would this have on the Chinese Civil War?
 
Why not? The WAllies promised Stalin north Korea and parts of China, its perfectly up for grabs. Although, let's say Stalin became stupid as shit and decided not to. World War I ends later, maybe with one more atomic bomb used. Korea remains united and democratic and the KMT has a more likely chance to win the Chinese Civil War. Vientam never happens and East Asia is mostly free and respects human rights.
 
and would also lead to earlier distrust of the ussr. so less demobilisation after the war/ or at least keeping gear in stock?
 
WI Russia and WALLIES planned simultaneous invasions of the Japanese Home Islands .... however WALLIES have ulterior plans. Original WALLY plans include token landings o the Southern home island and a slow advance "hampered by stiff defenses." Meanwhile, WALLIES hope that Stalin will expend his last (million) reserves invading Japan. This plan would have eased WALLY plans for post-war Asia.

As Stalin waits, WALLY plans crumble and they are forced to commit all American, British, Canadian, New Zealand, etc. troops to invading JHI. WALLIES exhaust all their military reserves, while Stalin waits. Desperately weakened WALLIES have zero influence in post-war Asia.
 
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