What would have happened if Japan had attacked the Soviet Union?

Comments ( 6 )

1. Michael says

   Your an idiot. The U.S. cut off oil supplies to Japan because Japan invaded China and they brutalized civilians, women and children in particular. Had the U.S. not done so it would have been complicit in Japan’s actions in China. .

   Reply

2. DIRK says

   Japan would have become part of The Soviet Union.

   Reply

3. stabilis says

   In 1939 in early summer the Kwantung Army clashed with Mongolian troops near the frontier between Manchukuo and the Soviet – dominated Mongolian People`s Republic . Since that time the Outer Mongolian Army had been heavily reinforced by Russian troops . On the 20 August the Russians attacked the Kwantung Army and drove it back with heavy losses . Three days later , Germany concluded the `Non Aggression Pact ` . Hitler`s successes in the west led to a change of regime in Japan , and a change in policy . The Pacific Basin became Japans main territorial aims .
   Had the Japanese attacked The Soviet Union , even with Germany attacking from the west , Japan`s problem would have remained unchanged viz- a viz raw materials , America had already imposed a strict ban on raw materials to Japan , and with a war with the Chinese already consuming large amounts of material , and no heavy tanks , a long stretching supply line , enough fuel to last the Imperial Navy six months , a war with Russia was not an option , Japan needed , the raw materials the Dutch East Indies could supply her The American embargo alone would have probably been enough on it`s own to bring Japan to her knees had she gone to war with the Soviet Union . For the Soviets , though I believe they would have contained the Japanese , the result of Japan`s decision not to invade allowed Stalin to release thousands of Siberian troops from his eastern border to the battle of Moscow . The war for Japan was the need for raw materials .

   Reply

4. AndeeVee says

   We forget that Japan did invade the USSR in August 1939, and got it's butt kicked for the trouble.

   Invasion in December 1941 would have had different factors, of course, but the result could not be guaranteed. Also, Stalin chose to send his Eastern units to the Western front to fight the Germans after he was reliably informed by his spies in Tokyo that there would be no Japanese attack on the USSR. Had the information been different, there would not have been a transfer of those forces and history could indeed have been different.

   Reply

5. MDOG says

   Russia was with the allies so they kinda were already at war with Russia

   Reply

6. Bilbo says

   Why would they want to? The US provoked the Japanese by their actions over oil – the Russians were careful to avoid any antagonisation and only declared war in 1945.

   Going with your supposition – the Japanese had won the Russo-Japanese War of 1905, so the chances of winning were high – higher with a war on two fronts. So the outcome would have been very different. Always provided they were able to obtain sufficient resources from the Asian mainland – without drawing America into the conflict.

   On the assumption that the Nazis won as a consequence – would they have been able to sustain a continued occupation of Russia? Not the easiest of countries to control. It is an interesting thought – and would the US have been so minded to go to war if Japan had turned its attentions north rather than south – although the undefended European colonies would I am sure be too tempting a target to resist.

   Reply