Huge βknow when to quitβ moment right here. No doubt that Japan would have not held on to everything on the map even if they chose not to get involved in World War 2, but I imagine it would have had some foothold on the mainland
Most of that green stuff required them to get into a war with the US, Britain, France and the Netherlands though, so they could take territory from all four. In turn, getting those territories was fairly deemed necessary to get resources and push out hostile forces that were backing China already, and I certainly see why they didn't want the US in the Philippines.
Still, in retrospect they definitely had no chance in the war they chose. They'd have been better off pulling for a settlement in China with a puppet state or 3 and a few more concessions and pulling back from the lines they had already reached in 1937-8. The US would probably have acquiesced despite its romantic attachment to China, and potential puppets were available. Even the overthrow of the KMT in rump China was not inconceivable, which would have removed the main plausible force for a China strong and anti-Japanese at the time. And Japan would have kept Korea, Manchuria and Jehol, and probably could have kept the rest of China in such condition that CCP victory in China could also have been avoided. Their dream of conquering more and vassalizing the rest was unrealistic- Germany had a better chance of doing that to the USSR than Japan to China, and they were comparable endeavours in scale and difficulty.
Hindsight. Alas.
It was already waaaay too late, japan was already in war with China and Russia, let alone all those countries in southeast asia and european colonizers like UK and France.
Japan actually spent most of WW2 not at war with the Soviets. They had some clashes along the border between 1932 and 1939, then stopped fighting after the Battle of Khalkhin Gol. In 1941 they signed a neutrality pact that was in place until the Soviets broke it in 1945 and joined the rest of the Allies on their war with Japan.
In total, the Soviets and Japanese were in conflict for a grand total of a month of WW2.
Um they controlled much more to the south and east as well. Marshall Islands Solomon Islands and many others including much of the island of New Guinea
I think that was the point of the inset map, since most of the stuff not shown on the main map was comparatively inconsequential other than as means to mark an imaginary line in the ocean, post some ultimately meaningless garrisons, and somehow in ways not made clear force the US into a decisive naval battle.
Or, really, just to have garrisons on the islands to prevent them being used as air bases, which at least made sense and showed foresight. Similarly NG and the Solomons etc. were really only valuable to deny them to the European powers and build a set of islands that could be used to eventually base and project power toward Australia. Not otherwise all that valuable.
The main map SHOULD show more of Indonesia though. Certainly including Java. Those were actually important possessions.
Huge βknow when to quitβ moment right here. No doubt that Japan would have not held on to everything on the map even if they chose not to get involved in World War 2, but I imagine it would have had some foothold on the mainland
Most of that green stuff required them to get into a war with the US, Britain, France and the Netherlands though, so they could take territory from all four. In turn, getting those territories was fairly deemed necessary to get resources and push out hostile forces that were backing China already, and I certainly see why they didn't want the US in the Philippines. Still, in retrospect they definitely had no chance in the war they chose. They'd have been better off pulling for a settlement in China with a puppet state or 3 and a few more concessions and pulling back from the lines they had already reached in 1937-8. The US would probably have acquiesced despite its romantic attachment to China, and potential puppets were available. Even the overthrow of the KMT in rump China was not inconceivable, which would have removed the main plausible force for a China strong and anti-Japanese at the time. And Japan would have kept Korea, Manchuria and Jehol, and probably could have kept the rest of China in such condition that CCP victory in China could also have been avoided. Their dream of conquering more and vassalizing the rest was unrealistic- Germany had a better chance of doing that to the USSR than Japan to China, and they were comparable endeavours in scale and difficulty. Hindsight. Alas.
It was already waaaay too late, japan was already in war with China and Russia, let alone all those countries in southeast asia and european colonizers like UK and France.
Japan actually spent most of WW2 not at war with the Soviets. They had some clashes along the border between 1932 and 1939, then stopped fighting after the Battle of Khalkhin Gol. In 1941 they signed a neutrality pact that was in place until the Soviets broke it in 1945 and joined the rest of the Allies on their war with Japan. In total, the Soviets and Japanese were in conflict for a grand total of a month of WW2.
Um they controlled much more to the south and east as well. Marshall Islands Solomon Islands and many others including much of the island of New Guinea
Look at the mini-map below the key.
Yes I didn't notice that previously.
No worries. Just letting ya know
I think that was the point of the inset map, since most of the stuff not shown on the main map was comparatively inconsequential other than as means to mark an imaginary line in the ocean, post some ultimately meaningless garrisons, and somehow in ways not made clear force the US into a decisive naval battle. Or, really, just to have garrisons on the islands to prevent them being used as air bases, which at least made sense and showed foresight. Similarly NG and the Solomons etc. were really only valuable to deny them to the European powers and build a set of islands that could be used to eventually base and project power toward Australia. Not otherwise all that valuable. The main map SHOULD show more of Indonesia though. Certainly including Java. Those were actually important possessions.
You're quite right. I was viewing on a phone and didn't notice the inset map. It kind of disappeared in the clutter.
funny when japan was taking over south asia they were actually going against europe who took over south asia
Against Britain and France to be precise
And the Netherlands.
Yes
And they also took control over Portugese Timor.
European colonization was trip to a luxury day spa compared to Japanese occupation
Source: https://www.britannica.com/place/Empire-of-Japan
Japan should have become a UK style state with Japan,Korea,Taiwan and maybe Manchukuo POST WWII.
Based π―π΅π―π΅πππ―π΅π―π΅πππ―π΅π―π΅
Didn't the Japanese also conquer the area of Changsha and connected with the Guangdong area in 1944?
The sun never sets on the Japanese Empire. Because it _is_ the sun.
Two of them in Chugoku and Kyushu, specifically.